Litchfield enquirer., 1872-06-20

A@AAE @A40 A0SAls 0C4114141G 1nS0 Me0 HAL avertsd; and her eyes, wandering quickly among the carriages in front of her, gave
 me no chance even to read dismissal iI the expression of quiet determination, new to me, on her features.
 When they had fairly passed me, Idrev myself together. s'Wel, there's one com fort, " I thought grimly; ''there can't bs any mistake about this, you know; and of course, I shall grow wiser as I grew older" 57
 HT CONTEMPLATE BURNING MYSELF AMI
 MY NAME IN THE COUNTRY.
 l think my mental system received ( severe shock at the time of which an writing. l know one very curious change came over me. l. who had been tho idlest of the idle, soon found an idle life insupportable. 8 nd my inward man clam ored for something whereupon to employ thoughts which were no longer pleasant ones. After much cogitation, I decided upon learning farming. Farming is ons of the finest pursuits in the world for ( gentleman to lose money at; and, as thai was the one thing which knew by expe rience I could do better than any other ] thought I was sure to take kindly to 1t So, few weeks after my rebuf q made no attempt to provoke second), I decided to go to Cheshire. I told my father about my new plan,-but not yet about the dis nal failure of my matrimonial hopes, this being too sore point to write about and he very cheerfully undertook to dc what he could for me, evidently beginning to think that perhaps there might he soDaethiaag in me after all; and he remind | fn rPn on6 godfather, who lived in the neighborhood of Chester,-the horrible man through whom l had come by my fatal name; fol whether by instinct, or merely by coinci denee, always associated my vanished hopes with my odious name.
 1 felt very blghted indeed about this poriod, having arrived at the properly reckless frame of mind. I smoked and drank much more than was good for me, neglected my personal appearance, and felt altogether down on my luck.
 What 8 great deal some young ladies have to answer for! Still kept saying should be all right when l went to Chesh ire and got regularly to work. I went tc certain bookseller in Regent Street, the day before I left town, to invest in some eminent works regarding the relative val ue of guano and manure on different soils when found the footman of the Monta gues at my elbow, enquiring for parcel This gentleman had every reason to re. gard me as a desirable friend; and ac. cordlngly he grinned, and touched his hat with full experience of the virtue grati- tude, as defined by Dr. Johnson q think, "a strong sense of benefits to come. gave him & nod and returned to my books. "
 Beg pardon, sir," said the fellow. un, willing to lose his chance; ''not seen you for long time, sir. Sorry to see you are looking so i'll, sir"
 'Tm all right. John, thank you,"I an- swered carelessly, keeping my hand stern ly out of my pocket. What was Mrs. Montague's footman to me? But he was pertinacious, and spoke again in a sub dued voice. -. s~-.
 Beg your pardon, sir; but perhaps you may not have heard that Miss Montague E been very bad. Been took abroad this last month, sir, and we have only just come from Spa. D
 felt the color change in my face, but said, '1ndeed," with well-sustained i'm placibility.
 q suppose you know we are going into the country, sir" he pursued. having studied my features attentively. Change O'hair IS recommended"
 Why attempt to disguise my feelings! This man knew quite as much of my sto- ry as did, and was wild to hear few words more.
 ''Is she better?" asked, almost in g whisper. ....-......'
 ''She's much better since she have come to town, sir, said the villain significant ly; "but she don't want to go to the coun- try, and her ma do.''
 "I see-Can you tell me if they are go- ing anywhere this evening?''
 His eyes frightened up: he knew he was sure of his tip now. "A dinner-party, sir, at Lady Duferkins, at eight"
 Nowhere else?'
 ''No, sir; not as heard" 4
 didn't know Lady Dufferkin, and I did now much wish to see Geraldine. She had not been happy perhaps! She had been ill! A thousand suggestions in my favor arose in my mind at the news, and 1 longed to settle the question with my own eyes and ears.
 Look here." said: 'sare they going home to Lincolnshire soon?"
 "No, sir; going on 8 visit first, I've not heard where, and then to the 'Ighlands." !"
 'Well-all right; good afternoon" My hand found it's way to my pocket after all and l walked out of the shop lost in thought, and utterly forgetful of my guano books. had friend called Top. pin, who was acquainted with the Duffer- kins,-indeed, on intimate terms with them; and I was in hanson and hyino to my friend forthwith. found, as had hoped, that he was going to this dinner and poured forth to him that the course of true love was tolerably sympathetic, and promised to take notes of eyerythino he could, how she looked, what she said, &c., &c.; and l was to go to breakfast with him the next morning and hear. Nearly all that night spent in anathe- matizing my own foolishness: it soon be. came clear to my mental vision that John had been merely bent upon getting sov. ereign out of me; and, after all, what had he told mel .s s-.s--'.-
 It was even worse in the morning. My perfdious friend had the felicity of taking Geraldine in to dinner, and had evidently been smitten. He actually told me that sie looked in as good health as any one pOSSlDIy cOulu, maue very gOOQ 0lnnef was very sociable, and ''no end of stun: ner to look at" fzs -@ @
 Breakfast or friendship! no more. would now throw off entirely this demor. alization; and amid the calm pursuits oi agriculture I would strive to forget the misery of the present, the torturing joys of the past, &c., &c., and a good deal more to the same effect.
 WI MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF THE
 GENTLEMAN FROM WHOM DERIVED M
 NAME.
 Another day saw me fairly embarked o1 my rural occupations. My chief notions of farming were, that it was incumbent or one to rise early, and if your brow could arrive at the condition boasted of by Long fellows blacksmith you were on the high. road to prosperity and fame. It happens I don't like getting up too early: I am ot Charles Lambs opinion, that it is apt te make one uncomfortable for the rest ot the day. But for whole week break lasted with my new instructor and hiG wife, Mir. and Mrs. Harding, at eight As0