Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-08-06

lOFo The Ilno Ildu eAphOu, tooh our llCkelS
and found ourselves at Stockton Brook in
such bewilderingly short space of time
that l half thought our surroundings were
part and parcel of the visions we some
times INDUCED in in our Temple cham
bers.
I was rich in cousins, and as I looked
around did prefer Belle? There was the
pretty brunette Marion, the blonde Eva.
the tall, graceful Ethel, the petite Nora,
and felt, on the word and honor of a
single man, a la Lillyvick, that / loved
them all! Smiths feelings seemed to
concide with mine, and | concluded he
loved them all.
Belle approached; a frank, jolly girl-a
girl with whom one would wish to be on
cousinly terms, and for whom one would
feel unlimited couslnly affection. With
her-no, stop, my pen; keep in bounds.
You are awfully welcome, Ned. Dot"
(she turned to her companion :" nv
cousin Ned is not dangerous, for' emis-
chievous aside she has been in love with
me ever since [ can remember"
And, gracious powers! what vision
burst on our eyes, Smiths and mine!
do not think could describe her, and
Smith, to whom / have applied, confesses
it is out of his power to do so. I cannot
say if she were tall or short, dark Or fair;
I only vouch for creamy complexion,
quantities of rich brown hair and all the
rest eyes. Smith, too, says eyes; eyes of
the darkest brown-velvety, sweet, trust
ing, with an expression and depth. (My
cousins as they read echoed =" A1d a
depth.'0 There was an impression of
transparent lace and muslin, a suspicion
of violets IN her presence, and I know no
more. Smith knows no more. But as
she raised the long, sweeping eyelashes
and bowed ito me, pointedly; Smith says
to him) I felt Bellies whisper was heartless
and distasteful to her as to me. | always
had dislike to women who chaff-so I'M
feminine, so unsuitable, in short Had l
ever loved Belle? l doubted it as
walked by Dots side toward the house,
for our meeting had taken place On the
lawn. She proceeded to give me an ac-
count of an hour at croquet, when the men
had cheated awfully, "and," she con-
tinued pitifully, eve do want some one to
take our part"
How / sympathized with her! how my
lips curled in contempt of their opponents
wiles! How | felt myself croqueting the
ball of the opposing powers from one end
of the ground to the other under far-dis-
tant prickly shrubs, whence the searchers
should emerge hot, dusty and augry
How I, in short, fell in love in the space
of twenty minutes, Greenwich time
Smith and | were cordially welcomed,
and soon after our arrival my aunt, tax
ing me on one side, proceeded to give me
a few particulars respecting Dot, other
wise Dora Elton.
"You will see, Ned, how l stand.
Gen. Elton Entrusted her to me with the
understanding that she should have no
opportunity of falling in love-see no one,
in fact. There is no accounting for the
absurd ideas men get into their heads. but
she will be quite an heiress Still | can
not absolutely shut her up, so | invited
two safe men, and KNOW neither you nor
your friend will betray my confidence. l
should not have allowed Fred to bring
Capt Bruce here had | not seen Dot abso-
lutely rude to him, and feel it is great
responsibility altogether"
And nv aunt looked like one of Fox's
martyrs in modern guise. AS she con-
Guided her explanation | felt that she
possessed the faculty of saying the rudest
possible things in the mildest possible
manner. "Safe men," | looked in the
glass; but my indigr alton subsidized as
reflected it would be as well that Smith
should benefit by her confidence, and that
it would be my duty as relation to i'm
press upon him the fact of honor requir-
ing obedience to the wishes of the mis-
tress of the house.
Capt. Bruce, of whom my aunt had
spoken, was fine soldierly fellow, with a
sunshiny face, fair hair and blue eyes !;
also greater allowance of brains than
generally falls to the lot of fellow in
the army. On the whole it was pleasant
to see a decided GOODNESS existing be-
tween Dot and himself But of that more
anon.
Feeling that she had done the duty ex-
pected of all chaperons as regarded "detri-
mentals," my aunt left me to seek out
Smith and impress due caution.
"Nice little girl, Miss Elton" [ OBJ
served, after one or two equally wise OBJ
servations, with view of sounding him,
and in case his admiration should be
too deep determined to represent Gen.
Elton as sort of Bengal tiger of the worst
type. =,
difference that could not impose on me.
&" That reminds me, Jones. Your coat
noticed it this morning, walking behind
Won and Miss Elton-is a mistake"
It was Greek meeting Greek. | fell into
the trap. and surveyed myself anxiously in
the glass. That coat l had considered a
model in color, in shape, in form, neither
long nor short, and only remarkable as
combining the properties of being degGge
enough for croquet with an air OF proprlety
for the morning service.
81 think-does it strike you as being
tight" / asked, wondering what Dot
thought of it.
"The fact is, you are getting feshy,''
returned Smith with brutal alacrity. "pll
wager ten to one you are six pounds
heavier than you were this day six
months''
"Getting fieshyr' The subject would
not admit of levity, and l responded tart
w: "I'll defy anyone to get fieshy, as
YOU term it' Il have suspicion that
Smith is occasionally coarse), in your
company"
Determined to drag in the Bengal tiger
after this. and wishing to impress Smith
by the friendly terms existing between Dot
and myself, l began:
Miss Elton told me" without any
distinct idea how to finish, when Smith
exclaimed:
"Of course. l thought I knew the
name we'll! Why, we are connected, il
not related. Her mother was any
mothers third cousin, or something OF
that sort.'
On the croquet ground he put forth his
claim as audaciously as if-as if it really
existed. I felt it was nothing of the sort
and, whereas had formerly had respect
| for Smith, began to think his principles
decidedly dubious Oh, brown eyes
We were at Stockton Brook for croquet,
not for "coquet,'' as Hetty saucily re-
minded us, so shall confine myself strict
| ly to one of its phases. The ground was