Litchfield enquirer., 1880-02-26

have walked on till dropped: but, being per emptoriy told to get in. my grlish instinct of obedience came to my help, and was lifted in by strong arm before 1 quite knew what was being done with me.
 1 was thankful when I was being comforta- bly, driven along, the swift motion and brisk air bringing back my high spirits, as they al ways do. told my deliverer what was my destination. He knew Bennington, and he also knew MT Wilmsow very well, but he did not think that 1 should be able to get there that night He questioned whether at that time of night could get vehicle to take me on. Perhaps it might not be right to travel mp to the Wilmslows at the late hour when 1 should arrive. Unfortunately, he himself had to go five miles in annother direction. He
 was already past his time, and his horse was nearly knocked up Perhaps, too, we both doubted how far it would be in exactly good
 taste for young gentleman to drive up
 young lady at midnight to sedate household
 where she was to be an exemplary gover
 ness. But we had very pleasant talk. He told
 me all about the gentleman to whose was going, country squire and at the same time
 practical farmer, cultivatiug thousand acres of his own. He thought 1 should like the place and the people. and he certainly amused | me very much by the way in which he des- cribed all my future surrohndngs. But all the time It was easy for me to see that his mind
 was not quite at rest, that he was not qtitte
 certain what Was best to be done, and rather
 anxious as to the upshot of the adventure. At last tine Town of Manninghanl came in sight; pleasant streets and broad market
 place full of twinkling lights. We drove up
 to the principal inn, and entered beneath an
 archway. Here he asked me to hold the reins
 for moment while he went in to talk to his friend the landlady, of whom he had spoken
 in kindly and confident terms as we casle l along. Now, 1t so happened that there was little window underneath the arch, opening
 into the landlady's private room, from which
 she could look out into the yard and issue her
 directions. little conversation was going l on in thls room which turned out to be of very unpleasant character. At first there was an indistinguishabe murmur of voices, and presently the accents made themselves clear No, indeed, MT. William, you must go
 somewhere else. cannot find accommodation for this person."
 Mir. William appeared to be speaking in
 remonstrating tone, but could not make out
 what he said. But the landladys next words, sharp and clear, brought the hot blood to my face.
 ''Those who really are ladies don't go tramp
 ing about the country till nearly ten o'clock,
 and then take seats in young gentlemen's gigs. We never take in tramps at the Royal
 George" .... ,...
 But, Mrs. Brown, what is this young lady
 to do? You Say all your flies are out, and
 she is quite unable to walk to the Wilmslows
 of Bennington. :" '"
 The Wimslows of Bennington don't ex pect the likes of her, MT. William. Those sort of people ~no run about the country always get hold of good name or two"
 'Bnt this is dreadful," said poor William, What am to do with this lady? ?" .tl..
 You should have thought of that, Sir, be- fore you took Ter up into your fathers car riage There'll be fine talk all over the
 country about this bit of work I know you
 meant no harm but you always were wild and wlful, Mir. William, and it's my belief that if
 you put a pair of tongs into petticoats you would want to drive them fire-irons all about
 the country"
 | You are talking utter nonsense, Mrs. Brown you are quite insulting"
 ''l know what 1 am about, Mir. Curtiss, ! which is more than you do, when you let
 yourself be taken in in this way. You will
 make yourself as bad name as John Blades himself who's the terror of all the decent girls ten miles round "
 But only come and look at her, Mrs Brown Look at her for single moment, entreat y ''Oh, I'll take look at my lady, never fear" - .t
 She came round to the door and looked, and
 in return she encountered the indignant look of an honest English girl, who, although al
 most broken-hearted, had enough spirit and
 energy left to hold her own. Directly the landlady saw me she became suddenly and
 strangely altered. She gave me smile and a curtsy and came forward to greet me. She
 did not know that had overheard this strange
 conversation, and I am glad to say that had enough tact to refrain from alluding to it at the time. -r .' Dear me, Miss" she exclaimed, Mrs
 Wimslow will be so dreadfully sorry that you
 have been prevented coming to her tonight by
 any accident or unpeasantness. How tired
 and hungry you must be. Come in, come in." '.--
 She led the way into very pretty little room furnished as drawing room, where a 1 tall, handsome, bouncing girl was sitting at a
 table copying music, and introduced iue to her
 as her daughter Kate. Rrctors' daughters and lnn-keepers' daughters do not, as rule, see much of each other, but this was wholesome
 peasant, pretty, lady like girl, as much of q
 lady as any girl whom 1 had ever met. We shook hands heartily, and at once became
 great friends. The good people brought me
 tea and cold chicken, and made me as con- fortable as l could have been at home.
 ''1ou have never been at an inn before,
 have you, my dear ?' said Mrs. Brown, now
 modified beyond all description. ,.. s-. Not to sleep, lna'am only now and then
 have had lunch with my father when we have been at a hotel at our market town" . Perhaps you will be little nervous at
 night in strange place" she rejoined. Not at all, ma a'an,', answered. attempt m n a1f in ifyT I al
 that should feel rather uncomfortable.
 T think, my dear, if you don't mind, you
 had better sleep in my daughter Kate's room. There is a little bed there which will just suit
 you, and you will not feel lonely"
 kate's room was a perfect boudoir. She
 had all sorts of pretty things, and had been at
 good boarding school near London, She had a little swinging bookcase, just like my own, with the same adnixture of novels, poems,
 and devotional works. My little white couch was charming. In girls fashion we lay in bed ever so long talking: told her all the story of my day, from first start in the morning un- til Mr. Curtis drove me into MaHninghain. was glad to hear her gossip a little about Will liam Curtis. He was the son of big farmer or rather d Squire, just such another as Mir. Wilmslow, to whose house was going He had been the head boy of the .Manningharn Grammar School, and then at an agricultural college, and he had also travelled in foreign parts. It was quite clear that Kate regarded him as one of the aristocracy Of tlse neighoor-- hood. There was no difficulty in identifying the young man who had been driving the tandem. Kate denounced him as "a perfect brute," and 1 heartily agreed with her ener- getic language. It was tue very Mr. Blades whom l heard her mother alluding to in her conversation with William Curtis Whenever he came to the inn she took care that she new CT caine near him. She had seen him the
 worse for liquor once-which she believed was his usual condition-and her mother would never let her run the chance of seeing him thus second time. Fl .''sAS.-7t The morning came genial and. brilliant. I slept soundly, and rose refreshed pleasant
 breakfast was spread in the sitting room, where 1 had been over night. There was little
 matter, which was sorely perplexing me.