The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-02-29
selected story.
The Ourate's Engagement.


end was furnishing his cottage, and getting
introduced to his future Pensioners, re-
member calling with him Ton our way to the
market town. upon farmer who had club
loot. 1t was not long before poor tlush, who
was not aware of this, and was very near
sighted. observed with a smile, that our host
seemed to take excellent care to keep himself
out of the dilt among the lanes What a
sensible boot that is of yours, MR. Layman;
why it's treble solediH And before he had
recovered himself from the flame of bushes in
to which he burst upon the discovery OF this
mistake, he informed Mrs. Layman and her
four daughters, that the object of our expedi-
ton into the town was TO procure him (Peony
Fiushl "a pair O. comfortable drawers"
nearing thereby chest, / suppose, but send
ing the Whole company into shrielss of laugh
ter, and suffusing himself from top to toe
with a beautiful rose-color. These SOFT of
things, he confessed to me, annoyed him for
months afterwards, depressing him like sins;
and could not folbear remarking, why
Flush, how viii you ever have the face TO
propose to the future Mrs. r. F?" lie rose
colored ia such manner at this, that said,
"Come PeOny, tell us all about II at once, DO"
which accordingly, after little pressing, he
did.
Il was indeed" he began, "once engaged to
be married, believe (how ] went so far as
that is marvel to me Silly, but an incident
Of SO frightful character took place as TO put
the matter entirely out of the question /
was young Undergraduate, spending the
summer with reading party at the Irish
lakes, when | met with-with Lucy, and got
in short, to be accepted. She was residing
with her mother, in the same hotel in Xii
lMney as ourselves, and we all met every day.
We boated on the lake together, and fshed
and sang, and read. We landed on the wood
ed islands in the soft summer evenings, to
take our tea in gypsy fashion, and to sketch !;
but she and l mostly whispered-not about
love at all, as | remember, but OF the weather
aud the rubric; only it seemed so sweet to
Sink our voices and speak low and soft.
once, in party over the moors, while L
was leading her pony over some Doggy
ground, l caught her hand by mistake. m
stead of her bride, and She did not
snatch it away. 1t was the heyday and the
prime ofmy life, my friend, and that youth
of the spirit which no power can ever more
renew. l knew what she felt, and what
would please her, as soonas the feeling and
t1e 81 themselves were born. Our thought
my thought, at least, "leapt out to wed
with thought, ere thought could wed with
speech" she took fancy to huge msstiff
dog belonging to fisherman; and bought
1t tor her at once, although it was terribly
savage, and except for Lucy's liking it, not
either good or beautiful. Its name, also
the only one it would answer to, and some
times it would not answer TO that-was Tow.
ser, not name Tor lady's pet alter all, and
scarcely gentleman's. Hhererwas a littlt
secluded field, hedged in by coppice, which
sloped INTO the lake, about a mile from the
hotel; and here Lucy agreed flor the first
time) to meet me alone. / was TO be there,
before breakfast, at eight O'clock in the morn
ing, and you may be sure that was there at
six-with Towser. Perhaps / was never
hQnnfar hay Not %i,o4 10.
llVersal nature seemed in harmony with my
biisstul feelings. The sun shone out bright
and Gear, SO that the fresh morning breezes
could scarcely cool the the pleasant throbbins
OF my blood; but the blue ripping waves o
the lake looked irrepressibly tempting, and
could not resist a 7winl. Just plunge anG
out again, thought / for though had plenty
OF time to spare, determined to be dresse
ana ready for the interview an hour at least
before the appointed time. Lucy might like
myself, be little earlier; and at all events
with such an awful consequence in possible
appfehension, would run the shadow, of a
.lsR; Mlna my alothes, mind them," said |
10 Towser twho toet-nis- saat thereon at
such things as clothes being stolen rroaa mn.
concious dippers before them. with resuITs
MT TO ee thought of; and in went. l re-
meInber lhe ceiight of that bath even to this
softpttne gov 0ie freshness, the luxurious
last view Of every Particular wave, just as the
on the nne gni1lcn ms tzes rested on is painted
en- blind. or t6Ssoi one Who has been strick-
eli in tbst u - w last heart melody is treasur
M, ~ suat OF man stunned Nv a fall. II was
y iasS perfect pleasure and s,ooe a - Nv, maa
SHOCK mat shall never think, III ~ So a
irSr Wnen had bathed as long a. had
yuussI 70 pe prudent, landed and advance red
Towser lou Tue spot where my garments anG
hair r ,ay, as did SO, every individual
AdI upon his hoaI>
WIN WIN Jury, his eyes kindled -ovaIs OF
nre; he gave me notice by low,
aetermlned growl that he would spring on
me ana tear me into fragments if l an.
preached nearer; it was evident that he did
o Ios ,tecoSaize me in the least without my
pleasantly, good Tow, you remember me .
nut me brute, like the friend we have known
IN better day, and appeal to when in in
inherent apparel, only shook his head in a
menaclng manner and showed his teeth the
more. "Towser, be quiet sir: how dare Won
row, low, Tow,-Towser-(h he rear
y mad bit OF my calf olf)-you nasty, bru-
Ia Jog; 60 away sligo; amt you ashamed
VI youlseh? Drops of foam oozed through
tne teeth OF the terocious monster as he
stood up with tail erect at these reproyine
words, but he manifested no sign of remorse
or sorrow. Ny situation became serious in
the extreme; what if he chose to sit there
on my personal apparel, uptil-?At this idea.
Re --SS..ssoi1 10 be concluded, a profilse per-
SEPARATION broke out all over me. Presently,
feeling little cold, went back into
the lake again to consider what was to be
done, and revolving the fell design Of en-
tlclhg Towser into the water aud there
drowning him. Abuse and fattery being
equally thrown away upon him, 1 tried
stones; L heaved at him with all nv force
ue largest pebbles l could select, the
majority of which he eVaded by leaning
from side to side, and those which struck
rim rendered him so f1rious that | believe
ne would have killed and eaten me if he
could, but be wodld not venture into the
wafer amer me still. AT last the time was
uiawil9 on apace for the appointed inter-
view which L had once looked forward 10
With such delight and expectation. i was
1aln' N an agony of shame and rage to hide
myself IN dry ditch in the nelohborino
copse, where | could see what took Mace
without being seen, and there | covered nv
sell over, like babe in the wood, with leaves
presently my Lucy came down, a trihe more
oaIelully dressed Than usual, and looking all
gra9e anu modesty; the dog began to howl
d sue grew near; she saw him and she saw
my clothes, and the notion that was drowned
u could see it in her expressive CONT
enance) flashed upon her at once for one
instant sne looked as though about to faint
anu the next she sped Off again to the hotel
Win lne speed OF a deer Gracions Hea
ven! decided upon rescuing portion of
my garments at least, or upon perisbino in
tne attempt, and rushed out of the tblcket
Ior the purpose; but my courage failed me as
l neaTed The savage animal, and [ found NV
sen, IA some confused and palpitatino
manner, back in my dry ditch AGAIN.
WIN the sensation of a loss OF blood
e e pam; my retreat had not been et.
t eeeeu-perhaps because there was nothing
~ ~ IofeI H-without considerable loss, and
t the oe . nad Dtten me- severely. l protest
t1a.' noh tnaG moment, frightful as my posi-
, rlvn va, u ul0 hot move me so much as the
asnS9cIslo1 q the Donors that would be show
~ Gown on that vile creature. knew that
--e Woiid De considered by Lucy and the rest
a. eort OF cog OF Montargis, an afectonate
his appointed post for the beloved mastar az
that should never again return to him. Pres
entIy Lhey all came back, Lucy and her moth
er ana all the maid servants, from the inn
pesldeS my fellow students and fishermen
with drag nets, and medical man. with HAN.
kets and brandy (how / envied the blankets
and the brandyD AS | expected, neither tbe
Woinan's cries nor the mems labor in vain
omKessed me halt 30 much as the pattiug and
caressiss OF Towser; if she could have only
known wheG she dropped those tears upon
his crSel nose that there was considerable
quantity OF ESgmaD fesh-my fesh-at that
moment lying in his stomach in an undioest-
ed state! could not repress 6 sgroan OF hor-
Tor ana indignation: Hush, hush, said
Lucy, and there was silence, through which
could distinctly hear Towser licking his
chops was desperate by this time and hal