Connecticut western news., 1880-11-17
Darlington, while the band of the regi-

It IS always my late, dear Julia. Bar ney, the factotum of the neighborhood, tapped at the window, and as I raised the sash,
 "A foine morning, num-" said he; "there's red flag out at No. 54, and I thought I'd be after comin' to tell ye. Iris foine house, and foine Teddy, more's the pity.'
 You see, Barney knows my weakness, and he had seen me few days before an animated bidder at auction in the neighborhood.
 "Thank you, Barney; I think I'll be on hand," replied, closing the window.
 GA foine leddy," to be sure; I had often met her-a fair-faced woman plainly and tastefully dressed, walking with two charming children. Her house seemed the abode of peace and comfort, so far as the passer-by could judge, and what could have compelled the breaking up of so fine an establishment? At all events would not stop to speculate was possible here was my opportunity to secure 8 handsome side board at 0 | bargain. As wished to be on hand in time to look through the house before the sale began, I asked Ned to have the goodness to excuse me for an hour or l so.
 "Oh, will go with you, Mrs. Too dles," he said quite gayly, and ran up stairs for his hat and cane.
 So off we went to No. 54, where the flaming flag announced the desecration of household gods. We were admitted by the man in charge of the sale; and such a charming abode ! Not @ down right curiosity shop, the effect of dec orative art run mad, but such taste and ingenuity everywhere visible. People with shrewd, hard faces, boarding house keepers, "second-hand men," eying the pretty engravings and pretty water-col- ors on the parlor wall, running their greasy fingers over the keys of the piano, turning chairs topsy-turvey, and shaking tables to see how firm on their legs they might be. In the bay-window
 was large stand of beautiful thrifty
 plants, of which resolved to carry off
 about half. The two floors above were
 neat and pleasant; but it was the second
 story back that wrung my heart. It was
 the nursery. Toys and personal articles
 had, of course, been removed, but there
 was pretty little bed beside the large
 one, and two cunning little rocking
 chairs. The window looked out on z
 pleasant garden, and here was sitting
 old Mrs. Wiggan, with whom I had $
 little acquaintance.
 "Such charming house," said I, "is
 it not pity to break up this charming
 nest? Do you know the family ?"
 "Poor Mrs. Graham She lived here
 with her children so comfortably anG
 happily, two or three lodgers on hel
 upper floor, until few months ago sht
 lost everything by the failure of bank
 ing house. She had no relatives in tht
 city; has struggled on, tried to ge
 boarders, but the location is too remote she sees no way but to give it up, plac
 her children with friend in the coun |, try, and try to earn 8 livelihood b. painting. She is said to be an excellen artist, though I an no judge myself These are all her own pictures, believe She is shut up in the back parlor-
 everything taken out of it but chair saw her few moments ago. The tear were running down her cheeks, but ther ) she sat, bravely stitching on her chi]
 dren's winter clothes, sewing on the las button and mending the last stocking f poor thing There are the little innc , cents at play now in the yard" Mrs. Wiggan herself (although sh had an eye on the best chamber-set , wiped away a good, generous tear; m
 eyes were dim, and I would gladly g
 that moment have relinquished the bes , bargain in sideboards. Ned, too, tn 2 dear old fellow, looked awfully sorry, a I he gazed meditatively out of the wir ! dow, where the bright-eyed little gir 5 and the boy with fair, long curls wer
 loading dirt in tiny cart with a mir ; iature shovel From the floor abov
 came the sharp ring of the auctioneer
 voice:
 B "How much, how much |? Six do [ lars, did you say seven? Six dollars t seven dollars-gone at seven - The auctioneer descended with h 2 followers into the front chamber. Bt . fore l knew it Ned was there, and in h t impetuous way was bidding in fashio | to astonish the secondhand men. H
 swept everything before him Mrs. Wiz V gan, to be sure, stood him @ little col f test on the "set," and laughed to se Q her glare at him, while he was so al
 sorbed that several punches with ID F parasol had no effect whatever "W;
 there insanity in his family ?" I aske r myself. By the time we reached u n parlor, the secondhand men had slun l. away, the boarding house keepers locke " aghast. made brave. stand for tl : sideboard, but it was of no avail an' e indeed, most of us sat down, leavir 7. Ned and the auctioneer to themselve = Every article from the second floor dow was purchased that morning by the di d tinguished stranger.
 This amusing turn of affairs rath 1T confirmed my hopes in regard to Ad |, laide of course, thought I, he cam n rid himself entirely of those old recc d lections, but he knows very well u d sterling worth of Adelaide, and what l. charming, intelligent, devoted wife sl
 will IT. ake.
 }, All had gone but Ned, myself and u @ auctioneer. The latter knocked at t d door of the back parlor. "Come in n said voice, and the burly man swm IT the doors aside. The mother was ma it ing an effort to rise, but the little felle -.r;Al, foi