The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-10-07

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carried il in her hand. often refreshed herself
with its fragrance. Our eyes at those tunes
often met, and my great astonshment is that
I didn't go over the head Of my gallant grey
into the carriage.
There was dust. I believe. There was a
good deal OF dust believe. l have a faint
impression that Mr.. Spenlow demonstrated
with me for riding in it but knew OF
none I was sensibleofa mist oflove and beau
ty about Dora, but Of nothing else. lie stood
up sometimes. and asked me what thought
Of the prospect, said it was delightful, and
and dare say il was /; but it was oil Dora
to me. The sun shone Dora and the birds
sang Dora The south wind blew Dora, and
tho wild flowers in thchedses swere oil Doras,
to bud. My comfort is, Miss Mills under
stood me. Miss Mills alone could enter into
my feelings thoroughly.
don't know how long we were going,
and to this hour know as little where we
went. Perhaps it was near Guilford. Per-
haps some Arabian.night magician, opened
up the place for the day, and shut it forever
when we came away. 1t was n green spot,
on hill, carpeted with soft turf. There
were shady trees, and heather, and as far as
the eye could see, a rich landscape.
IL was trying thing to find people here,
waiting for us and my jealousy. even OF the
ladies, knew no bounds. But all OF my own
scx-especially one impOstor, three or four
years my elder, with red whisker, on
which he established an amount Of presump-
ton not to be endured-were my mortal foes,
We all unpacked our baskets, and employ.
ed ourselves in getting dinner ready. Red
whisker pretended he could make salad
(which don't believe,) and obtruded him.
self on public notice. Some OF the young Ia
dies washed the lettuccs for him, and sliced
them under his direction. Dora was among
these. l felt that fate had pittcd Inc against
this man, and one Of us must fall.
Red Whisker made his salad,Q wondered
how they could eat it. Nothing should have
induced me to touch it y and voted himself in
to the charge of the wine-cellar, which he con-
structed, being an ingenious beast, in the hol-
low trunk of tree. By-and-by | saw him
with the majority of lobster on his plate,
eating his dinner a. the feet OF Dora
/ ! have but an indistincs idea Of what hap
pened for some time after this balcful object
presented itself to nv view. | was very mer-
ry. know /; hut it was hollow merriment.
| attached myself toa young creature in pink,
with little eyes, and firted with her desper-
ately. She received my attention with favor;
but whether on my account solely, or because
she had any designs on Red Whsker, can't
say. Dora's health was drank. When l
drank it, | affected to interrupt my converse
tion for that purpose. and to resume it i'm
mediately afterwards. l caught Dora's eye
rs bowed to her, and thought it looked
appalling. But it looked at me over the
head Of Red Whiskcr, and was adamaut.
The young creature in pink had mother
in green and rather think the latter sep
arited us from motives Of policy. Howbeit,
there was general breaking up Of the par.
ty, while the remnants OF the dinner were be-
ing put away; and strolled of by myself
among the trees, in raging and remorsetul
state. was debating whether | should pre-
tend that was not well, and ay-I don't
know where upon my gallant grey. when
Dora and Miss Mills met me.
"Mr. COpperdeld, said Miss Mills, "you
arc dull"
begged her pardon. Not at all.
"And Dora," said Miss Mills, "yon are
dull"
o, dear no Not in the least.
"Mr. Copper6eld and Dora," said Miss
Mills. with an almost venerable air. "Enongh
of this. Do not allow trivial misunder-
standing to wither the blossoms Of spring,
which once put forth and blishted, can never
be renewed. speak," said Niles Mills,
"from experience Of the past-rcmotc irrevo-
cable past. The gushing fountains which
sparkle in the sun, must not be stopped in
mere caprice, the oasis in the desert Of So.
hara, must not be plucked up idly" "
hardly knew what did was burning
all over to that extraordinary extent; but l
took Dora's little hand and kissed it--and
she let me! kissed Miss Mills hand; and
We all seemed, to my thinking, TO 60 straight
up to the seventh heaven.
We did not come down again. westayed
up there all the evening. At first VIC stray
ed to and fro among the trees | with Dora, 8
shy arm drawn through mine; and Heaven
knows, folly as i. all was, it would have been
a happy fate to have been struck immortal
with those foolish feelings, and have strayed
among the trees forever.
But much too soon, wc heard the Others
laughing and talking, ard calling, "whcre's
Dora? So we went back and they wanted
Dora to sing. Red whisker would have got
the guitar case out Of the carriage, but Dora
told him nobody knew where it was but l.
So Red whisker was done for in moment; I;