The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-07-24
From the Sunday Magazine.
LAURA RICHMOND.
BY JEAN INGELOW.

basket!
Yes, ma am 1sA
"And the cold fowls. and The two
jellies, and the custard pudding, Eliz
abeth?"
| ':Yes, ma am; I carried them down,
aud put them all into the basket my
SELF agil pau anh
| nt'That's right. Elizabeth. There is
nothing else to do butte carry down
my cloak and Miss Richmonds. We
expect to he back about sunset. Let
| the drawing-rOom shutters be closed
before the sun comes round, and re-
member 70 water the hydrangeas.
MAY I go out this afternoon,
ma am, for an hour or two" #.
Yes, certainly
This little. dialogue took place In a
pretty garden, between an elderly lady
and her young housemaid At its ter
mination the latter went back to the
house to fetch the cloak, and the for
mer persued her way along the gravel
path between beds of stocks and car
nations, till she reached her orchard,
which was divided from the garden by
wicket-gate, and bounded by clear
river, small and full Of water. - .sf9
As the old lady emerged from among
the fruit trees, she was greeted by JOY.
full SHOUTS from four. boat loads of
people, mostly young, and all In high
spirits. They had just reached the
I little landing place; two more boats
! presently came up, and there was "a
cheerful babel of voices. dos
| gtiBoys," cried Mrs. Richmond, who
was as joyous as the youngest child
present, boys, respect my water-lll-
lies; don't knock them about, more
than can be helped"
oh, they'll all come up again when
we are gone by, Mrs Richmond. .19 But,
grand mamma, which boat are you go
! ingin? W1hMNoA een1a
Il rWhat,a noise they do makel" ex-
claimed the gentle old lady, as the
boys, backing their oars, brought their
boats stern into the fringe of yellow
flags, and fathers, mothers, friends.
and children's voices all assaulted her
at once
Mrs. Richmond are you sure we
| have got salt and mustardIon board?'
has trusted entirely to you about the
ginger beer" Il say, grandmama,
you said you would go with US this
|
Charlie, if you don't sit still, you
must be put on shore. Where's the
bread?-who knows where the bread
is? Call over all the things we've
got" Boys be quiet" "Oh, Dick,
| you splash u.s." Papa, oh, dear papa,
will you gather lily foi me?"
"A good deal confused by the noise,
Mrs. Richmond wished she had not
promised to join the picnic.
Il never will go again" she thought,
as she stepped into her place, for this
was an annual picnic, and very
large one; but every year her objec-
tions were overruled by her son and
daughters her grandchildren and her
friends. gttL J-L - -l E-1
A young lady now appeared, and
was greeted with cries of 1.-THE late
Miss RichmondW "Hurrahl here's
Aunt Harriet. Now we're Off mo
we're not" Nov, let every one sit
down" rs Miss Richmond seated?"
Then let the Waterspirite' take the
Lead ,.,-. ..-r,rY5. h.r
The "Waterspirite" was accordingly
rowed clear of the white aud yellow
1 lilies and the forget me-nots which
fringed that little river; and, under a
blue sky and between rows of fruit
trees. her five companions followed.
\. The boats were all large, and not
very light; but that did not much mat
ter as they were going down with the
stream.
In the first four boats there was a
great deal Of talking, and laughing,
often, also, there was singing, and
& litflo caalA1n,x t., !,
last two boats there was silence, or
only whispers; but this quietude by no
means showed that the last two boats
contained less happy passengers. On
the contrary, every face beamed with
joy, every eyeshown with expectation
for was not this holiday? Was it
indeed The last two boats were the
most important of all; the picnic was
given expressly for them-given by the
committee to the. scholars of The
New Phil anthropic School"
A little pennon hOated from the
hindmost boat, aud on it was emblaz
oned the name of the Institution, The
mistress, proud but anxious, sat un-
der it, hoping that all would pass of
well; the Vicar sat in the next boat
He was also anxieusLanxious about
his own many boys and girls. hoping
to get them and all the other children
safely landed and safeiy nome again.
Mrs. Richmond sat in the Water
spirite," and she was anxious, too, for
the weighly matter of provision Wa
her care. Were there fowls enough
Was there beef enough? Had the
plates been remembered? She was
q not certain; but she hoped all was
right .u .t'G