Litchfield enquirer., 1878-12-26

in the besf-c0uducted households f@r little present. Nay, in all probability, in DonIon Towers the old system of s.vailss was in full operation, and he felt Considering, t0o, how pretty she was) thai he could hardly give her less than gold He took, therefore. half a sovereign from his purse, and seeing her smile rOgueishlY as he did se ,and also that the groem was well out Of sight, he accompanied the gift with chuck under the chin. It was not right of him. of cnurse; but the delight of get ting away from that tremendous mansion (as be subsequently, explained) no doubt put him in abnormally high spirits. At all events, he did it; and as she only blushed, and didn't say a word, he hattered himself that he had done rather handsome thing in apleasant fash ion.
 As to the whole visit, he felt. indeed. that he had acquitted himself under vefy trying circumstances, exceedingly well, and had made good impression. He found Dr. Dalrymple nos much improy- ed m health, the fact being, as he confessed, that he had been in.considerable anxiety as to the result of his Yondg partners visit to the Towers
 aWell, and how did it all go of ?" was his hrst question.
 .'Oh, capitally; nothing could have been kinder than his lordship. but he's very heavy
 'sAh, you found out that ,''returned the oth- CT, rubbing bis hands. ''I have attended him these twenty years. Certainly one ought to be we'll paid. when one has to dine-eh-and listen to patient out of the way of business. Well, and how is his rheum, as he calls it ?'
 Well I'd much sooner have his rheurn than his company" said Selwyn, laughing. '.The fact is, there is nothing the matter with him but overeating. And such things, too, DOT poises and peacocks!"
 ''Ah, I've eaten porpoise at the Towers, sighed the old Doctor with an air of one who recalls self sacrifice. T
 '1 dare say it is nc worse than a beavers tail, protested Selwyn. However, it was 8 very interesting dinner. After the big things had been disposed of the serving men retired, and"
 And then the girls came in." interrupted the old Doctor exeitedly ''That always hap pens when you dine at the Towers for the first time. It's his lordship's notion of doing the honors of ospitality-borrowed from the time of Edward the Confessor, believe. The la dies of the family wait on the guest"
 1.-The ladies of the family! !" reiterated Sel- wyn, aghast with horror Do you mean to say those four girls in blue and white were Lord De Bracy's daughters"
 ''Of course they were did you think they were house maids ?"
 Selwyn answered nothing, though he was quite certain he had taken at least one of them for such.
 Well, wonder you did not see they had an aristocratic air. Perhaps ought to have told you how it would be beforehand How ever, De Bracy will like you all the better for taking the thing as matter of course some men will jump up and hand the dishes them selves, because it distresses them to be waited on in that way; but it is better to fall in with the hosts fancy"
 Do you remember" gasped poor Selwyn, "what was the name of the darkest of the young ladies?"
 ''Of course, Ido; you've sharp eye, you young dogi she's the youngest, and the beau ty-Lady Ermengarde; they tell me that, when not playing at being medieval, she is full of fun. I hope you are not hit, because she's leetk above you, my dear Selwyn. Perhaps the best blood in all Englaud''
 And, nevertheless, Frank had given her half sovereign, and chucked her under the chin.
 For weeks he was in expectation of some terrible vengeance Overtaking him ct tho haneis of reckless r.x.ieas of fesadaIis, but, as it hap pened, nothing was done. It would have been an immense relief to his mind to have known that Lady Ermengarde Plantagenet had some humor {not of the sort for which her noble fa ther took tansy pudding. and that she had taken his mistake in excellent part. She was accustomed to wear for years upon her chate- laine, in company with many less useful arti- cles, a certain half-sovereign with hole through it, the history of which she would never re- veal. It was present, she said, from young gentleman. But, though Lord De Bracy had the rheum again and again Che eventually died of it), and sent for Dr. Dalrymple many times always with the polite provs0 that, if it should be inconvenient for the Doctor, his junior part ner would be equally acceptable, Frank Sel- wyn never agaln set foot in Donjen Towers Be!graOid.