Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-12-05

A LITTLE LATE.


myself. Of course, we were the image of
each other, and being strongly impressed
with the fact. we naturally grew up to ad.
mlre each other intensely. never, how
ever, quite forgave him for giving me the
go-by in my entrance into life, until he
squared matters by outrunning me in
another race
First, 1t IS necessary to tell you that
through whim Of my mothers we were
christened by the respective names of
Charles and Charlewood; my fathers
name was Manners my mother, having
been an heiress of the name of Compton,
had conferred it, with herself. on my
grateful father. Such being the case, the
double patronymic of Compton Manners
descended to the twin offspring of the H.
lustrious couple aforementioned.
pass over the school-days at Harrow,
year at Christ church, and finally, as we
would have it so. our first separation, my
brother Charley getting his commission in
the guards, while contented myself with
one in the rifle brigade; and I had not
been in that regiment month before be-
came fully convinced that the guards were
nowhere as compared with it, and not for
gold untold would have exchanged my
dark green for the gaudier trappings Of
the household troops.
When ] was about two and twenty, it
chanced that my brothers battalion of
guards and my battalion of the rifle bri-
gade were ordered to Montreal. It hap
pened to be about the time that q certain
political outbreak was feared, and soon
after our arrival at Montreal was sent on
detachment to the town OF Agnesville,
Canada West. For the first week I flirted
generally; the second week l began to
reduce the circle of my acquaintance the
third found me in state of wayer between
two beauties; and by the end of the first
month | was, iguratively speaking, on
my knees before Miss Marguerite Duval,
who. had now quite made up my mind,
was one Of the most innocent and simple
minded of her sex. She was tall and light
with graceful, piquant head, crowned
with quantities of silky hair, massed in an
extraordinary and mysterious way, all
loops and twists. and coils and sunshine.
Mott was not dyed, and it was not
bought. She tainted in my arms once,
and, o1gh it came tumbling down in
glorious and golden confusion, it did not
tumble off. As for the eyes. it is simply
impossible to describe them. They were
everything by turns and nothing long.
Yes; they were always Notwithstanding
burning, laughing, loving. scorning. They
were large, they were brown, with very
large, dilating irides, and they were
guarded by double file of lashes, long,
soft, and almost black. s,e
When the rifle brigade had been quar-
tered there two months, it was agitated
among us that ball to our hospitable en-
tertainers would not be only right and
proper, but politic-in fact, the only thing
wanting to restore completely and imme-
diately that loyal state Of feeling that once
existed in Agnesville. After the question
Of funds had been discussed, and we had
all declared our readiness to place our
enormous fortunes at the disposal of the
mess committee, the next question was
mooted as TO "when' and where ?"
"When Next week. was the answer
from one of the younger and more enthu.
siastic of the Prince Consort's Own.
"Wherep In Aylmer's hall"
The ball was finally fixed for that day
fortnight at Aylmor's hall, a tolerably
good set of public reception rooms in the
heart of the little town.
The day before that fixed for our ball,
and when my ar,luous duties were over,I
drove out to Villa Duval to pay my re-
spects to la belle Marguerite. 1t was
lovely weather in in early spring, and
when l reached my destination found the
jealousies closed, the awnings spread over
the balconies, and some Of the inhabitants
of the villa assembled under the shelter
ing colonade, while the more ventursome
were returning to croquet with all the zest
that long interval devoted to sleighing
WAS likely IN inspira then, with
was received with considerable enthu.
siasm, and a fluttering of color on Mag.
gie's fair cheeks as she left her game and
came forward, mallet in hand, to greet
me. was not little annoyed, however.
when discovered in young man who
was her partner in crOquet, one of my
brother officers.
therefore rather surily refused Mar
gurite's request that would join their par
ty on the lawn, and throwing myself lazily
on a rug that was spread under the colon
made devoted myself to younger sister of
my enchantress, who, for her age, scarcely
sixteen. had very fair idea of flirting.
Miss Eunice was kept as rule in the back.
ground, and how heartily she enjoyed on
this occasion being first instead of second
l could see by the dimples round the mouth
and the quiver of the dark eye-lash.
My back was turned to the croquet
party, but could see the whole scene re-
fiected panorama-like in the plate glass of
the window in front of me, and in spite of
my access OF temper l was not little
amused at the evident pique which Mag
gle endeavered to hide by apparent alb
sorbtioh in her game, and was MS Usual
irresstably fascinated by her grace, and
the perfect foot she displayed in the rapid
movements entailed by the vagaries OF
croouet. Meanwhile Eunice did la belle
ingenue to perfection. sar...
"And you will. you promise me, won't
you, MIR Manners P" she said, ending
with these words torrent of vkacious
nonsense about her first ball and her fears
that l should be too grand to dance ..with
such stupid little thing as me, you know"
"Yes, you poor little Cinderella, will
do anything in the world you like to please
you, l replied. returning her soft glances
with interest, and in tender tones for
Maggie was approaching and was proba-
bly, within ear-shot.
Eunice looked little astonished, and, l
fancy received an adnlonish look frsp,n