Connecticut western news., 1881-03-02
DOUCE.

She was so quiet and gentle in voice and manner that her family called her ''douce" (sweet), and Deuce was her name to all the neighbors.
 She had been christened Helen, but to all intents and purposes, the nick name was the only one by which she was known. She was not pretty girl so far as features and complexion went, but with nothing mawkish or insipid about her, as might be inferred from her name.
 The tones of her voice were so even, her movement so quiet and deliberate, that you could not understand how Douce was the ruling mind in family of K children, five of them boys, and unruly ones at that. But the truth was, she was the most daring of all of them, though she would climb the taIlest tree and ride the most dangerous horse with the same calm composure of manner. Her mother had been an invalid for many years, and her father, prosper ous merchant at the little town of Oak port, about two miles from his residence, was too busy 8 man to do more than pass his nights at home, generally too tired when he reached there to spend much time in social intercourse with his family.
 Mir. Tureau's residence, as I have said, was about two miles from town, but one mile was througha thick, swampy forest, very bad walking in rainy wealth CT, and dark and dismal enough even on summers morning.
 It bore, too, an evil reputation among the country people in the neighborhood, for fifteen years before, peddler had been robbed and killed there, and his body had been found near an old rotten log by the roadside. On large beach tree which overhung the spot had been carvedby some boy, "Here A mos Grove was murdered"
 Of course, the ghost of the peddlel was presumed to haunt the spot, and a: the murderer had not been discovered the ignorant, superstit1ous people of the neighborhood all believed the spiri would never rest in it's grave until thu criminal who did the deed was brough to justice.
 To the little Tureaus, these wood: were perpetual delight. Such nutting such berries, such persimmons wer, found there, that in spite of thrill o terror when they passed the spot of tn, sad tragedy, nothing short of vislbl apparition would have kept them iron the woods.
 Douce, who feared neither man no ghost, was always their leader in thos expeditions. At sixteen she was a fond of swinging on grape-vines an mounting to the top of tall trees a when she was ten. This sounds as Miss Douce Tureau was rather ton boyish; but she did these things s gravely and quietly that somehow n one thought of reproving her for he gymnastic feats.
 "Let Deuce alone" said her father "She has wary eye, and a firm, stron grasp, and she'll never come to harm It IS not a lady-hke amusement for young girl to climb trees, but she not tomboy, and does not climb the, because she is of rough, masculir nature. It is, perhaps, an eccentricit, and in her case I accept it when should not in some other children. B sides, 1t strengthens her muscles an makes her hardy"
 One fine September morning, Mir Tureau astonished them all by insistir upon walking to town with her husban,
 "The walk IS too long for yol Mary" he demonstrated.
 'sNo, indeed" she answered, "I fe equal to it, and I prefer the walk riding. I will spend the day vii Cousin Jane, and be quite rested whe you return in the evening. Tie COG (Dora), too, wants to go to town spend the day and night with her si ter."
 GAS you please; but if Dora is goin who will stay at home with the oh dren? We shall not get home uni after dusk, you know"
 "You're not afraid to stay here wi the children, Deuce, are you?" askt her mother
 'tAfraid? Why, mamma, I did h suppose you thought me such foolis coward What can harm us ?"
 Of course it did not seem as if the could be anything to harm them in tn quiet place; so, after an early breakfas the children walked part of the way town with their parents. Deuce sto' and looked after them as they lei with strange heart-sinking, she afte wards said.
 "I thought it was because mann was always at home," she said. err house would seem so lonely witho her. But then, was so glad to 8 her able to walk again, that could n understand my depressed feeling"
 There was deal of work to be do that day. The house was to be clea C, e9slrhing done. and Deuce thoug she would surprise her father a