Litchfield enquirer., 1876-03-23
Frances i! is this my little cousin !? I have fancied you beautiful. but not like

l bave fancied you beautiful, but not like this'' 5@ Sas 5ro s@64l Aa&a tfa.@ <3 rt"Ansl you--you are scarcely older than when you went away and not married yet.
 No, not married yet, Frances. l had always though9 of you as my wife, and un- reasonably supposed you understand my feelings and would wait"
 "A woman doesn t understand that un- til she hears it, Cousin John.
 'And when heard that you were mar ried to Theodore, 1 said to myself, John, you will go to your grave childless and wifeless,' and went on with my work. '"
 Mrs. Atkinson looked at the Governor a moment in astonishment. then her eyes grew blind with thick hot tears. s-.
 ''What have I done ! What have I donei"- she exclaimed. bitterly. 'Oh, what have I done ! You, with all the glory they have heaped upon you, are not happy. and as for me, I am wretched. I committed sin in marrying Theodore, Tor knew did not love him as was capable of loving. Young as was, John. :. I believed I loved you before you went to England better than I have ever loved him. And now-nop am punished o God the wretchedness of knowing it might have been !" .- !
 Well all regret is vain. Now let us bury the.past, and not forget that. wretch ed as we are, any step to relieve our wretchedness would only increase it. We will bear our fate with brave hearts, Fan ny dear; for it shall never be said Went worth was a coward"
 That is true, John. It would be un- pardonably selfish to say the least, for us to let proud name touch the dust
 Men and women of the world will hard ly believe perhaps, that famous belle, and gentleman of brilliant talents and accomplishments who was familiar with the dissolute court of George the Third, laid firm hands upon the passion in their hearts and bade it be still.
 Great men do not lie upon beds of ros- es, and the bay and laurel often conceal a crown of thorns During the same month in which Governor Wetworth ar- rived in Portsmouth was passed the fa- nous bill levying duties upon tea, glass, etc.-the odious spirit of the Stamp Act tablishing the Board of Trade; and still another. making illegal any act not com. pliant with the acquisition of the Mutiny Act. This arbitrary taxation reused anew the old fire of revolt, which had smoul- dered since the repeal of the Stamp Act on the 18th of the preceding March. Governor Wentworth, owing to his own strong personal influence, in addition to that of numerous and wealthy connec- tions, and the crown officers for time re- pressed the indignation of the people of his Province. Faithful to the interests of the English crown. of which he was sworn servant, faithful also to the inter- ests of the proylncialists where those sep arate interests did not clash, he endeav- ored to preserve his integrity in his mar row way between two parties. He was soon to prove the truth of the saying that one cannot serve two masters. While these first low mutterings of the yet far distant Revolution were echoing from Maine to Georgia, Theodore Atkinson lay dying. Frances, sitting by his bedside, and noting the slow passage of time, pon- l dered during many weary watch upon the condition of her country. Governor Wentworth found that the exercise of power was not sufficient to bring happi- ness to his lonely heart. Flattered and deceived by the temporary acquiescence of the people, he followed the the instincts | of his heart-the instinct of all energetic souls in grief-that of hard aOork. He determined, as soon as spring 1 opened, to commence the exercise of his prerogative of Surveyor of the Kings Woods. He adhered to hls purpose, and one day having penetrated as far as the | region near which stands the present town of Wolfsborough, he found the reward of hls eXertiOns Tn the landscape which lay spread out before him The incompara- ble beauty of the place fascinated him. Hope, the spirit of spring and peaceful 1 ness, the spirit of the place, suggested to him the idea of home in these wilds B. place of retreat from the cares of state. That very year the plan ripened into exe- cution. He erected magnificent house near the eastern shore of the lake, known by the Indians as the Smile of the Great Spirit, In its neighborhood sprang up the scattered dwellings of farmers, who encouraged by him, had emigrated from England and congregated from different parts of the Province.
 On Saturday, the 18th of October, 1769, Theodore Atkinson, Jun, one of his Majestys Council, and Secretary of the Province, departed this life. The funer- al too place on the following Wednesday. It was solemn day at Portsmouth. By order of the Governor public buildings
 
 at half-mast on the vessels of war in the harbor, and during the procession to the family tomb in Queens Chapel, all the bells were tolled ,and the boom of minute guns from Fort William and Mary shook the town.
 On rainy November evening, 8 few days later, Mrs. Atkinson, in deep mourn ing, sat before her drawing-room fire. The cheerful flames leaped and darted and roared up the wide windy fue. casting l fickering, grotesque lights and shadows upon the portraits and oaken panels and l ceiling. Her cousin, the Governor, was announced. and she arose and went down the room to receive him. He led her back l to the hearth, and they both seated them selves before the ruddy blaze. For while each WAS silent seeing pictures, perhaps, in the coals, for in each heart memories of the olden time were stirring. Since their last unfettered private inter view, on their uncle Bepning's birth-night years ago, in the summer-house at Went worth Hall, how much had transpired How still the house was The slow tick tack of the hall clock and the occasional dropping of coal were the only sounds. It was as if the presence of death still lin- gered in the room above Presently the Governors voice, low with repressed emotion, interrupted the solemn silence.
 Frances, beg your pardon for what I am going to say, but speak I must. Will you allow me to ask you question, which will probably strike you as extremely in- opportune ?'
 Certainly" replied Mrs. Atkinson.
 s+Of course you remember my arrival in Portsmouth, tuo years and half ago, and the brief interview we had that night ?" ''Yes y ..r ..--...
 Have you. changed since then, Fran ees ?" --' 1 Mrs. Atkinson sat for moment with down-cast eyes, but her reverie had more the character of reflection than lover-like' bashfnlness. Finally she raised her large beautiful eyes, and flashed splendid glance upon him.
 There's nobody listening. John, so avooklx, hoxv rnotforo cfo