Litchfield enquirer., 1881-06-23

that" @1' t.7s --'.
 "Oh yes......" tt.
 ''They say she lives quite quietly here"
 'Yes......and they do say, you know, that she has house in London so magnificent, that the......the duchess off,. tut I always how, duchess was SO mad to see 1t that she actually disguised herself as t furniture pol isher. and went over every bit of it. ''
 ''What The furniture ?"'
 ''No, no. The house."
 '1 didn't take good look at her. Nudge me when she passes again, will you?"
 By and by she passed again. The nudge was given, and Miss Blundell we'll stared at. She went on her way, however, neither look ing to the left nor to the right, but went on alone, for the little go-cart drawn by the un- kempt boy had stopped just past the bench, and, wonder of wonders, the little invalid with sweet troubled face looked at the gen. tleman and beckoned to him He could not believe his senses he half rose and then sank back again into his place with ''thudlthat made the bench quiver. The baby face look ed helpless-and the unkempt boy came for ward
 Little girl wants you, think, sir"
 The gentleman rose at once and went to her; one glance he gave to Miss Blnndelps re- treating form, but she did not even tu-n her head. His heart beat violently as he bent over the child with strange look of deep and painful sympathy. and laid big loving hand on her little head.
 My daring......Dear baby......" said he gently. "How are you now? ?'
 "Better now," said she, and then she look ed at litttle piece of folded paper that she held in her hand......and presented it hesitat- iagly.
 tsTs that for ma hahv 0n
 She nodded. Yes, it was for him. It was folded and addressed. Daniel N Brasth- waite, esq.,"
 "May go on to darling Bab now 2' But he had unfolded the paper with trembling fngures and was reading it. May go on now ?" said the baby voice again, and this time unsteadily, with large tears fast gather ing in her little anxious eyes. For there was all her earthly guide and support-her dar- ling Bab-vanishing calmly ln the distance and leaving her behind, in the grasp of an un- kempt boy, strange big man, and callous crowd. But his senses for the moment, save that of sight, were useless-for this is what he saw:
 Il think it right to let you know, at all events in writing that my little sister will not be a cripple for life. The doctors guar antee her perfect recovery.
 BARBARA BLUNDELL''
 ''Oh my God !......" murmured he, ''oh, my good, good God!"
 He bent over the child again and laid his trembling lips on her little soft forehead-so swayed by mighty rush of emotion that he found no more words. And the Qnkempt boy, perceiving that Mss Blundel was making signs to him in the distance, went on, to the little invalid's great relief.
 ''Dear baby !" said Miss Blundell. Good baby !......did the gentleman say anything ?"
 ''Yes......" said baby with an effort to re- member...... "He said......he said his pray erS......"
 ''And now I suppose I must take you for little sail. don't think it's too rough-and it does give you such an appetite. My little peppleums, shall we go and find our old sail ors?"
 Those who had witnessed the above little incident and had seen, with previously il-dispos- ed eyes, nothing but a young lady walking on as if nothing were happening-a letter. given by means of child's innocent little hands, and humbug of man pretending sympathy over sick baby. They also saw the gentle man return to his seat, and for full five min. utes sit perfectly stil staring at his boots with 8 rapt expression of countenance.
 suUu1u just lih0 Set wuaJ SaIu Uu him in that letter." whispered the furtherest away. The others were obliged to content themselves with meaning nOds and nudges.
 Suddenly form appeared before the big gentleman that did not pass away, but remain ed there, as it were, aggressively-so close it was. The big gentleman looked up startled, and gave jump that sent his umbrella again perilousy near hls neighbours eye.
 ''Really, sir"
 St0h 1 Dar0On mo I arn cO uI rd Have l hurt you2" The kindliness that reigned in the awkward persons heart beamed out at his eyes, and the aggrieved one was in. stantly and totally disarmed.
 'Oh dear me, no......It was my fault. Pray don't mention it."
 The man who was the cause of this small disaster was the direct opposite of the gentle man on the bench. He was short, dark, fat fussy and had an important way. "Sir......I be- lieve am correct in addressing you. There is an absurd report going about that... .that.....er .....the lady who... ....er.....I believe am cor rect in saying your wife"
 "A moment, sir," interrupted the gentle man on the bench. smiling. Here's some mistake......I haven't got wife"
 'It is not my business, of course, to inquire whether you are married or not, sir" said the short man stiff1y.
 ''Of course not!" said the other, still very good. naturedly. And why the deuce do you2"
 ''I don't care hang whether the lady is your wife or not" said the short man, mistak- ing the others 6oaahomsie for stupidity, and taking advantage of it. "But don't choose to go about the place with a......a stigma upon me and as our names are the same, I think
 q don't think they are," said the big gen. tleman. "May ask for yours?"
 "Mine, sir, is Spryggyns.
 "Well...... is Brasthwaite." MT. Spryggyns locked puzzled and incredulous. The other occupants of the bench pricked up their ears for afar off they already scented a battle-royal about to take place between the irate husband and the correspondent sitting on the bench beside them.
 s'Then have come to the wrong person. and it's mystery p said MT. Spryggyns pres ently. "For you certainly have been pointed out to me several times as a Mr. Spryggyns ...... ..or, possibly, Sprigglns. And certainly at the Royal Hotel where was first staying, there is my name. Augustus Spryggyns, with two ys. and (fOr though you may not remem- Der it, de) there is what you wrote yourself in the visitors book for saw you do it im- after mel. namely, Daniel Nathan iel Spriggins.'
  exclaimed MT. Brasthwaite.
 "Wel......yes do certainly say so," an- swered Mir. Spryggyns. rather surprised at MT. Brasthwaite's violently expressed amazement And indeed, the head waiter, who also saw you write, calls you MT. spriggins-with two i's-to this day"
 "God bless my soul! Wel......I am the most awkward, absent minded fellow, surely, that ever lived. I remember thinking to my clearly now--as I wrote Daniel Nathaniel.....I remember saying to myself: M9T spy wonder if s spryggyns with ss two w is way of spelling it. only seemed to know it so-with two i's'-and I must have written it Why......I very well remember writing let ter to friend in India and directing it to his mother in Rome.... happening to be full of pity at the time for the poor lady's loneliness and anxiety about her son-so this inst so wonderful. But I'll tell you what will do MT. Spryggyns; I'll go over to the hotel and set them all right about it, and scratch out the second Spriggins with pleasure......