Litchfield enquirer., 1880-02-26

it would be also annoying to meet Mir.
 Wilmslow returning to meet me, perhaps as
 soon as had started. This part of the ques- tion was speedily set at rest by the porter in
 forming me that it vas impossible to hire any
 thing. No fly was to be obtained nearer than
 Manningham so l determined to walk, if
 necessary, to Manningham itself, and hire from there. We Leslie glrls were strong, and 1 had done my ten miles walk often before to-day.
 But it would be much pleasanter to be picked up, and 1 persuaded myself that it was this
 which was going to happen. did not know that a few !ues before you came to Manning ham there was read which left the town on the left, and went on to Bennington, saving | three-qlfarters of d mile. It afterward trans pired that Mir Wilmslow, with mans natnr- al stupidity, took this by road, supposing that every one musts needs know the road which
 he knew best himself. If girl hau been tlriv-
 ing she would have had more sense.
 Sol walked on, solitary da'nsel. along that 5intermiable country road. I walked in good spirits, and am always delighted when first see new prospect unfolding before me. Bu5sS had somewhat miscalculated my physi- cal 5seSagth Ii is one thing to walk out in | the fresh morning, and another thing to make fosced journey after the nor i Ig's work is done. got quite angry with myself for feel ing tired almost on the outset of my walk. l | felt that should be very glad if 1 could make | friends with any good natured driver. who could give me lift. Sometimes when we came back on market day father did not at all mind our carrier, who was also parish clerk | giving LIS a, lift in his covered wagon. But | this seemed to be lonely road through an un- | inhabited country. There drove up perfect | ly white man in d cart full of meal bags: but | there was hardly room for himself among his bags, and besides did not want to be perfect
 ly white. By the irony of fate there also came by a coal wagon. but had as little wish to be black as to be white Then 1 came to a little roadside inn which had board with printed | remark abont being drunk on the premises"
 l rather quckened my pace, for such an an
 nonncement suggested that there might be
 ronghs ahead Then listened, but listened 1 in vain. should have been glad of the con- | pany of any good old market woman with whom could have chatted as l walked along, | and ln fact l would not at all have minded car | rying her eggs for her company's sake. Presently l heard the sound of wheels the sound of rapid driving. A turn of the road | discovered to me young man driving tan l dem The horses were spirited and fresh, and
 he had some difficulty npuling them up when | he came close to me. - | all by yourself? Shall give you lift ? Take
 d drive with me in my trap. It will be lark for you" | Now l really was very tired. But it was | very impertinent of him to call me pretty
 maid, which. indeed, 1 was not. Then knew
 that my father quite disapproved of young
 men driving tandem. Then it was disrespect-
 ful, to say the least of it, to make that remark
 about dark" Besides. the young mans eye
 and voice and manner were not at all to his
 credit. They suggested the idea that he had | baar at tha i'm, I had Ioft k,l,;p pI
 and had carried out the idea of getting ''drlnk
 on the premises"
 So made up my mind in in a moment
 ''No thank you, Sir, had rather walk ''Where are you going?'
 | It was no business of his but 1 answered
 quietly, "I am going to Manningham."
 ''So am l. And it is more than seven miles. | You will never be able to do it. Get up, my
 dear ;; I'll lend you a hand"
 | This was very insoent-I mean calling me
 s'my dear" 1 gave no answer but walked 1 forward briskly. He was up in moment and
 jumped out of hls gig. keeping the reins in his l hand. "At any rate you will give me kiss ?'' | l shrieked and ran away from him as fast as
 could in the opposite direction, going over
 the ground which had toilsomcly travelled | little while before. My kn-es bent under me
 and l thought 1 should have tainted. A. | glance showed me, however, that he did not
 dare leave the two horses, which were champ
 ing and frettng to be off. How, in my heart
 of hearts, blessed those honest horses. Then
 the wretch actually shook his first at me utter | ing ugly words
 Presently, and with a feeling of great joy
 and relief on my part, he was out of sight as
 fast as his two horses could carry hIm. In the
 meanwhile, had sunk dow exhausted by the
 wayside. The road had a wide margin of
 grass which rose at this point into hillock
 shadowed by copse of trees. There was lit | erally messy couch where 1 recined. and l also literally watered it with my tears. In all l my life had never'been so grossly degraded | and insulted Was this, indeed, the begin
 ming of my entrance upon tine world? Surely
 the world was something infinitely more vile
 and evil than my fathers sermons had ever | told me 1t was. 1 felt like some poor daniOsel l Tn the days of Arthurian ramance whom some 1 wicked EGrl Doom had insulted but, alas! I | thought, in these Victorian days there is no
 knight GerGtnt ''riding abroad, redressing human wrongs" saving fair ladies when they l are lost, in perilous paths. But it will be l seen that did the Victorian days an injus | tice. et
 The shadows were falling faster and longer | as l, once more sunmoning all my energies, resumed the walk It was quite clear to mo | that 1 should not get to Donnington till mid night; and what in the world would they think of me? And am not partial to walking 1 Tn the dark in perfectly strange country but l though l lost my spirits, my courage kept up wonderfully. kept on bravely for another three-quarters of an hour. but instead of per severing in the walk had to sit down to rest myself, which all good walkers know to be a very bad sign. Presently I once more heard
 thu sounds of wheels and looking back saw 1 that there was young gentleman in dog cart He stopped his Lorse at the bottom of the hill. and l preceived that he was lighting his side-lalnps That alone would be enough | to remind me that the evening was fading into 1 night. He came slowly mp hil but easily
 overlook me. and might have passed me unre-
 gardiugly, only, his eye fell upon me as was neryously trying to crouch out of view. s'Ah. he said, s'my poor girl, you seem tir- ed. Have you far to go?' @ thought 1t best to put a good front on matt
 ters. My pride revolted at being called poor 1 girl, although such a word exactly described | me as then was.
 As I came into view by the light of the car
 riage-lamps he most respectfully took off his
 hat and said: Il venture to ask mann if I
 can be of any use. It will soon be quite dark, and there is no moon to night!" rn :'I have missed carriage that was to have
 met me-" said, ''and am walking 0. :" sj sfThisis the road to Manninghafu, where I am driving. You are going there too, I pre- f sume. think you had better allow me to drive l you into the town" tsr g 5 There was something very courteous and | pleasant in his voice. There was sufficient l light to discover a bright-eyed and handsome, kindly face, with thick curly hair. My instinct told me that need not be afraid to be driven 1 by him. At the same time, had a horror of being driven by solitary gentleman, especially after what had happened such a short time be- fore, and answered. not, perhaps, in so firm tone as I ought: ,! tr aE 1 ''No, thank you. shall manage to walk 1 f.on."
 He moved his hat, and with sinking heart
 l saw him proceed on his way It came into my mind that would call after him and ac cept his proposition. Pride, however, came
 to my help, and refrained from doing so Fortunately, however, he stopped his horse,