Litchfield enquirer., 1881-08-11
/" = Since I saw you last There is @ change upon you."

Five and-twenty years later. one warm Au- gust morning. in the stately coffee-roOm of a fashionable hotel in Hastings, there sat eating his breakfast what we may call the remains of Theobald Podger, Esq. ''The remains is said advisedy, because in the space of time which has elapsed since last we saw him, Theobald has grown wondrously thln, shrunk from the diminutive plumpness of other days into little hard man of 5O Thin hands, thin arms, thin legs, thin face and body, thin everything. Notwithstanding this he eats his breakfast with good appetite, and makes away with bacon and eggs, toast and coffee, like full sized Briton. The visitors list is in his hand, and he is running his eye down the lines.
 "Goodness gracious!" he exclaimed all at once ''She is here!"
 He looked at the list more closely.
 "Yes, 1 declare! Herein Hastings-here in this building !' ,.....- ......'..,.-.
 He rang the bell, and on the appearance of the waiter pointed out name 't7 H. .'.
 ''Is that lady-Mrs Monteagle Villiers-in this house n0w?" .z rs. ''Yes, Sir. Private rooms, Sir, Thirty eight, nine, and forty, Sir"
 My dear heart !" sighed Theobaid Podger, resting his chm upon his hand. "Does she remember me, wonder?"
 Had he been in number thirty-eight at that particular moment he need not have asked the question. Mrs. Monteagle Villiers was reading the visitors list also, and, looking over the names at the hotel to see if her own were correctly spelled, her eyes lighted on the familiar word-''Podger." '- -1 .,t
 Mrs. Monteaglea Villiers has grown very stout since she sat as Seina Stickey in that Summer house; and DOW she is vastly arrayed in widows robes, and her descending cap- strings remind one of the Staubach waterfall, they are so long and so fleecy white. Her face-that pretty little face !-has become large and suited to her portly frame and the lips, where kisses played at hide-and seek long ago, have lost their carnation-the hue has fled upward and settled on her cheeks.
 "Theobald here," she murmured. "How strange it is! My Monteagle removed, and his Violet renoved-what coincidence Has he forgotten me, I wonder p '
 No, Selina, he has not. Half an hour later there came knock at the door and the waiter entered with card. ..r,.,,,, t.... .,.,., ...,.
 'Gentleman would like to call on you. Ma'am," 7" he said, with most unprofessional note of melancholy in his voice; he must have caught it unconsciously from Theobald; Eff half after twelve will suit, Ma'am.
 Leave was granted at once, and during the interval of time Mrs. Monteagle Vilers sat before her glass trying to remember what she was like twenty five years ago, and to plan a reproduction of Selina Stickey.
 ,''This crape is the great difficulty" she she sighed. That can't be got over, do what wilL''
 Then she thought of Theobald; how con- stant he was-"Little darling" she murmured Then she remembered the summer-h house and how he cast her off, and shis composure and her rage, and the vow she vowed-"OM Wretch!" she ejacnlated. At which she clenched her fist, the very fist that made his ears ring that evening, only now a more ter rible weapon by far, and with that fist in this me nacing form she said 2" "a
 ''Theobald, Theobald, shall have you, but you shall pay me first l"
 Punctually at half-past twelve she seated herself on the sofaat the further end of her great drawing room, and while the silver bell of the little timepeace was still echoing the stroke of the hammer Theobald knocked at the door.
 Come in!" she cried in languishing voice. Had he seen her heart and the femi nine malice there! :,..t.~
 The door opened, and he entered. In that vast sitting room he looked smaller than usual and, ashe timidly made his way in, she was reminded in some mysterious manner of a mouse creeping round the wainscot He reached her at last. Their eyes met. Their DdnQS cIaSpeu. nat was 8 comfort. The first shock was over, and the widower picked up his courage Q little. ea si34l 8aA .8 a..
 The next few minutes were not so painful as might have been expected, and. when the usual commonplace preliminaries of converse tion had been gone through, Theobald Podger, with sigh and downcast look, asked; :, .,,
 'How long ago is it ?"
 Two years and month this very day." the widow replied, with a pathetic application of her handkerchief. a9iisa1sasoa vrs9 ssti sh
 "Mine is not quite two years vel, ]" replied Theobald gently. You got the start of me, Seiina n n 9t4F 3i 5tJt3fHNslA- S GI f 5,lE .'So I did Pheobald," she answered in the same key. Those things are ordered for us. are they not?"
 In this way dialogue was established, which the widower, with excellent tact, guid- ed ever nearer and nearer to the business of his bosom.
 ''Times have changed with both of us, Se- lina," said Theobald. Fl am not the man was, nor are you the woman you were I mean" he added, catching himself up hastily ''yoC are not quite the woman you were, but very nearly-very. very nearly" i" 'ssj 5'
 There is a change" said the widow, with fresh pocket-handkerc symptoms. iLook at this She gracefully spread out her hands and drew his attention to her .sstiit Of woe. .''asl8 q D5lasuasab .atl= assiu iI9liRti
 s.Oh, that; of course,n cried Theobald.