Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-06-11
w. D. wALLACH.
MY FIRs EQUESTRIAN EXPERIENCE

CAkR1 STANLE1-
L was Just sixteen, and was spending the
summer at my uncie Jacks, in Summerville,
the mo A beautiful of all Connecticut's besuti-
ful villages. The beau of the place was Phil
Darr All. Not that Phil was by any means the
only eligible young man in Summeryille; but
tn'it he had fortune left him by q maiden
a. ant, and he was intelligent, and good look
.ng, and fastidious, and asserted his superiority
In such an indisputable way, that everybody
yielded ss q matter Of course. The first time
that saw him was at church on the Sunday
after my arrival. The good, droning, old
clergyman was reading the first lesson, and
the mOnotonOus tone, combined with the
waving OF fans and the warm summer air, had
lulled me into a dreamy state most unusual;
and / sat and watched the waving boughs
through the open window, and thought how
much more giOriously their green-leaved
tongues talked of heaven, than feared the
paper-lcayed sermon on the pulpit would do
Sidney Smith has said that ga sparrow aut-
tering about the church, is an antagonist which
tie most profound theologian in Europe is
wholly unable to overcome" This was veri-
fed in the case Of good Mr. Clarke on this day,
fer in the midst Of the Sabbath stiffness there
was slow, measured tread down the carpet
aisle, and the bonnets of white, pink, or blue,
which had been resolutely turned toward the
pulpit, suddenly presented fronts to the aisle,
and cheeks aimpled, and eyes lighted as they
rested on the handsome young fellow who
leisurely saunterod down to the pew in front
Of the chsncel.
so endeth the first lesson" said the min
lister, as the intruder took his seat I tele-
grsphed to my pretty little brown-eyed cousin
TO inquire bis name, but she demureIy smiled
and turned over the leaves of her prayer book
to the Ts DsuHI kanGamnS.
Now my uncle Jack never missed ANYTHING
that was going on in church. asleep or awake
have seen him kneel down in his pew, and
kn al tha Il, A.
clergyman, and indulge in a comfortable nap
at the same time. So seeing my telegraph
dispatch to Jenny, he whispered to me:
Its OF no use, Garry, you are not rich
enough for Phil Darrah. But take care, fer
he's dreadful hirt"
Diamond cut diamond" retorted I, as the
congregation arose, and / saw that the indi-
vidual in question was gazing earnestly at cur
pew
thoughts earnestly on the beautiful church
service. The green leaves, and the blue sky,
and the soft summer air, had no longer power
TO WOO my thoughts to the green pastures and
the still waters Of the celestial home. was
'curiously specializing upon the character Of
the AdOnis in the front pew.
Church was out, and we were sauntering
leisurely along under the green arcades which
shaded every street in Summeryille, when
Jenny whispered:
scarcely finished ere he was at her side, and L
was introduced to Phillip Darrah.
How pleasantly the weeks glided by, that
beautiful summer time. On, the drives and
the sails, and the pic-nics, and the fruit par
ties. And always by my side was that tall and
handsome Phil Darrah, with mis- grey eyes and
curling hair, and a certain je re SarS gUOt of
manner that kept my heart in perpetual fut-
ter. say ''always" but sometimes as [ sat
by the parlor window of an evening would
See him 20 in at Mr.. LOomis' on the opposite
corner; and Mr.. LOOMS disagreeable niece,
with her sixty thousand dollars. who was then
on visit TO her uncle, would play and sing
for him till l vowed 1 would never touch an
ivory key again.
alt won't do, Carry" said my uncle Jack,
after one of these evenings. "She sung Am
not fondly thine own, last nj ght, and to-day
saw Darrah's ceachman leave a magnificent
bouquet the-e."
"Handsomer than this?' said L, rushing
into the parlOr, and bringing out vase of su-
Perb hothouse flowers in my hand.
"Why, no, don't know that il waso re-
piled Uncle Jack, slowly. $50 there are 'two
strings to your beau,' are there ?'' and he
laughed at bis own pun.
But, Garry, she 8 rich, child"
so am L."
You and uncle Jack threw himself back
in his chair and laughed immoderately: "why
you little sinner, you've hardly money enough
TO keep you from starving"
walked TO the mirror and surveyed myself
complacently.
Yes, sir" said I, turning around to nv as
topished uncle, a. I am rich in good looks, II
was thought handsome and she's such a
skinny thing, that II always puts one in mind
OF the dry bones, rattling' Then am rich,
sir, in my youth, and hope, and health, aud
elastic spirit Oh, L am far richer, uncle
Jack; she can't buy one Of these
Ru N IL.
highly as you do, Cad. Sixty thousand dollars
with his own fortune is no trifie, child"
Then hos net worth all my riches, !" said
j, contemptuously; but think now that I
must have replaced the vase on the hoquet ia
bic with little temper, for the water few
over my hands, and souvenir rose fell to
pieces.
But for week after this in all our auuse-
ments, Phillip Darrah was by my side Ada
line LOomis ogled and dressed and sung in
vain. All her invitations, TO Come rest in
this bosom, he virtuously resisted, and be-
gan to think that my riches were OF the better
kind. The demonstrations on the gentlem an g
part were growing mere marked. Night after
night would be awakened by the softest mu-
sic under my window, and morning after morn
ing gorgeous bOquet Sraced my table Some
times the serenade would be given by half a
dozen young men, with whom Phil was inti-
mate, who performed on as many different in
Il
noticed that IL our last conversation had had
AZ s!l Of serious OF sentimen ntal turn, that my
sereDade was always of the softest, Ioye-inspir.
ing flute sole, or an exquisite song with gui-
tar accompaniment. Occasionally, too, in
stead Of the compact pyramid bOquet, there
would be left at the hall-door for me, few
white and blush rose buds, half buried in he
liotrope and mignonette.
What impressible girl Of sixteen could with.
stand all this? sighed profoundly when the
solitary serenader took a last lock at my win.
dow and departed; and always carried the un.
pretending rose buds and heliotrope up to my
chamber.
was entirely satisfied with the state Of az
fairs. OF all things that Phillip Darrsh ex.
celled in, and they were many, he e1celled in
nothing so much as horsemanship. 1 have
many q time watched him IS far as l could see
him down the street, as he passed by on Brown
Tom, bis fne figure having nothing of the ri