Litchfield enquirer., 1876-02-17
'.Bid me not the lady praise, ,.
 Who hath joined VOWS with nains-
Go and And a maiden free, For my love hath f1romise.l


 .- Go and And maiden free, -. .T,.. For my love hath promised me" s.4 ] The three boys cluster round him, their six eyes fixed upon his face, mute and deeply attentive. ..f+ a At the close each heaves deep sigh. and Tom breaks out with enthusiasm, ,d
 ''That a0Gs jolly!'' ...',,'..
 Then they relapse into silence again, waiting for more, and so does every one else in the room. ..,..N
 ''what arms the soldier for the field 2" sings Harry mslodiously-
 '' 'Tis love impels him on,
 By love his fields won.
 For truest love with courage ever is united"
 Their rapt attention, their wonder stricken faces SO close to hisl The singer can hardly proceed, but finds it very pleas ant hattsry nevertheless .,.. l... a-s t.-g..
 More, more, they must have more. He is to go on till they tell him to stop. l..n-2 .y His young tyrants grow quite clamor- ous between whiles, but instantly hush, and hold their breaths during the per formance.
 sr Arthur regards the group with favor. He asked for the song, and it is his friend who is showing of so finely; but poor Bee is altogether out in the cold. no eti.J
 No one wants any more. of a',La Flora ja's;" and though Captain Blount does in. sist on getting off the music-stool at last, and politely begs that she will take his place, she can hardly comply with a re- quest so little urgent. Ts s.l gauaaA 1,
 For the present, atfall events her, star has set with the brotherhood. ,~ -
 They only await her negative, and again seize their victim. a i@f9 79aa al bsnJt3g4 ]
 Harry good-naturedly racks hisa brains for old English, Scotch and Irish .ditties, to plsase them. till they are reluctantly forced of to bed. '73" ''' '" T27fS9 5i1j'
 ''Thank you, sir. ," says little Charlie, putting out his hand; on which the other two say, Thank you, sir" likewise. ,,.,
 ''And, say, you'll give us some more tomorrow, won't you?" adds Tom Hi'
 ''That was ready Very nice!" 9h- IT i.14-
 Who would have believed it possible? There is the old laird actually wide awake in his big arm chair, and with folded hands listening all the time. '- 7'"2a.
 Hum. hum. hum, hum," he echoes. he used tols sing himself in his young days. Lady Graeme and Miss Williams are both pleasantly grateful. Arthur applauds Bee is the only one who has nothing to say, no remark to make. She is very deeply engaged with her embroi- dery, and finds the wools so difficult to shade by candle-light, that she has no eyes for anything beyond them.
 Harry's reflections afterwards: ' >''4
 "sShe was put out, I suppose: but can't help it. I can't stand hearing those things murdered, and shake! Girls never ought to attempt anything beyond a ball lad, and doubt If she could accomplish that. But lam afraid was rather bad to aer." .!, .rere z.-.,.. qr-..r F.. ..,fr.,
 Bees reflections:
 'I never, ,sever will! After all the hours have spent over it, and thought I had got it right at last, Such an e3hibitionl If had only done as the boys wantedi Inow they hate that thing, and mamma Iaid she was a,,itn. ti-el sf Les.riulK 1t over ma over Tn the next room. How beautiI ully he sings! Oh, dear!' '5@ ,i .9 rea, That night in her dreams there ran a | Ind the voice of the singer is like that of Harry Blount. Shooting, fishing, and singing, Harry inds the pleasant days fly only too fast.
 He acknowledges mistake with regard o Bees musical attainments.
 In quavering tones she goes through one evening, and he is luite surprised. With honest eagerness le begged another, and with genuine diff lence she complies. The encouragement, however, has steadied and strengthened lsr voice, and each word, a rare beauty, alls distinctly on the ear. What has such singer to do with "La Fioraja's"? This 8 quite perfect in it's way; and he is pleas d, dellghted, to acknowledge it.
 And now one more? ... y. E s.Ae fond kiss and then VIC sever .t.~
 Ae farewell alas, for ever
 peep in heartwrrlng tears I'll pledge thee,
 Warning sighs and groans I'll wage thee." .. !
 Stop, Bee, stop! This is all very well V hen you have only four insensate broth CTS round you, listening to the strains; but it is too bad. it is not fair, to set other pulses 'throbblng, other veins tingling thus! ,f ..r .Y.. -..r.an.t.,9
 For poor Harry is susceptible to tho slightest touch of music, and he IS hang ing over the piano with his head down; and who can tell what havoc may be be- gun by those simple, tender,l passionate words? .tt .,....,,,., .,- ...,. .,.
 "Had we never loved sac kindly. .qs -a s., ' Had we never loved sue blindly, '|-' '-'' . ..rrxe. Never met or never parted. -..,4;,.. '
 We had ue'er been broken hearted"
 . Thank you. ,r --,...s .-s.-,- .-...
 The same that was said after the Italian flourish, but now'in what different tone! And when she rises, smidst;a a shower Of hearty plaudits from the farther end of the room, Harry head is still down on the piano, and he does not stir. j ''o @"4 'fNow he must do his part. i..tt. }s-l.o , He is not in the mood; he begs her to No. indeed-every one is waiting for him; hers Is not worth listening to: he must, indeed. soi eal 9l.s .v,lr5. sGs.a ' .ae Will she play for him, then? ,.-..~1..'ra Certainly, if he wishes. ...., .,...~r
 Yes, here is one whose accompaniment he has almost forgotten; and he puts it before her, and she plays; while he leans over her and sings, inhaling, the faint sweet scent of the tea rose in her hair 1T till, all at once, Lady Grasme thinks she has had enough of this. -i>.s f bHI
 ''Arthur," said his mother, carslessly, that evening" ''how long does Captain Blount propose staying with ns? Have you any idea?
 '"Oh, he'll stay as long as we want him, mother. Some time next week, I dare say. He seems quite contented. .,sss,
 So she thinks.
 A word with Sir Charles next. al si"'
 .''Is there any need for those young men always coming into the drawing-room in the afternoon? Can they notamuse them selves in some other way?" . ''Ws1l, they cant shoot, my dear, if you mean that. It is quite too dark after four or half past four now. A pretty state of mind you, woald be in if they tried it!" But there is the boys room; why do they not find something to do theTs?" 'sAy. why don't they? Ask them. I am sure i have, no objection, they may go where they like for me. If they took my advice, they would clean their guns. and that would be something for them to do. I never gave gun to keeper yet" a '"tWeH, tell them so, yourself.
 -'sI have told them. have told Arthur scores of times; but he is too fine gen tleman nowadays. ARlount' would do his fast enough; but can't say anything. to him, or it would seem as if grudged him