The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-18

denly, remembering Maggie's caution.
"Well, besides what3 Don't mind me,
said Frank.
"Oh, dear, no; the fact is, Pm rather
sweet on some one else you see. She was
delighted with those roses, can tell you
What a thoughtful fellow you arei ]
never can do those pretty things"
"Then, friend Algy, take a lesson now
and a rose next time"
They all drove rapidly back to the rec.
tory. Mr.. Denne met them on the
steps.
"Welcome to Wittlesleigh," he ex,
claimed in his CHEEKY voice. "Jessie, my
dear, l am delighted to see you. Come
in" and pressing fatherly kiss on the
white forehead, he led his beautiful visi-
tor into the drawing-room.- -
Luncheon is ready" he said, $50 when
you young ladies have exchanged conf
dences we will sit down. Do not be too
long, DEAR" he added to his daughter
"We shall be ready in minnte, papa"
replied Maggie.
"Scarcely, ] think" said the rector,
laughing. "But do not forget break
| lhSItu az boNeu tllS IloTlluR.
"What nice fellow your cousin must
be, Maggiel fancy his taking the trouble
to gather these lovely rosesl l wish l
could see them," she added with sigh.
"But Maggie, dear, what do you think ?
one doctor in London told pappa that
perhaps might some day recover my
sight do 50 hope he is right. He
wanted to galvanize me, Or somethingl'
"Of course he is right, dear; he never
would have been so cruel. He could not
have held out hopes if he were not quite
surep'
"Oh, Maggie, fancy? Just fancy being
able to see the sea, the sky, the flowers,
and you, you, darling, once again. But
it is too good to be true. 1t is quite i'm
possibleW A weary sigh closed the SEN
tence.
"Not impossible, dear. So let us hope
for the best. Hope and pray and trust in
Gods mercy"
Jessie bent down and kissed her kind
friend, and then the two girls had good
cry" together.
Nearly two months passed away and
still the party at Wittlesleigh rectory re-
mained the same. 10 those of my read
ers who have stayed in sweet s. nth D1v-
on, l need not explain the pleasant life
which young people can, and | believe
do, lead in that land of nicnics. Love
in these latitudes ripens vi the straw
berries, and comes as natural as cream !;
SO the young couples at the rectory paired
off almost unconsciously. Such an ar
rangement in the case of Algy Vernon
and Maggie Denne was not surprising.
for they had been acquainted from child
hood. Mrs. Vernon and the late Mrs
Denne had been schoolfelIows. They had
never severed the friendship thus initia-
ted, and what was more natural than that
the affection entertained by the parent
should descend to the children? AT any
rate, Algy was deeply in love with the
pretty Maggie, and she, though. not 50
preoccupied respecting him, thought her
old friend very nice indeed, and, if the
truth was told, preferred him to all her
numerous admirers.
But Frank Carson and Jennie Hamblyn
had no such excuse. Yet the influence
of the Devonshire air was such as to kin
die spark, which showed symptoms of
bursting out into a very decided fame
indeed. The train of sy apathy was laid,
it required but that spark to be applied
to it, and then the barriers of prudence
would give way before the explosion. If
Algernon and Maggi understood each
other, so did Frank and Maggie, and the
numerous excursions and plcnics in which
they passed the afternoons only served to
rivet their bonds closer.
One sultry afternoon a last excursion
was planned to the Fairy Glen. The
party had been increased on this occasion
by three couples from q neighboring par
isIl, and despite the threatening appear
ance of certain huge masses of cloud, the
expedition started The romantic spot
which Maggie--no mean judge in these
matters-had selected for the afternoon
meal was one of those lovely bits of
landscape so familiar to many of us. A
brawling stream makes its sparkling way
amidst moss covered powders, over peb-
bly, shadows and swirls beneath the wild
flowers beneath its banks. Then gliding
calmly into an unrutfled pool, it lazily
creeps beneath picturesque bridge,
through the single arch of which ancient
structure the moor is seen extending its
wild and undulating curves. And then
the water, secure in its pride of high
birth in yonder hills, takes no heed of
the narrow passage till, ere it is aware, it
is caught in rapid and hurried over the
cascade to the sea, where it is lost forever
Such were the features of the wood
land dining-room on that eventful day
a day never to be forgotten by any mem
Der of that merry party.
| The cloth WAS soon laid beside the
stream, and when all was ready full JUS
tice was done to the al fresco meal
More than once a muttered growl or sub
dued roll was heard over the hills, but
the suggestion of thunder was met by
the reply that the sound was merely the
echoes Of The blasting operations in the
quarries or the rattling OF the trucks on
the neighboring tramway.
The air got more and more sultry and
even the insects seemed to sleep. The
trees whispered to each other, ard their
topmost branches waved gentle wei.
come to the scarcely felt breeze that
stirred the leaves. The picnic party
broke into groups after dinner; the groups
into pairs, each caulioning the Others not
to go TOO far, as there was storm brew
ing. Frank and Jessie did not wander
away. Escorted by Algernon and Mug
gie 10 rustic seat above the stream,
close to tall and sheItering tree, they
sat together while the most yenturesome
of the party climbed the tall rocks or