Litchfield enquirer., 1867-08-15
ADOPTED"
BY AMY RANDOLF.

was decorating her broad brimmed straw hat.
 She made a beautiful picture, sitting there all alone in the mellow glow and col or of the October woods, her crimson shawl dropping from her shoulders, and the sun shine lighting up her bright auburn cnrls with glittering threads of gold, while upon the fallen tree-trunk that formed her i'm promptu seat, lay tiny bunch of grasses and autumnal flowers. She was transpar- ently fair, with purple tangles of veins in each waxen temple, and faint pink bloom on her cheeks, while her eyes, large and brown, seemed to look at you with the grave, tender expression of an infant. "Yes, 1t $ very strange" went on Miss Penroy, musing within herself. T know him ten days-yet when he spoke about if all the sunshine were going out of the world for me. O, Blanche. naughty, naughty little Blanche!' she added leaning forward, and apostrophising the fair flee mirrored in the glen stream at her feet. ''Is 1t possible that you've allowed yourself to fail in love with that tall black-eyed, young Scutherner? Ten days ago I had never seen him-and nown'
 The roses mounted up into her cheek as she wondered within herself whether Mr. Evering cared for her.
 ''I wish I knew!'' she uttered aloud. "Knew what?" demanded calm voice. and Mr. Gilbert Evering took up the bunch of grasses on the log, and coolly seated himself beside her.-a straight handsome man, with brilliant dark eyes, rather irreg- ular features, and deep color glowing through his olive skin. i Blanche demnrely looked up at him-she was not to be taken by storm thus easily. i ''Whetherit would rain tomorrow, for our picnic, l want to wear my white India muslinr'
 1 "O,-the picnic; had forgotten that when l spoke of leaving to morrow. Of course, though, my presence or absence will make no great difference.
 Blanche was silent. Somehow that scar let and brown spotted maple leaf required a great deal of adjustmen in the ribbon of her hat.
 "Blanche-shall I go or stay?"
 "Just as you please, MT. Evering, of course"
 No; just as somebody else pleases.- ! Yes or no! And I forewarn you. the ves means a great deal"
 ''How much does it mean? questioned Blanch, half archly, half timorously "Everythingw
 ''Then you may stay!' , My Blanche-my little white daisy!" he whispered, bending his stately head over the slender hand that lay on the autumn leaves And Blanche felt that in the gol- den stiffness of that October dell she had , turned a new page i'll the book of her life!
 She was very. very happy, and all that day she seemed to be walking through the bright mysteries of dream. But with the morning came other feelings, alas! that shadow should always follow sunshine in this world of ours.
 '1'm not disposed to he unreasonable Blanche, said Gilbert, in whisper, as he arranged her white lace shawl for her, amid the merry tumulto of the picnic ground ''but l do think you've waltzed quite often enough with that confounded puppy, Bir- mingham!'
 Jealous already, Gilbert?" taunted the girl, flushed and rosy with the triumphs of her beauty, and the irresistible instincts of coquetry. She colored crimson.
 "Of course, you'll do as you please, Blanche; only I warn you, it's a choice be- tween Walter Birmingham and me- You dance with him again at your own risk?"
 At the same instant young Birmingham came up.
 "May I have the pleasure of this polka with you, Miss Penroy?' And Blanche, defiant, and wiliul, and a little p.qued, answered.
 ''Yes!'
 And glided away with her plump hand on Walter Birmingham's shoulder. Gilbert had no business to be so unreasonable! His grave, stern face rather startled her as she came once moro to the rustic seat of twisted boughs, when the string band mu- sic was silent and MT. Birming gham had gone to bring her glass of iced lemonade "Gilbert why do you look so crossn'
 Because have reason. am sorry you pay so little attention to my wishes, Miss Penroy!"
 She drew herself up haughtily.
 "4ou are beginning to dictate early, sir!''
 Have not the right?''
 Nothing of the sort, MT. Evering"
 ''Be 1t so, Blanche,'' he said, in a voice that betrayed how deep the arrow ranked ln hls bosom. Il give mp the right now and henceforward'
 Blanche was startled. She would have sad more. but Walter Birmingham was advanclng towards her, and when next she had leisure to look round. Gilbert was gone from her side.
 "What have I done?" she thought in dis. may. ''Ill see him this evening and coax him into good humor once more. He sure. lY can t be vexed at me for an idle word like that''
 An, little Blanche, it is not the well-con. sldered sentence that does all the harm in this world-it is the idle word } ''Such charming day as we have had Mrs. Traine, said Blanche, as she came up the steps of the hotel piazza, as smiling and radiant as if the worm remorse. was not gnawlng at her heart. ''1ha, of caurse,' said the blooming ma tron, who was reading in an easy chair un. der the shadow of the vines. But what sent Mir. Evering away in such a hurry?"
 Sent him away?" "Yes-by the evening train. He came home, packed his things, and drove away as If there was nota moment to lose. am very sorry; we shall miss him so much. ,
 Blanche went slowly up stairs and sal down by her window, looking out at the purple glow of the evening landscape as ii it were featureless blank. So he was really gone away; and by her own folly she had lost the priceless treasure of Gilbert Evering's love.
 "And cannot even write to him, for ] 1 do not know his address 1" she thouoht will