Litchfield enquirer., 1858-09-16
MY FIRST AND LAST LOVE.
BY MARY c. VAUGHAN.

der. There was a rush and a scramble to see if my letter had formed upon the floor, and shouts that 1t was not but, instead, almost every other letter in the alphabet.
 l All the time sat still, feeling extremely shy and awkward, and not at all relieved when the point under discussion was decided in favor of the L., although 1 had chosen that letter be- cause, so far as 1 knew, it did not form the in- ltlal of any one of the young men present. But l began to be afraid that had not chosen wisely after all. and that l might be called upon for some of the ridiculous forfeits of the game. How trembled, then, when heard the shouts:
 Here is the l.. Leander Holme, Miss Kate has chosen yuu Look see the L. upon the foor.'
 Somebody was coming toward me. Some body said, Miss Betty-Mr. Holme.' A tall figure bent before me and sat down silently by my side. All this saw dimly under eyelids that were cast down in real not affected shy ness. How grateful was to find myself pull ed into the centre of the room and kissed bois- terously, as happened to many of the girls pres ent that evening and who under the nflction only blushed a little and Uttered a good deal.
 This was my second country party. 1 had suffered tortures at the frst and expected to suffer tortures at this felt that had esca- ped happily, if I might but be allowed to sit quietly in the corner had chosen Even the very silent person at my side did not particu- arly annoy me so long as the noisy group in l the centre of the room would allow me to be quiet
 had been reared from early childhood in the house of a wealthy childless uncle in the l oIt "ac hol of society, except what 1 had gained by being looker-on at my aunt's semi-annual stiff and for nal parties. where company was very decorous and excessively stupid.
 My uncle had died very suddenly, without will, and his heir-at-law had taken possession of his property, leaving my aunt with a.compar- atively small income, while I, after having been reared until the age of sixteen in the midst of wealth and luxury, was left entirely unprovid- ed for.
 My aunt went to live in lodgings, and I was sent back to my father, who was poor man with many children, and slatternly, scolding wife, who was not my mother. My own moth CT had died in my infancy, and it was said my father had never been himself since. He had become disspated, lost his habits of business which were fast bringing him wealth, and at last quitting business entirely had gone to live on little farm in the interior of the State, had married, and was now surrounded by large, disorderly family.
 Into this uncongenial house I was suddenly thrust from the refnements of my life in the house of wealthy citizen. was shy and un- happy. l had never been accustomed to the companionship of children, but I soon found that whenever l shrank involuntarily from the dirty, noisy crew around me, 1 gave offense to the mother, and through her representations, to my father, who seemed completely under her iDtuence
 Every instinctive indulgence in the tastes and habits in which l had been reared was looked upon as all evidence of pride, and 1 soon found all the influences of home against me and my wishes.
 had shrunk, through shyness, from attend ing the first party, but had gone because l could not resist my motlIer's sneers and my fathers commands And so much had been terrified by the good-natured bosterousness of the young people assembled that I mentally resolved never to go again.
 l Notwithstanding 1 found myself once more in the same circle after very trying scene a. home, and in my dread of the thirty pairs of l eyes fixed npon me, had been drawn into their games.
 | l had not yet glanced at the face of the young man at my side, nor had word been interchanged, when the noisy groupin the cen tre of the room broke up. They came crowd ing around me, uttering broad but good humored jests that felt sent the blood flushing and burning into my face. My companion must have felt me tremble, too, for he sudden ly leaned forward and whispered
 Do not be afraid, Miss Kate, they do not intend any harm, and l will see that they do not much annoy you.'
 gave him one grateful glance for was too near crying to dare trust my voice, aud met a pair of brilliant, dark eyes, fixed full upon my face, very mirthful, yet good deal compas- sionate i'll expression. Suddenly he rose up, and drawing my arm within his, turned to the bantering group.
 Miss Kate has chosen me this evening" and l shall be very tyrant, and not one of you must speak to her without my permission So saying he led the way to an opposite cor her of the room. There, seeing between shy ness and the annoyance just passed, was still unable to control my voice or features, he stood before me speaking calmly and quietly of some nnimportant subject. His pleasant voice and quiet manner soon helped me to control my agitation, and then he sat down beside me- was amazed at myself talking gaiy with this stranger, and still more amazed to find myself happy for several hours of the evening, to which had looked forward with so much dread, and which had commenced so inauspi- ciously.
 v And when he brought several of the bright ruddy-looking girls to speak to me in the course of the evening, found, what foolish shyness had prevented me from learning before, that l they were amiable, warm-hearted creatures, in