The Portland daily press., 1870-03-26
Selected story.
MY AUTUMN TRIP.

d., .NxE THOMAS, AUTHOR OF "FALsE COL
oBs," "DENIs DOME" ETC.
There were only three of us, ard yet we
could not amcably act in unison as regards
our autumn outing this year. As the eldest
Miss Linley, and in measure the head of the
family, feel that 1 ought to have led the way
whithersoever it pleased me to 20, and enforc-
ed my two younger sisters attendance on nv
pleasure. But we three Linleys are very
much IN the habit of giving away to and try
ing 10 please each other. So, when said we
would accept the Maxwells' invitation to stay
with them six weeks in their shooting-boX up
In the Highlands, our youngest-Kate, the pet
looked SO unhappy, that Alice and at once
determined she must be suffered to 60 some
where else.
Il had hoped for quiet bit of autumn life
III the Eng ish country this year, Dora," she
SAID, when L questioned her. snow l find
that am to go to be chilled TO death in fhat
horrible 'bracing air. about which old Lazy
Maxwell always raves; that is ALL"
And that is enough" Alice and eXclalh-
ed together: Eve give up Killisdane Lodge;
but where would you like to go-Biarritz"
"No, Biarritz is too gay for me-" Kate said,
solemnly, shaking her head, and. trying to
look as ii she were not the most untiring seek
er OF gayety in.o,-reot IN the season. 81 want
the uniot-Engish country"
"What part of it?" Alice asked-"a Lin
colnshre fen, or Cumberland lake. or
Devonshlre moor; where do you want TO pop
Only say, and Dora and will see if your wish
can be satisfied"
Kate got up and made us little mock cour
tesy OF gratitude and respect. "You're a pair
ol sue pest eder sisters in the world" she
my choice, am ashamed to confess that /
have not got one"
linen 1t is simply caprice, and so we had
better decide for you" l said.
ana, now Dora, our simple caprices' are so
GEAR TO us. you know" she said winpingly:
ana when Kate likes she can be very winning
inoeed, Tor she has the melting eyes of Irish
plue, and a touch of the Irish accent-that
accent that falls like honey dew from her
tongue. "Give me till Tonight. and then
wlli make up my mind where want to 90
ana recruit for the winter campaign"
suppose we must do as she Wishes"
sale. to Alice, and Alice replied, Eyes, sup
pose we must" And so it was settled, and
Kate went off to dress for the last party
positively the last party-of the season.
do you think she can have any Interior
motive in wanting to get away into the quiet
country" l asked, when Alice and l were
alone; and Alice said: "The desire to see a
new place. and new phase of life; that is
all, fancy"
so made up my mind to let Kate follow
her within wherever it led her.
Have you made up your mind where it is
to be?" asked her when we were coming
home that night.
YES" she said; "Mrs. Randolph asked me
long since to 90 and stay with her whenever l
felt inclined. l shall 90 there, now"
What! down in Norfolk ?" asked. And
Kate answered.:
"Down in Norfolk. Whv the tona If sur-
prise?"
III you had selected the west of ENGLAND: :
but to go due east-I don't understand YOU 9''
"Wei," said Kate, laughing, 'now am
disposed OF, where will you and Alice go-to
KilIisdane Lodge?"
"No, mop said, "the Maxwells don't want
us without you; we Will go to Brighton,
"Nc p Alice replied, "let us 90 our several
ways for once; we shall have more to talk
about IN the long winter evenings that we
may have to spend alone. You like Brigb-
ton and don't, SO will go down and stay at
Tawieigh with my old friend Nina"
But Nina is no longer Nina Grey. Mrs.
tagley may not be able 10 receive YOU"
Trust her" said Alice, laughing; "Nina
VIII De TOO glad to go get an old comrade who
mas gone through several town campaigns to
stay with her at Tawlegb, unless the Rev.
Pasleo Crawford has effected greater change
in her than believe it to be in any mans
power to effect in Nina"
but you don't know him." urged. as a
last objection. ~ :"
Il soon shall, when 1 am staying at his
house" Alice replied. And so it was settled
That we should go cur several WAYS.
A week after this, was hreakfasting alone
in my drawihg-room at Brighton, with long
= long letters from both my sisters open before
me. l read the one from Kate first:
BRENT GRANGE Auons+
MY DEAR DORA: am not tired OF these
eastern wilds yet" (she had only been there
two days.. "Mrs. Randolph met me in a
pony carriage at the most primitive station
l have ever dreamed of-much less seen
There was nothing but platform and a Dor.
yer, ana both Were OF the toughest descrip-
uon. was feeling very doubtful about GET
ting out at all when caught sight of her
pretty laughing face over the railing, and pres
entity She came round to me with a connie of
pig settlers jumping about her, and gave me
hearty kiss, and told me I was a little DARLING
for coming to her at last.
Before l go any further 1 must tell Won
a shas Ella Is quite as pretty-quite as fashion,
interchangeable as well up in the latest
news, literary, political and artistic-as She
was curing her RAPID career in London. be-
lore the handsome Norfolk squire carried her
on. She has not deteriorated in the smallest
degree, though she has been living out of the
world SO long, Her ponies and carriages are
perfect I'D SheIr ways; and the Grange, though
IS not DIT the old-fashioned place ex-
pecteu to see, is very pretty. 1t is. covered
inside aud out with flowers; jessamine and
clematlS creep in at the windows. and ivv
ieaved geranlums creep out. can't saw any,
tung ABOUT the society yet; but Tomorrow I
am TO be introduced to it at an archery ball.
Ihere IS nothing very dangerous in the neigh
ooraooa; at least it there is, haven't dis
covered MIN danger must come 70 me in the
form OF him, you know) vet. At the
archery ball, for instance, Ella warns me that
am not to expect any partners beside Mr..
Haldon-the doctor of these 'diggins'-and
mine host her husband. When 1 asked.
why notp she says oh! young men are so
precious down here that they are all bespoken
from ther cradles N. B.-This folly is only
!epeaIed 70 you, Dora, that your sisters anx-
lety may be assuaged. I could write reams
about the superiority of Brent Grange to
London super-mari,' or London at the wash
as, you Know, used to call it. If Alice is as
harmlessly employed as 1 am, your elderly
slsterly heart need know no aches this an
tumn. You votary of fashion and disspa-
LION fancy see you. now, in dull room in
BROAD street, looking out of the corner of
your eye on glazing sea that makes that COR
ner ache; while l, your Junior. am far from
the busy haunts of men, listening to the COO
OF the wood pigeons, the hum Of bees. and
the threshing out of Mr.. Randolph's earliest
crops. Your atfectionate sister
KATE LNLEY.
P.S.-What is Alice about? Mrs. Paoley
Crawford always had a talent for match
making, remember, which my innocent Ella
does not possess"
J.! put this letter down, and reserved nv
Judgment upon it until l had read Ajice'S
1t was full OF bonhomaie, and appeared most
unstudied. But why cid Kate think it neces-
sary to impress upon me that she was so ut-
teriy out of the way Of temptation?
would not answer the question that had
asked moself, and so turned resoutelv to
the perusal OF Alice's epistle.
"TAwLEIGH RECToRY,
"MY DEAR DORA: am stepped In a sort of
vapor-bath in this Tawleigh valley, round
which the wood-clothed hills rise abruptly on
every side. The Crawfords make themselves
and their pretty mock Elizabethan house yerv
delightful to me-stil l am not quite at rest.
long for my sisters for both of them. You,
know. dear Dora, are always happy and sat.
i:ned IN your own society by the sea; but
now about Kate? 1t may be folly on nv part
anu may De wrong to seek to impregnate
your mind with a similar feeling, but can't |
1eip teiiing you something that has taken
mold OF my mind. This morning, in glancing
caIelessly enough over the advertisement
sheet OF the Times, 1 saw the following in
that silly second column of it: sVictor-R ;s
to be found at B. G., Norfolk 1t NAV mean
-, -r.<r h,fn ole