Litchfield enquirer., 1870-07-07

/, pecially prepared for the day, and the dreary prospect of a long lonely day away from the centre of attraction, the picnic, proved too strong for most of the fair ones, but Maude heroically resolved on the sacrifice.
 "You may wear my new hat if you like, Hester" she said, II am not going"
 "Thank you, my hat will do very we'll. You are not going?"
 l "No; think, considering MT. Ramsay is an Englishman and will probably re- main at home, somebody ought to be here besides mother in case he should call.''
 "Oh!
 "of course it is nothing to you; you May pole, Maude continued. sublime in of age over her cousin; 's he will not ex- pect you to remember his country and na- tional pride, but with me it is different"
 Testers heart throbbed in angry denial of this statement, but she looked full at her own reflection in the glass, and busted herself with the arrangement of her hat. She realized nothing of the superb beauty of her young girlhood as she looked, but 1t was not often so wee mirror reflected such wealth of loveliness. Her dress was print of rose pink, and in her simple straw hat there were twisted ribbons of the same shade. A very small bank-note would have covered the whole expense of the dress; but how rarely it became her dark glowing beauty! Maude had provi- ded muslin of pale blue for the occasion, and donned it in anticipation Of that pos sible call, but Hesteris fine taste fully re. alized the absurdity of wearing Maude's over-trimmed hat with it's profusion of ar. tifcial flowers with her cheap cotton print dress.
 The merry party of pleasure seekers were astir early in the day. Baskets piled with fruit, cake, pies, sandwiches, hard eggs, all the thousand indigestlble con- pounds that are devoured with such good appetite at country picnic, were carried carefully to the hay wagons, buggies, and chaises that were in waiting, and the air rang with hurrahs, fire-crackers. and mer. ry voices as the cavalcade started for the day in the woods.
 Greysfeld prided itself upon it's patriot. ism, and orators were not wanting to read the Declaration of Independence" and "make speech" at the proper time. The morning passed merrily, although more than one longing look was sent along the road to the village, wondering if MT. Ram say would not come after all. Apparently those national prejudices were as strong as Maude had feared, for the dinner had been spread and eaten, orators had flour. ished and subsided, and the afternoon sun was sending long slanting shadows of the tall trees across the grass, and MT. Ram say was not there. Most of the village bellies had admirers amongst the swains, and felt that the courtly Englishman might have been restraint upon some of she romping merriments of the day; but He's ter missed him, and had an uneasy sense of the unftness of human events when house, or on the wide porch, courting Maude. Maude! Could he love Maude well enough to ask her to be his compan. ion for life? Why Maude, Hester thought, wonderingly, had asked her once if Ten nyson was senator or a play-actor, and if King Lear was the man they hung in the French Revolution. There were no romantic dreams in Hester's wonder. she had never opened novel in her life; the question of love was as a sealed book, but her innate sense of the total incongruity of these two natures was too keen to be silenced or put aside.
 She had strolled away from her compan. ions, and was sitting alone at the foot of a great oak tree, her fingers busily twisting together the blades of grass she picked mechanically from the holding spears at her feet. There was sound of horses feet upon the ground, and, looking up, she saw horseman coming through the woods directly towards the spot where she sat. Only one look was granted her, for he sprang from his saddle as he caught her eye, fastened the animal to 8 tree, and was beside her in moment.
 II have been looking for you," he said, after graceful bow. II was at your un cle's, and Maude said you were here? Why are you all alone?"
 "I was tired of the noise," she said. "You know it is proof of our patri ot- ism to burn gunpowder, but it gets rather bewildering after seven or eight hours of din."
 "I should imagine that it would. I Twas very sorry, though, that I could not be here all day."
 Sorry! Maude thought
 "She told me what she thought. Not particularly fattering to my common sense, was 1t? l have been too busy all day to join in any amusement, but wanted to see you, and so I came here. Hester, may I tell you story?"
 "Yes, indeed" she said eagerly. "I al. ways like to hear your stories, Mir. Ram say"
 This is my story, truly" he said, smi- ling, ' It is of myself would speak," Hester wondered if he was going to tell her he was to marry Maude. He had been to the farm, he said. What was his er- rand, then?
 You understand, little Yankee" he said. the laws of primogeniture in the old country, do you not? The eldest son there inherits the family estate; the youn. ger ones must find other homes" "I understand"
 My father was younger son of Allan Ramsay, Esq, of Ramsay Manor. He was not wealthy man, for my uncle had no surplus to give him when he inherited the Manor, splendid estate, but at that ! time heavily mortgaged. So my father studied law, and in time taught his profess sion to me. Ten years ago he died. leav- ing me moderate income, and advising me to come to this country. did so, and lived in New York City. studying your form of law until my health, belng some what weakened by study, came to Greys field. Yesterday received my mail from London summoning me back to England. I go from here to night, Hester" She turned a pale startled face to his.
 |" In few months will return here,