Connecticut western news., 1896-04-09

though he wasn't used to 1t, talking to everybody as though he had known them for years, making merry little bluff of Who's afraid9' and having terror and hayseed written all over his middle aged, scraRgy, rural oountenance.
 I concluded he WAS "a character" and being one of them newspaper fellers," IS he termed It. was immediately interest od in ClagRett as so much marketable material for the columns of the daily pa per. I offered to show him the sights and he joyfully accepted.
 He wanted to go first to the theaters. expected to have some fun the first right put instead he just sat still and devourcd the performance. When 1t was over, he re- marked calmly:
 "Waal, 'twan't near so bad as I expect ed."
 It was then my turn to be amazed. I had supposed it would be a great deal worse than he had expected. "Seeins real tough, though" he added effectively, "that nice, purity girls like thet are probably all on lem bad "Bad!" I exclaimed, quite mortified. ''Why, they are not" And I rallied to | the defense of the stage and the ladies of | the profession. ..- "Waal, allus heerd tell they were,' was | his discouraging comment after had fin ished my burst of eloquenoe. was sorry to see after this that Mr. | Claggett developed morbid taste for in- vestigating the lowest haunts In the city, | including opium joints and dance saloons. He seemed determined to find something | real bad.
 | One Sunday morning we were walking | down town together.
 It's pretty hard for defenseless wom- an in this town, the men are so all fired bad, |" observed Mir. Claggett.
 "You mustn't think" I protested, | ''that New York men are all fends; that they all delight in bouncing upon defense less innocence and dragging its white wings in the mire. Sometimes they actu- ally go out of their way to help innocence and keep 1t out of the mire. But those lit- tie affairs they don't talk much about. and they don't get in the papers.
 "I've a good mind to tell you little ex- perience of mine-yes I will tell you. You ought to be set right in some things, {" added a bit defiantly. "You were com ing down to the office with me anyway, weren't yorIP"
 "Yes Want to see one O them big newspaper buildin's fore go back" | Just then we turned into Fifth avenue.
 ''Waal, what's goin onp A procession or what?" asked Mir. Claggett excitedly.
 "Oh, this is nothing. Only the usual crowd going to chnrch. You see, haven'i forgotten it's Sunday morning if l have gut to go to work" I answered.
 "bIyi Look at them women with real nat 'ral posies on 'em," as some elegantly attired bellies wearing huge punches oi violets swept past.
 Its Easter Sunday, you know" "Easterr' he said, slackening his pace and then again in @ low, husky tone "Easterl So 1t Is.
 II uster allus color eggs for the childreI
 tiled 'em up in oaliker, you know, aI ] billed 'em. There ain't any children to dC
 1t for now''-
 "Have you lost them2" asked.
 "Yes, lost 'em. There wuz boy an = girl, an 1 lost 'em both."
 The old fellow spoke In a low tone with
 out any dramatic tremble in his voice
 but as looked in his face there was some
 thing there strangely out Of tune with th
 rustic of silks, the punches of vlolets an i the ioyousness of Easter that seemed e' t erywhere. It was not the resignation ths V looked toward the risen Christ. It was l, hardness and bitterness that found n
 hope or consolation.
 "Perhaps you'd like to go in one of tf
 churches, I said. "The flowers will p worth seeing, and the music is sure to
 fine. You can come down to the office al
 other day.
 "No, I don't care for their flowers a
 their music an their fine hummery. If
 could be just set back there a-colorin thei aaGs. No" he added hastily. as thouR