Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-08-28

not thing to be ridiculed; to when as
sented with such eagerness that we inn
mediately became very good friends again
Silent sorrows, Why, sir, | will under
take 10 have her skipping about like a
lamb in couple of days! Regrets and
buried affections, and sympathy you
won't see much more of that sort OF stun
As for that two yards length of attenuated
| will duck him in the river il he tries TO
stuff her head full of such trash will
| will, indeed Let that young man be-
ware ~
With this the lruculent fellow losses the
end of his cigar into thd fireplace, just as
if he had been having his rival into the
Thames, and then he went of determined
to have a good sleep to prepare him for
the great events of the morrow.
CHAPTER II.-THE CHALLENGE.
Was she conscious of the interneclnc war
which was raging in this peaceful spot,
and of which she was obviously the cause j?
We met the young lady the next morning
Just as she was going down stairs to break
fast She looked the very impersonation
of all gentleness and innocence and good
nature, If angry passions were raging
elsewhere, she at least, preserved Il cheer
full serenity of mind.
Doubtless these two gentlemen had both
cot up very early, on the chance OF hay
i little quiet talk with her if she happened
to be taking the morning air. Doubtless,
too, they had enjoyed each others society
for an hour or two before breakfast; they
were both looking rather impatient when
we went down.
"Oh, Miss Newton, may | give you
these flowers Pr said the young man,
bringing forward very pretty little nose
gay of wild blossoms, which he had culled
himself from the meadows and hedges
"Thank you very much, - said she, and
he looked very pleased and proud. And
thank you, too, Mr.. Humphreys. for the
charming bouquet you sent me this morn
ing. 1t was so kind of YOU"
Everybody stared; everybody except
that stout and placid Machiayelli, on whose
impassive face not even one smile OF TIL
umph appeared. But how had he CON
trived to get and send her a bouquet AT
such an hour? He must have got the
flowers over night. lie must have lain III
wait for the maid, taking up hot water TO
Miss Newton's room, and bribcd her to
take the bouquet and a little message at
the same time. Now, a man whose atten-
tons to young lady begin before break
fast--who sends her bouquet along with
her hot water-means something serious.
..And now, Miss Newton, said this boiti
person, ALREADY asserting sort of guar
dianship over her, "what are we to do to-
day? Shall we make up q party The
morning is beautiful-the cheStnuts, the
red hathorn, the laburnum, all are most
lovely-and as for the river, you will be
delighted when You get outside.
Miss Newton made no answer, but
looked to us, her proper guardians.
81 am not quite sure, Miss Newton,
said Mr. Maurice, in a sort OF scorntui
way, you'll soon get heartily sick OF sit
ting in tisherman's punt, doing nothing
but watch some one else trying TO catch
fish that arn't there. | don't believe
they've even got here that wooden fish
that the landlordsin some places moor deep
down in the water so as to get people to
come and fish for it. | suppose you've
heard that fisherman after fisherman comes
in and swears that the fish made Il rush at
his fly-more likely in the case of a wood
en- fish than of real one, should say.
You've heard what DIR. Johns OH :
"You needn't" said the elder lover.
with sudden fierceness-''Y on needn IT
take Miss Newton back to the time Of DIR.
johnson for pedantry, stupidity and rude
ness. There is plenty of all three going
about in our own day"
Miss Newton looked alarmed. and sail
gently:
Il shouldn't at all mind looking at some
one fishing. | don't know how it is done
in English rivers"
''Oh. thank YOU" said Mr.. Humphreys,
getting quite cheerful again, "but don't
you imagine we are going to victimize
you. Oh, no; what you must see. first of
all, is the beautiful scenery about here.
We can drive from here to the Duke Of
Seutherland's place al Cliefden, then on
to Maidenhead Bridge and Taplow, then
on to Burnham Beeches, and back again
another way. And | have a wagonette
coming at eleven for YOU"
And at eleven O'Clock, sure enough,
there was the wagonette standing at the
door, and the whole of us submissively
went out as if we had been taken possess
sion of by this indefatigable Government
official. But how were we to sit ?
81 say, Maurice Humphreys remark
ed IN a careless way, II think you said
you knew the country about here 9''
"Oh, very well indeed, " said the unsus-
pectng victim II know every inch of it. :"
Then perhaps you wouldn't mind sit
ting beside the driver and telling him
where he ought to take us? Wouldn't
that be the best way, Miss Newton?
TO appeal to her, it was cruel. She
said something very timidly in reply, and
the young man. with black rage in his
heart, got up beside the driver. When
the ladies were not looking, Humphreys
winked to me, but | could not encourage
familiarity on the part of so unscrupulons
person.
Our young friend had certainly a favor
able opportunity that morning for making
the acquaintance of certain sorts of our
English scenery in their most charming
aspects We drove through pleasant
country lanes, the hedge banks OF which
were brilliant with spring flowers, we
passed through tiny villages, and the cot
tage gardens were smothered in blossoms
we came upon glimpses of the blue river,
flowing smoothly through rich meadows
which were white with dases, and then,
again through an opening in the trees we
could see the higher land beyond, with the
Cliefden woods, rich with the foliage OF
the early summer. Miss Mary was indeed