Litchfield enquirer., 1866-07-12
THE CONFESSIONS OF COUSIN AMY.

[ .+
 THE CONFESSIONS OF COUSIN AMY Under ths abevs title the heroine of Tenny. so6's Locksley Hall.' contributes an amusing
 page to London Fun. .e.re4s tf
 T may as well begin by telling you that l
 never cared very much Cor Alfred; except, of
 course. as cousin. Our mode of living at
 Locksley Hall was now and then triae dull
 you see; and I found it a pleasant relief to get
 verses written in my album. or to have the
 leaves of my mus,c hook turned over when I chose te play the Harmonious Blacksmith
 with Variations the March iu Bluebeard, and the Minuet de Ia Cour.' At the age of six. taen could perform these three pieces with great huency and expression it was therefore, much to be regretted that could perform no others The composition of the Harmonious
 Blacksmith has been attributed to Handel :: and that of the March in Blue Beard is assign cd with equal unanimity to Michael Kelly but the authorship of the Court Minu- t remains yelled in the mists of obscurity But now will resume the history of my unfortunate mis. understanding with young Alfred, beginning at the beginning. .: .-.
 'This. poor boys father was killed in the Mahratts war; and my beloved parents-the :kindest parents that ever breathed-took charge of the orphan. It was no easy task should think. to so superintend the education of sucb vain, forward. selEwilied, aAd passionate child. The earliest thing remember about him is that he caught severe influenza through standing at the open staircase window several nights ia successio n- to watch the great Orion sloping slowly to the west. Nobody with grain Of common sense would have selected for these nocturnal experiments constellation which is only visible during the coldest months of the whole year. My cousins temper was not improved by illness, as you may imagine :: and it was upon my devoted head that his dis plays of retulance usually fell. persevered in my attentions to the wayward invalid never theless; and ultimately had the satisfaction of seeing him arrowreoted into health again.
 Wears rolled by in alternate quarres and reoonciistions, until reached the age of sey enteen years. My cousin Alfred was about twelvemonth older; it was consequently high time that he should select some trade or pro. fession. Any lad with an atom of spirit would. long before that age, have preferred earning an honest livelihood by his own exertions to living iu dependence upon his relatives; but the notion of hard work was distastefol to this impetuous youth. He must needs become a poet.-a rsso,ve which was confirmed by my thoughtless approval of some verses ha had lately written. Icould scarcely help laughing outright on his eonfessing to me that he enter tained serious hopes of being made Poet Laur- cate after the death of MT. Wordsworth. Such presumption would have been inexpressibly comical had it not been inexpressibly painful Another proof of this young mans modesty may be found in the fact Of his proposing that I should become his wife. Excessively proba- bla, fors"oth, that Miss Amy Locksley, the future cAaselaine of Locksley Hall. would unite her destiny to that of penniIess and obscure scribbler! returned an. evasive answer, !, which saved me, have no doubt. from ter r;6c ontburst Of abuse and vituperation. Ger tainly ], told no falsehood in saying that I lov- ed him for I did love h;mAas cousin. Any. thing beyond that was. of conrae, entirely ont of the question.
 About month after this occurrence, AL fred went up to London to seek his fortune a. the point of his pen. need hardly say that his matrimonial intentions had not been con- 6ded to my parents. With all his faults (and they were many) my cousin was not sufficient ly heartlsss to inaict that pang upon hia bene factors and the love passages between us were kept profound secret. We co-responded regularly for some time bat our letters very soon began to decrease in length and interest Alfred was evidently absorbed in the soc.eiy of artists. musicians. and men of letters and was equally absorbed in preparations for my approaching marriage. The match was in eve ry respect good one and I have never yet found cause in it for one moments regret after twenty-five years of uualloyed happiness. My dear husbands tastes are simple and his chief interests, apart from those which concern my own comfort and the education of our children, appear to be centersd in his dog and horse. am thankful that my father and mother were spared to witness our domestic felicity before they were horne away to sleep their last sleep in the family vault of the Locksleys.
 'Of Alfred I have seen and heard nothing since year after my marriage. At that peri cd he was discovered prowling about our park by enc of the footmen. On being invited by the maa to stepisto the servants hall and take some reheshment, he angriIy declined. He was shortly afterwards seen at the Locksley Arms, down in the village. in the company of several dissolute authors. who amused themselves by blowing on the bug1e-horn, and drinking con- siderably more than was good for them.