Litchfield enquirer., 1881-12-01

more freQuent touch of tenderness, greate
 readiness to make allowances for the circum
 stances and difficulties of each. A greate
 readiness to help there could not bc, but ther
 was less readiness to scold
 Sometimes in the course of her ind5fatisa
 ble rounds, she would meet with aud hav'
 pleasant converse with the rector, and wouit
 come home quite radiant with pleasure. A
 other times she only heard of him as havins
 been the lite and soul of some party, rowirs
 Miss ripple and her friends down the river
 organizing picnics, and other frivolities or
 which Aunt Agatha looked with scant eolers
 tion.
 sThat man." she remarked one day. ''migh' put new life into the whole parish, and he's becoming mere butterfly It's bad enough now what it will be after he gets married to that shallow, worldly-minded woman, Heaven only knows" tls3 f5EI1
 One day iu early autumn, as Aunt Agatha was moving softly among her asters and chry santhemums, musing probably of these nat ters a harsh, crashing noise and shock as'of earthquake rudely broke the current of her reflections. She turned in the direction from which the sound had come. and there. where Miss Paynes Haunting eyesore of red-brick upper story had been was cloud or dust momently thinDing, and leaving the clear blue of bright October sky. se .s S- 1
 "A good riddance of bad rubbish" was Aunt Agatha's brief exclamation; but then, the possibilities involved suddenly flashing upon her mind she added Heaven forgive me! Why, the woman and that poor, little. half-starved Lucy Chalk may be buried in those ruins!"
 In an instant she was rushing out of her garden, bonnet flying behind her. quite un. conscious of the amazed look of the butcher over the way, the group of milliners at Miss Firminrs, and the portly landlord of the Red Lion who, ignorant as they were Of what had transpired at the rear of Amt Agatha's dwell ling, were half amused and half curious about her deshabille and her haste.
 "Here hi !" she called to two men who were passing. "Jobson, Tyler, come with me to Miss Payne's directly. There has been an accident there the new story has fallen in." a,-s...s.
 Fastening with them round the corner of Horn Lane. she came upon Miss Tipple, es- corted by the rector, with whom she was gaily conversing
 My dear Miss Gsyfer!" said Miss Tipple, advancing with her everlasting wlntry smile.
 "What is the matter, Miss Gayfer ?" asked Mir. Jordan. "Can l help you ?"
 Just then small boy came running by, and thinking he might be useful to run errands, Aunt Agatha impounded him by clutching the collar of his jacket, a piece of hls ear, and handful cf his hair, holding him@ in firm grasp while she explained to the rector briefly what had happened.
 You may as we'll come." she added ''though don't know as you can do any thing Better a lame foot than none."
 And without further barley she hurried on. ..... gE .-4 s~ t
 Miss ripple, who clung to the rector'ssarm and with a soft invincibility declined either to hurry her steps or to be left to herself, so ims peded his motion that Aunt Agatha, with her followers. were out of sight in no time. When at last he came up, half dragging the shrink 1 ing and reluctant Miss ripple, whose strong objection to imperiling either her person or her millinery quite overmastered her curiosity, | she heard Aunt Agatha's voice ringing out | from the dusty confusion with anything but | complimentary exh0rtations to her recruits, | who were pausing irresolute at the entrance.
 Don't you go in, Miss Agatha-now. don't | you" shouted one of the men. "That ain't | safe, really"
 "You cowardly loons," said my aunt," would you let the woman die without help?" Don't go, Frank. said Miss TipDle. "You hear 1t is not safe, and you'll get your coat | all over dust"
 Mir. Jsrdan firmly, but not urgently, re- moved her grasp. --..-. "Where there is danger and distress, there | is the parsons place" said he, and in another | moment he had followed Aunt Agatha, the | men timdly initiating his example. and leav ing Miss ripple alone with little Job Chalk. | of whom she did not condescend to take any | notice. tt The rickety building was @ mere heap of | ruins. Some village wiseacre had superim- posed on a lath and plaster basement brick | upper story This angle of the building had l fallen in, and in it's fall had dragged with it older portions of the house, 30 that now tim | bers were sloping in all directians, and what had not actually fallen seemed tottering to its fall. Amid this dangerous debris Aunt Aga l tha was making her way, when some of the | boldest of those who were following her start | ed back with shout of alarm. thin blue | smoke, followed by hungry, vicious-looking | tongues of flame, was apparent, and even Mir. | Jordan and Aunt Agatha, who were now side | by side, paused for an instant on seeing these | evidences of peril. The hesitation, which was but momentary, did not survive the stited sound of moaning that broke upon the ear.
 But Aunt Agatha was no longer allowed to take the command. The soft coOing voice to which she had at times listened with some thing akin to contempt could assume the tone of command, and. strong as she was, and ''masterful' as all the village folks said, Aunt Agatha was woman in her heart, leaning with | gladuess and submission on a stronger will l than her own.
 You will wait here, !" said Mir. Jordan, 'for | a few moments. 1 will call you if you can be | of belp;" and then, with keen rapid glance sweeping those who were present, he singled | might have led soldiers on to battle, said: "Howard, you come with me-" The young fellow obeyed as a matter of | course, and then ensued short pause of pain | ful suspense. Presently Howard reappeared l with flushed and frightened expression, but | evidently putting strong restraint upon him. | self.
 ''Stallybrass and. Ward. you be to come with me. Miss Agatha, you be to wait"
 But Bob Towards voice had not the magic | of Mir. Jordans, and she would wait no long, CT. Pushing her way through the ruins and the smoke with those that had been summon ed into what had been Miss Payne's little par Tor, she pressed her lips tightly together, and the color fled her face as she saw the motion. less form of her old enemy stretched on a couch there and standing by the side of it the rector blood streaming from a wound on his head, his coat torn, and one arn hanging list less by his side. Some falling bricks and tim. Der had struck him and had disabled the arm, and lest his appearance should excite alarm he lad sent Bob Howard with the message for help and strict injunction to say nothing be- yond what he had been told
 In few seconds Miss Payne. more fright ened than hurt, was moved beyond the reach of peril, and was conveyed to Aunt Agathas cottage, accompanied by the wounded rector. Aunt Agatha's foresight had already summoned good Dr. Holmes to the place, and hurrying as fast as his lame foot would permit, he reached the cottage almost at the same tune as the cavalcade. Miss ripple, indignant that her cousin should have deserted her for that woman, had not waited the issue of the investigation.
 Dr. Holmes pronounced Miss Payne to have sustained very severe shock from fright but to be free from bodily damage. The rector's arm was broken, but the wound on the head was only skin deep, and not much more seri- ous than the torn coat.
 From that time, for many months, Aunt Agstha's house became Miss Payne's home. and her hostess tended her with all the solic- tude of daughter A great poet has told us