Litchfield enquirer., 1872-06-06

HOO Tar on, Sa1Q the lneuteAu4Lss AA0 ing from the parapet on which he was leaning, and showing a drowsy unshayen Ecountenance; ''we should only ntgnfen them" ;ss, 4. s.sI ssBy Heavensr' said my grandfather, "'tis horrible. I shall see the boy taks9n 0eaGs0 BoyI Py yoSSoth uSosh the Lieutanaat, wUhasr- ing what particular interest the MaJpr Ecould take in the smuggIer. z What boyl' eWhy, Owen of ours-he,s running away with Spanish lady" - s@ 'dThe cried the Lieutenant, jump ing down. ''What, Garry Owenl-We must try long shot. Pull those quoms out" (to gunner.) Corporal lay that gun; dollar if you hit the felucca I'll try shot with this one" So saying, ne laid the thirty-two pounder next him with great care. sa es3 SATzsa '.FireP' said he, jumping on the parapet to see the effect of the shot. At the sec ond rebound it splashed under the the bows of the felucca, which still held on. She was now scarcely three hundred yards from the cutter. - ss r:sar sg sr.s. ..ss 'EWhy, d-n their impudencel" nut tered the Lieutenant, on seeing his warn- ing pass unheeded, ''they won't take e hint. Corporal, let drive at 'en." The Corporal earned his dollar. The shot went through the side of the felucca, on board of which all was presently con fusion, in few minutes it was apparent she was sinking. The other, abandoning. the chase, went to the assistance of her consort, lifting the crew out, some of l whom were evidently hurt. -s | CA blessed shot!" cried my grandfather, giving the lucky corporal bit of gold; ''but I'm glad they're picking up the crew." r The cutter instantly stood in for the harbor, and half an hour afterwards the Major bade his young friend and Juana welcome to Gibralter.
 | Carlota was beside herself with joy at seeing the wanderers safe. She first cast herself upon Juana, and cried over her; then embraced the Ensign, who made no scruple of kissing her; lastly, threw her. self tenderly upon the Major, who gazed over her head as it lay on his shoulder | with dismayed expression, moving his arms uneasily, as if he didn't know what he was expected to do with them. Every moment it was becoming clearer to him that he was a compromised man, and no longer his own property. On his way l through the streets that morning he had passed knot of officers, one of whom he overheard describing "Old Flinders" as "a sly old boy" for that he ''had run away with devilish handsome Spaniard who would have thoughtY' ''Ay, who indeed!' groaned the Major, internally. But the seal was put to his doom by the Colonel, who, when he went to report himself, slapped him on his shoulder, and congratulated him on his happiness. 'sFine woman, I hear, Finders-didn't give you credit for such spirit-hope you'll be hap py together" The Major, muttering an inarticulate denial, hastily retreated, and from that moment surrendered himself to his fate an unresisting victim.
 About dusk that night, Owen came to him. ,s ssa
 ''By heavensp' the Ensign began, throw l ing himself into chair, ''I'm the most unlucky scoundrel! Nothing goes right with me. l promised myself that this should be my wedding -night-and here I am, as forlorn 8 bachelor as ever." ''What has gone wrongY inquired my grandfather, removing his pipe from his mouth. .-.5 r-.. -4... ..
 ...I pressed her with all my eloquence," said Owen; reminded her of her promise to marry me the day we should arrive hereof the necessity of caring for her reputation, after leaving her father house and coming here under my protection" (here my grandfather winced;1 ] talked. in fact, like an angel who had been bred a special pleader-yet it was all of no use."
 "Dehberating about marriage;" said the Major, "after leaving her father and lover for you! What gnat can she be strainin0 at, after swallowing a camel of such mag nitude?"
 "A piece of female Quixotry," retured Owen. 'She says she can't think of such selfshness as being comfortably married herself, while Carlota is so unhappy, and her fate so unsettled" Here he made a significant pause; but my grandfather was immovably silent, only glancing nervous ly at him, and smoking very hard. "In fact, she protest she won't hear of marrying me till you have settled when you will marry Carlota. "Marry CarlotaP' gasped the Major in an agonised whisper. "Why, you don't mean to say you're not going to marry her!' exclaimed the Ensign, throwing 8 vast quantity of sur prise into his expressive countenance.
 ''Why-why, what should I marry her for?'' stammered the Major.
 ."Oh Lord!' said Garry, ."here will be pleasant news for herl Curse me if break it to her" ...
 "But really, now. Frank" the Major repeated" marriage, you know-why, I never thought of such thing"
 You're the only person in the world that hasn't then" reioined Owen. ''Whv. what can the garrison think, after the wsy yov smuggled her in; what can she her self think after all your attentions?'
 Attentions, my dear boy;--the mere- est civiity"
 "Oh,-aht twas civility, I suppose. to squeeze her hand in the inn at Aloeciras. In the way she told Juana of--and heaven knows what else you may have done dur- ing the flight. .Juana is Outrageous agalnst you-actually called you Q vile dece1ver; but Carlota's feeling is more of sorrow than of anger. She is persuaded mat nothing but your ignorance of Span lsn mas prevented your tongue from con hrmlng what your looks have so faithfully promised was really quite affected to- after you left the room: she evidently eT. pected me to communicate her destinv."
 My grandfather smoked hard. fE
 Lots of fellows would give their aara TOT such a Wife, pursued tho Ensign.
 noVelace, the Governors aide-de-camp. Diloed the waiter of the hotel to lend him nls apron to-day, at dinner, that he might come ln and look at her-swears she's a splendid woman, and that he'd run away with such another tomorrow
 Stlu my grandfather smoked hard. but sad nothing, though there was a slight gleam of pride in his countenance.
 Poor thingi" sighed Garry. ssAll her prospects blghted forever. Swears she can never love another. s -
 At this my grandfather's eyes grew moist, and he coughed as if he had swat lowed some tobacco-smoke.
 ''And as for me, to have Juana at my lips, as 1t were, and yet not mine-for she's as lntiexible as if she'd been born a Mede and Persian-to know that you are coming between me and happiness as surely as if you were an inexorable father or cruel guardian worse, indeed: for those might be evaded. Major, Major,