Litchfield enquirer., 1880-05-20
MY GoDMoTHER's PoMANDER..

1 0VOMV 4AGh D 6VAANO OGhs 3
 So my grandfather lay a-dying! My god mother had sent for my mother and me, and I might go to thesdeath and to the funeral, perhaps to the reading of the will, and there might be other mysteries that knew not of. Who could tell?
 There was great haste. But there was no mistake about it. 1 was mentioned by name in my godmother's note: "Bring Clara; she will be great comfort to me. Fox is here am sorry the roads are so bad but do come to me, dear Mary. have had such sad time alone, till Fox came" My godmother was a young woman. She had married my grandfather when he was past threescore- and ten. She had crossed the ocean with him, coming from England; he had been very kind to her then and ever since. It made great talk when they were married very soon after they landed. The world said it was plot to catch the old gentleman, who was very rich.
 My godmother said, frankly, It is the GUS tom in Europe, and my father approved of the match before I left England. My hus- band would not allow him to speak to me about It lest should feel myself bound to favor his suit authorized by my father. 1 understood it all. l am glad to have such a good husband, so rich but it is sad to have driven away Fox" .-... .....-... ..y-
 Fox was my grandfather's. grandson-our dear Cousin Fox, the supposed heir to the great estates of the house of Fox. But in the short tine that intervened between the return of his grandfather and his second marriage Cousin Fox had fallen in love with my god mother. and was very bold in his attentions and very desperate in his disappointment; and my grandfather got him position in a commercial town, where he spent much mon ey and led wild life, and finally went into the army under General Braddock, and was for he was but boy when he adored his grandmother and de6ed bis grandfather.
 All this my mother told me, and much more, during our drive to town on that event. full day. She described ton my christening, which took place when I was five years old. my grandfather and my new grandmother being my sponsors. She forewarned me that would be adopted now by my godmother, and said, oracularly, "lt rests with you whether you become a woman or tine lady's lap dog."s
 As had never been in the habit of talking to my mother, sat silent in the carriage and pondered over my future until we reached the town of A., where my grandfather lived
 The. countless windows in the large house blazed a tire-light welcome that have never since beer able to disconnect with death.
 We met my cousin Fox on the staircase i; he was standing in the light of roaring fire behind him, the most gallant and noble fig CT and took my hand l felt at once warmed and protected.
 In the chamber of death, as the house keep CT had respectfully called my grandfather's room, my godmother sat alone by her hus- bands bedside, looking fair and frail and very much dressed for such an occasion. She was not to blame for that, however The delicate tlnts of her complexion, the richness of her gown of green satin, and the fashion of the day to wear much lace, and her fair hair lit tie disordered, made her beautiful to look upon as she greeted us, with tears in her ap- pealing eyes.
 ''He has been dying all day." she said He likes me near him he will not recognize you" tI.,,.
 My cousin Fox approached the bed, and took his hand
 'It is Fox,' said my godmother. 'You knew him yesterday he has come to see you, my dear. And Mary and little Clara don't you know them?"
 My grandfather was sitting up in bed, SUD- ported by many pillows, and breathing strangely. He turned his eyes toward Cousin Fox when he took his hand, and there was 8 struggle in his face.
 You know Fox ?" repeated my godmother.
 Certainly" he said, with an indefinite bow of the head, and with much difficulty. ''Give Fox some supper, and Bur-Bur-Burgundy." Then he made an effort to smile; his powder ed wig fell oyer his right eyebrow, which was very bushy and black-his smile, too, seemed to have slipped on one side-and his eyes rolled up in his head as he said again, Bur gundy, ur-gun-gundy for Fox, my dear ;" and died, thinking kindly for another, as he had done when living. .r
 My godmother strengthened his wig, and Cousin Fox closed his eyes. "
 ''I am very glad I was not alone" said she; and we left the room together. Later in the night my mother and Cousin Fox went back to my dead grandfather, and did not see them again till the next morning.
 drove to the funeral in the family coach, seated next to my godmother. was present at the reading of the will, which left the es- tates and money equally divided between Cousin Fox and my godmother My brothers and were ultimately to inherit my godmoth- CTS portion and a request was added that should live at the homestead as the adopted child of Mrs. Howard Fox.
 A large wardrobe of mourning clothes was made for me before 1 went home with my mother. had memorial ring, and in the spring returned to my godmother, to live with her.
 Cousin Fox had also home at the old homestead, but he was still in the army and we saw very little of him for two or three years. watched for his visits as for the re- turn of birds in spring, or flowers.
 What is a godmother?
 Of course I knew the Church acceptation of tha xuord Snd lla'c uodmothar and o French fairy tale ot wicked old godmother but what was mine to me-to me, a simple little country lass transplanted to vase in my lady's boudOlr, expected to bloom with the gaudy colors of the tulip when was at best wild flower?
 p At first, to me, my godnother was very much like Cinderella's. Touched with her wand, Ilived in trickle of delights and sur prises The rats and pumpkins of this life were made luxuries and pleasures by her fairy hands. 1 was rolled through my duties in glass coach. My tastes should be cultivated; should not be drudge; should live life enchanted ............ |. / Such was my godmother's amusement dur ing her period of mourning "a distinct time in my memory, when my godmother wore black satin gowns, fine muslin, folded meekly across her bosom, her hair covered but not con cealed by a triangle of muslin, soine bright locks escaping on her forehead as if they had bloomed there. We lived much in small oval room, full of sunlight, my godmother at her embroidery frame, working with silk and floss of brilliant colors, gold thread and beads, and weaving for me beautiful stories of Pene- iope, Zenobia. Matilda ot Flanders, and some maids of honor she had known in France
 read the Canterbury Tales and the ''Faerie Queene" and "Comus" aloud, not to my godmother alone. but to the sovereign heroines she had told me of, who were as real us the figures of her rich embroidery. The migonette border was under the windows of the oval room, from the garden walk up to the house itself, and it was in bloom when first saw Colonel Johnson, and first heard of Pene- lope's constancy and wifely cunning. Colo nel Johnson trampled on the flowers of the mignonette as if they had been straw, and my godmother bent over her dazzling silks, but she was not taking out or putting in. 71' .fsF
 Penelope" said this bold suitor in a red coat. ''when this work shall be finished, what theni"
 ''Then shall begin this pattern of 1Eneas and Dido n l.s e.7st t,t .rs