Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-07-14

l had hoped for nothing else, yet al
ways I felt a new pang. wondered
why l came there 80 often, as looked
at the summer sun rising over the dis
tant bills next morning, and vowed, as
l had vowed before, meyer to come
again.
My uncle was busy with rod and line
as l entered, and we were to pass long
bright day beside the trout streams. at
four Cato was to drive the ladies down,
and we were to 60 home together in the
carriage. Despite my resolution found
myself anxious for their coming as the
day wore on, and when, with the sound
of wheels, my uncle cried, That's Mi
ra's laugh? my heart beat at the sound
Of the musical ripple, and forgot the
rod held entirely 1 can see it yet,
the mountain stream spanned by rus
tic bridge beyond the tiny waterfall,
amber and green where it caught the
sunlight. About US mighty trees,
making a nook dusky and solemn as a
Druid temple, and on the other side of
the bridge white road, winding rib
bon-like away, up which the carriage
came, whirled towards us by two ebon
horses.
They had brought some one with
them. A young farmer, bearish and
gruff of voice. Certainly not my supe-
rior in any way. Yet how attentive
Mira was to him How pleasantly she
listened to his account of his last fish
ing excursion! When he called across
to me:
'Had'ny luck p
She. answered for me
'Of course not, cousin Paul never
catches anything or shoots anything
Basket and game-bag are both inevita-
bly, empty
'Haw, haw! now that amt true, is
it? roared the farmer.
Il sha'n't contradict lady, said I.
'Wa'al I would if she said that to me-
said the gentleman. She couldn't,
though; I always hen luck. Haw,
hawp
flushed scarlet. Certainly it was
no crime to fail in catching fish or
shooting bird; but no man likes to
have his failings in these particulars re-
marked upon by girl, who evidently
despised him for them, in the hearing
of roaring lout who prides himself
upon his skill, and that day my basket
was empty indeed.
l flung my rod away in few mo-
ments and wandered into the woods.
Mira's laugh followed me for long
while. Now and then the coarse haw,
haw-! of her companion. Even to such
brute she was complacent. I ground
my teeth and kicked innocent pebbles
mercilessly, and was muttering savagely
to myself, when a jovial Halo Paul !!
fell upon my ear, and before me stood
Ben Hillgrove. Black-eyed, merry,
water-loving Ben, who seemed to be
always in boat, just going to step into
boat, or just stepped out of a boat,
when he was not on hoard his yacht.
! I've been looking for you, Paul. he
cried. Some of my college friends, the
best fellows you ever met, are going out
in the 'Hetty Hillgrove' tomorrow; you
must come with us. You sha mt say
20, as you always do. I'll not listen to
it.
4 intend to say yes, and thank you,'
said l, quickly; and Ben tossed up his
cap. l could have tossed mine also in
my joy at being SO readily provided
with an excuse to run away from Mira,
laughing at me with her boorish escort.
.We 60 on board tonight at nine,
and have supper in the cabin said
Ben. You'll be there7'
YES 1 said
Good by until that time then,' said
Ben. You know where she lies !? 1
thought SO. Don't fall and he was off
like shot. . s.
They were waiting for me when re-
turned to the river side. Miss Mira
and her escort chose to tease me about
my long delay. 1t was all of piece
with the rest. I flung her back a re-
tort that sounded merry enough, and
climbed to seat beside Cato 1t was
pleasure to take the reins from his hands
and drive the horses home at their full
speed. The headlong race did me good
Once there I hastily repented Ben's in,
vitation. But you are not going?'
said my aunt. you've but just come
to u.s. ..-
4 cannot refuse Ben this time,' 1
said indeed l cannot, aunt
why should you, my boy?' said my
uncle
why, indeed, mamma p said Mira.
Imagine the luxury of living week in
an atmosphere of smoke and whisky, far
from civilized society =
Pretty high parties some O. them
yachtin' ones, said the farmer. Every
one to his taste, though
$50 say I. leave you to keep each
other company l answered, and left
Mira and her Orson together.
At nine was as merry as the rest in
Ben Hillgrove's pretty cabin over a
supper that would not have disgraced
Delmonico's
At dawn the yacht was on her way,
as graceful and fair thing as sailed the
waters.
Had we too much smoke and whisky
aboard? Were Ben and his crew not
after all the sailors they thought them
selves? | can hardly answer. i was
desperate with suppressed emotion, rea-
iy for any wild excitement The rest