The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-01-17
EAGLESBOURNE.
From "EyerY Saturday. ),

From every saturday"
was about eighteen when the Clevelands
took EagIesbourne My fathers property
marched with the Eaglesbourne acres, and
his house, Wylaugh Hail. was the only one
of any considerable consequence within the
easy distance of the old Mainwarings, now,
after many years OF desolation, let to the
Clevelands
The last representative of the family Of
Mainwarings had come into his property
when he was very young man, and | was
G very little child. He had hunted and
driven through it rapidly, and had been
obliged to leave the country. | remember
pitied him profoundly when he came to
say good by to u.s. and jumped me up on
his horse for the 'last ride he should ever
give me-" he said. | pitied him profoundly
for having to leave dear, beautiful Eagles
bourne. Though bestowed my childish,
affectionate pity upon him SO freely, little
knew how much that fair, and almost boy
ish looking young man, deserved far warm
er and more serviceable sympathies than |
could offer.
!. For many years gray Eaglesbourne re-
manned vacant as have said How it ey-
er came to pass that no one was ever struck
with its beauties before the Clevelands saw
it do not know. But certain it is, the fine
old place had to mourn in desolation the alb
sence of it's lord. At last the CleveIands
saw or heard of it, and took it. And soon
smoke curled up from its turreted chimneys
away over the tops Of the trees that loving
ly shaded the house in the valley of the
Eaglesbourne. Soon the luxuriant growth
which had degenerated into rank vegetation
i'll the old gardens and pleasauncies, was
pruned and trimmed into something like
order. Once more the gates swung freely
on their hinges. Once more Eaglesbourne,
the fairy place of my childhood. had fam
lily, though not the family, living in it.
AS have stated, | was about eighteen
when they came, and being Miss Dalrymple,
and the mistress of Wylaugh Hall-my
mother having died in my childhood-upon
me it devolved to do the honors to the neigh
borhood to the new corners. 1t was with
rather mixed sensations that l got out of
my pony-chaise and rang the porter's bell
at the heavy oaken iron-bound door of
Eaglesbourne. was greatly pleased at the
idea of having neighbors So near to me-
people of such station, as l judged the
Clevelands must be But at the same
time, though | could remember but
little of them, the Mainwarings were a
household name with Us; for they had been
amongst my fathers first and frmest
friends when he suddenly made-rich man.
ufacturer, had first bought Wylaugh Hall
and settled in the country.
The old wainscoated hall through which
had to pass was hung with portraits of
dreary- looking dead and gone Mainwarings,
who seemed to my imagination to view with
jaundiced eyes some of the new residents
possessions, which were already disposed
about A modern hat stand, some bright,
newly painted canvas, and two London foot
men, of whom will only say that they
were perfect specimens of their order-all
these, it must be confessed, had rather an
homogeneous appearance in this old oaken
hall But though | haS 10 time to moral
ize on the decay of old families or wall
over changed times and manners. | had no
time do this for one of the footmen, with a
superb indifference to my county claims to
consideration, ushered me into the presence
of Lady Catherine Cleveland and her daugh-
tiers.
The mixture of old and new furniture was
bewildering; but still more so was the as
pect aud manner of the ladies to whom
had come to be polite and attentive. Seat
ed on couch that offered a marked con-
trast to the high-b backed, hard settees that
had been the Mainwaring's, was a lady past
the prime or life, but still strikingly hand
some. A tall, slight woman, with proud,
composed face and bearing. 1.-the daughter
of one who had arisen from the people, was
at once impressed with the air of thorough
breeding which marked her out as one in
whose veins the bluest of blood alone
could course. She rose as my name was
mentioned, and came forward with silvery
words and outstretched hand of welcome
came forward, refining my name as she
uttered it, giving grace and charm to the
commonplace words with which one always
greet morning visitor; and causing me,
who had hitherto been a little queen in the
neighborhood, to feel honored and pleased
at her notice.
''My daughters" she said, directly turn
ing towards two young ladies, who were
one standing, the other sitting down wri
ting in the deep embrasure of the old fash
Toned windows. And then they came for
ward, and received me as their mother haC
done, extending slender white hands, anC
smiling the most polished of smiles
They were tall, fair, handsome girls. The
elder was, and looked to be, five or six anC
twenty; but they calledsher much younge
in speaking of her afterwards At first the,
appeared to me very beautiful indeed; but
discovered after time, that this arose. no
from their possessing absolute beauty of fea
ture or form, but from trick, an air of be
ing beauties and satisfied with themselves
which they possessed to perfection.
had dressed myself with more care tina,
was customary with me for this first call
and as had taken my seat and gathere
up my reins on leaving home, l had bee
rather gratifed with the effect of my toilet
My rich, founced silk dress; my long brow
velvet jacket, and the bonnet which | ha
ordered from Wearham, the largest town j
our neighborhood, to do honor to the Clev,
lands-all these, l hoped, would impre
them with the taste and fashion of the CT
Gle of which | was certainly not the impo
tant member But now, as these two tai
fair young ladies stood before me, in brow
dresses of the simplest but most exquisi
make, with the plainest and smallest of Iii
Ell collars and cuffs to relieve them,-;
these stood before me with their undoubtt
. african air, confusion lurked in my DO