Litchfield enquirer., 1876-08-17
From Harper's Magazine.l Ashes of Roses.
1.-THE WHITE CoCKADE AND THE GRIM
 SON GRodKAM CONN.,

| l Not long after this event my father wa.
 ordered south. and l saw him no more
 neither did any event of importance trans pire, until the autumn of 1778, when h,
 obtained a fprIough and was with us fol
 some time. At this time also Boston agail showed somewhat of the gayety of routl and drums, of which we had great lacl since the departure of the British. Fol at this season President Hancock and the
 Marquis de Ia Fayette were in town, the Count Estaing also had lately arrived
 with the French fleet, and the Boston Ia dies did their utmost wOrthiiie to welcome their distinguished guests. The Marquis de la Fayette remained indeed, but few da, s, but he was every where and deserv edly, the hero i: for the whole land wor
 shiped his devotion and sacrifice for the
 veal of a country not his own. rne Count d d'Estajny, who had taken mp his quarters on Georges island, had brought upon himself the prejudice and censure ol many on acconnt of the matter of New port, in that he obeyed the letter rather than the spirit of his orders. The popu' lace were 80 angry thereat, and the re- membrance of the French and Indian war was so fresh, that they could not accus- tom themselves to look upon the French 1 other than as enemies, and there occurred an unseemly riot, wherein many of the French were maltreated. and the Cheva. Her St Sauveur killed. But Lafayette and others in authority did interspose for peace President Hancock also, to the end that the prejudice of the lower ranks might not spread to those of the better class did frequently bid the Count d Es- taing and his staff, with officers of the l Continental army and marine, as we'll as citizens occupying important posts, to dine with him at his mansion on Beacon Hill. My father was often at these gath l erings, and spoke we'll of such of the French as he met, especially of one Louis d. Etoile, young man of rank whom he did find much to his taste.
 The house of President Hancock vas at this tune the centre of gay society in Bos- ton, even as Province House had been be- for. the great possessions and high posi- tion of its owner, together with his court lie and fascinating manners. making it such.. Madam Hancock also contributed by her affable and charming disposition to it's attractions and though they lived in princely style, riding in coach drawn by six bays and attended by several ser wants in livery, so popular were they that Uls On the evening of Nov. 5. President Han cock gave grand ball to the French officers. He had used to give such en- tertainments at his own mansion, whereto he had added long wooden dancing hall, but on this occasion even this was not judged to be of sufficient bigness, and it was given at Concert Hall. This was more an affair of Madam Hancock than of her husband, and she invited to her house be- forehand many of the first ladies in Bos- ton(who, out of all cities ofs the colony. have ever been most forward in any work of public patriotism or charity. off.times to the stirring up of their husbands and fathers) to aid her in devices for this fes- tivity, it being understood that it's main object was the furtherance of peaceable feelings between the French and our own nAffplaiau uced that various con mI5Eees. as music, of flowers, and of dancing, having been chosen, another committee for tie re- ception of the guests. was made up of such as had any proficiency in the French language. Ana l being known for great glibness of tongue in that as we'll as in my native speech, was set thereto. And having settled among ourselves that we should dress in red and white, wearing the French cockade of white satin in our head gear, we presently dispersed. When my father heard this he was we'll pleased, for he hoped that should meet hls new favorite, Louis d'Etoile, whom he had bidden to our house, though he had not yet come. He gave me also goodly sum where. W ith to make myself fine, and I caused to be made a crimson grogram gown garnished with Dutch lace of the finest sort, and worn over 8 white satin petticoat covered with raised work of flow CTS, and vines in embroidery of white silks, the whole spread upon wide hoop after the latest Philadelphia fashions. The bah was brilliant affair, for the off, cers were all of fine appearance, and mag
 nifcent in white uniforms faced with scar let, light blue, or green; and though the greater part ofthem could not speak our language, they did so converse by means of bows and smiles and pleasant gestures, and each withal possessed so dancing 8 foot. that the young women did all de- clare them far more agreeable partners than Gen. Howe's stiff and clumsy sol diery had been. As for myself, think l never enjoyed ball as much; though in- deed there had been much gayer assem- blages at the Province House, where the gentleman who were not in Uniform gilt tered in pea-green, canary color. or sky | blue velvet plentifully embroidered with gold, and I have never since heard music whereto the foot kept time in the minuet more naturally, and as it were oi 1 it's own will, than that which Lord Percy s band was wont to discourse. In the fore part of the evening, spying an exceedingly noble and graceful young man standing solitary and apart. I, as was the duty ol | tn6 ond him if should find him partner with whom to dance. Whereupon he made an swer that he would be better pleased if
 would dance with him myself, which accordingly did, there. being none who can accuse me in saying, "We have piped unto you and ye have not danced" tht 1 din of fiddles, bass-yiol. flutes. or bassoor running always in my blood like to { fever. And I danced with him not tht Inext set only, but. all following, thereb, drawing upon myself the dispieasure O.
 the rest of the committee. who said tha had deserted my duty and left doubl'
 labor to them. did not learn. the nam'
 of my gallant, but observed that he hae
 the most wonderful eyes had ever seen they did beam upon me with such 1
 searching, admiriDg, and withal so tende and respectful a gaze that I had no sucl
 thing to move me since the day that
 heard Consider Dillaway sing, "Come, n,
 beloved. with the strange new thrill i
 his voice. When the last set was danced } he asked me as a souvenir of the ball an, of myself to give him the white cockad winch Ewore in my hair, and he in turl presented me with . striped and varies . colored ribbon which he wore upon hi breast, and had been given him upo some field of battle in foreign lands
 Shortly after, the head of our committe
 took me aside to upbraid me for my lac
 of duty, and my father. coming soon afte
 to fetch me home, said that throughou
 the ball he had sought in vain for Loui 3 d'Etoile, and had only found him a mf ment before. when the young man excnse himself, saying that he had met Hith 5
 charming a young person that he had fol
 gotten to seek my father in order to
 introduced to his daughter Whereat n
 father. though not we'll pleased. had h
 him to dine upon the morrow.
 Great was my surprise to find when or . QaeSt arrived that he was none other thd