Litchfield enquirer., 1872-06-27

O4 tC1 uf14Qt<S A0t&GGe &Os N0111A& mustache to unnatural lengths, and neF- room door There were a great 5aanV guests; and, having shaken hands wifh MT. Bottletop, I glanced round to find Geraldine. Quite pang went through me when I saw her talking earnestly with gentleman too like nay fancy portraits of him to be any but my cousin. He was 8 slght-I thought graceful looking young man, with very dark eyes, aquiline nose, black hair, and-whiskers! Was I not forewarned that my rival would have whiskers?
 Geraldine appeared quite oblivious of my presence; so, acting on the spur of the moment, became quite oblivious of hers; and offered my arm, in obedience to MT. Bottletop's mandate, to a very fat young lady with very small eyes.
 During dinner went through purga- tory Of anxiety; Geraldine and my rival being seated on the same side of the ta- ble as myself, and it being physical inn possibility for me to see either of them. I only knew they had gone in to dinner together: Therefore felt an absurd but almost overpowering inclination to set etiquette and civilization at defiance, to rise from my place, walk up to her, and insist upon knowing the best or the worst at once.
 My fat little neighbor was very senti- mental, and inquired what was my favorite flower, poet, color, &c. and on my utter ly failing to satisfy her on these points, she proceeded to enlighten me as to her tastes. forget the poet, but know she said she admired blue, s'because 1t is the color of the heayens;" and she rolled her little eyes like languishing young pig, as she informed me that among flowers she loved best the wild forget-me-not. At the time was too savage to be amused, and it was not until nearly the end of dinner that discovered she was arFaYed in her fayorite hue, and had bunch of supernaturally large and blue forget-me- nots stuck in her hair. On the ladies leaving the room l rose eagerly to push my chair away, and catch a glance from Geraldine in passing: but my lady, contriving by some porcine evo- lution to knock over and smash a decan- ter and two or three wineglasses, grand confusion ensued; in the midst of which while I was rubbing sherry off the legs of my trousers, or picking up broken glass on my hands and knees under the table Geraldine vanished.
 Come, Cecil" said my godfather, "Miss Podger has given you the wine out side, try some of this Burgundy ia. You know my friend Mr. Miles, I think. Let me introduce you to Mir. Brown-Mr. Jones-oh! and Miah, here. 'Miah, this is MT. Ogg."
 This last sentence was addressed to the gentleman ot the aquiline nose and dark eyes.
 "Miah?" thought: s'this is confrma- tion indeed" For my ingenious mind took up this name, and, perhaps assisted by "reminiscences of early life, I twisted 1t easily into a new and elegant abbreviation of our common misfortune ,-the name Neremiah. This, then, indeed, was my cousin, my wealthy rival.
 MT. Podger bore down upon me, and began to relate story which, to my mind, had neither beginning, end, nor sequence, but which seemed to highly interest him. I writhed with anguish during its infiic- tion; for in the midst of it, when my own escape was impossible, saw ''Miah" quietly take his departure from the room.
 ''Now, you see, proceeded MT. Rodgers, ''that this premise being given, of course the best and only thing left under these distsessing circumstances for the poor house guardians to do'- l I rose up, desperate.
 Whats the matter, Cecilf'' said MT. Bottletop. ''You young fellows are off very soon. Try glass of that Madeira, my boy; you like it-hand it on. Mir. Podger."
 ''No, thank you. I-rm-not very well, stammered feebly: sI mean, my horse isn't. He was little lame. Imust go and see my groom about him. hope to hear the rest after, MT. Podger, if you 1 will kindly excuse me now"
 My godfather regarded me with his sol emnest aspect. "By all means take care about your horse, Cecil" he said, his bright eyes twinkling: ''it never does to leave 'em to servants.
 And with joy found myself outside the door. entered the drawing room with a feeling of anxiety, quite indescribable. 1 My heart beat twice as quick as usual; and felt quite stunned and stupefed when saw Geraldine, seated in far and lonely corner, engaged as before, in an animated conversation with my detestable cousin. Yet must have expected some thing of the sort. His attitude and ex- precision, as he leaned forward glancing up in her face, were full of extreme defer ence and admiration; but whether the bright color in her cheeks was the result of l kIdtluCdblOu, OI e0C 1OtO1oC, | udu Skl1l to decide. ! guessed the former. 1 may here remark, that consider jeal- ousy to be one of the meanest, most fool ish, and altogether most despicable of hu- man passions; yet regret to state that just then was completely under it's do- minion. a @s zesa -e
 left the room abruptly, and went out on to the terrace in 8 mood comprehen- sive of Othello, Bluebeard, Lara, and everybody else uncomfortable. saw no,O l what fool had been, to fall in love with a pretty girl; fellow like me, with no money, no profession, no brains, mot even decent name to offerl Bah the thing was absurd; it would be wise-much bet ter to have it out with her and done with, and then-why, the sooner I went to the dogs the better, &c.,, &c., ad ib. After perhaps an hour of this, I returned to the drawing-r room. where I found an inn promptu dance going on. One glance showed me Geraldine faithless Geral- dine .-dancing with him. Oh, of course! It was waltz, and I found it quite i'm possible to stand and look on for more than one minute.
 This time I went the hall-door, which was wide open; and, scarcely knowing what thought in my anger and surprise, l l stood leaning ag1nst the doorway and looked out at the autumn stars. I felt only dumb, dreadful sense of pain and desolation; until then had formed no idea how much loved her-how impossi- ble my life appeared without her. | sImust see her in the morning, I kept repeating feverishly. 'It's all up now; but I must see her in the morning, and then be off for good" s3 2s
 ''No. thank you, Mir Miahs; I would rather stay here,-it is cooler" This was Geraldine's voice in the hall, not ten paces behind me. I'm not afraid of the draught, but you can give me that cloak l-thank you. Ahl there is ,Mr. Ogg, l dare say he will look after me; don't let me detain you from your partner !"
 T found her at my side; and, with "a good deal of embarrassmeQt, I1offered her my arm. It is not an easy matter, however good your cause, to upbraid the woman A~~1 R.-