Litchfield enquirer., 1881-04-07
IN AN APPLE-ORCHARD.
A STORY.

the nigh road, from which 1t IS approached by tall-hedged lawn.
 Appie-orchards surround it on all sides wildly luxuriant orchards, in which every kind of apple for which Devonshire is famous is to be found. There are few quincc and pear trees interspersed among the apple trees in wbat is called the home orchard on account of the trees ID it encroaching more closely upon the house than in either of the others. But in the time of blossom the rose-col0rs and pinks of every shade put the snowy bloom of peag and quince entirely into the minority.
 There Is court yard in front of the house flne square courtyard, with a pond in the middle of it, with willow weeping over it's border. The stables and coach house are on one side of this the dairy and houses are on the other; and opposite the house, 8. the extreme end of the yard, are the COW houses aad pig styes.
 There is always great stir of life and ani. nation in this yard. The hens seem to cackle with louder complacency; the pigs give vent to more sonorous grunts of content the gob- bling turkey cock, and quacking geese and ducks, lift up their respec i've voices with more animation on this prosperous far,nstead than they do on neighborlng lands. Everything is scrupulous'y clean and bright. from the deep red brick pavement which runs along in front Ol tiIC uOuSC tO LtIc WOOuGu C6tllG tEouHOS at the further end of the yard. In Winter care. faly-tralned holly bushes, pyrocanthus, and scarlet japOnica give the desirable tone of color to the front of the house. In Spring the delicate apple-blossoms make the sweet air blush, and in Summer there are masses of myrtle and clematis. of jasmine and cluster, roses, clinging about the caves and mingling their white and crimson, and buff hues together in delicious harmony.
 The place is known as the Little Firs farm and house, and it has been held by the Aiuslie family forsevera generations of Squire Ffolett The present holder of the farm is young fellow of about 27, whof wisely follows in the economical footsteps of his forefathers in most respects, but departs from the path they trod in peace and prosperity in the matter of hunt ing.
 No tenant farmer. who gets his whole liv. ing out of the land, has time to go gallopine about after dogs and foxes; leave that to the gentry, who'd be up to worse mischief perhaps if they weren't trampling over the crops. anC trying to spoil the hedges and break their owr necks," his mother, who lives with Richard Ainslie, and keeps the house with zeal and dis cretion, tells him. But RichaLd, though he reveres her opinion, disregards it on this one point. He always has good horses in his sta ble, and his seat and hands are not at all lnfe rior to those of the gallant old master of the hounds, Squire Ftolett himself Moreover though Richard Ainslie has cDrnered the field more than once, and is never known to be in bad place, it is not after the hounds and the fox only that he rides so unremttingly anC we'll
 The apple-blossons are in their fullest glory just now, and old Mrs. Ansie, sitting in hel comfortable highly polished up parlor at the end of the house, catches sight of dozens 0 the primest trees hung with sheets of rosy bloom. Her soul is glad within her thi. morning, for several reasons Unless higt winds and destructive rains come to blur it the cider prospect is fairer one than ever this year, and Little Firs cider always commands high price in the market. This is one grea cause of qualification. Another is that he faYorite young friend, Jamie Welbyn has com. taspend the whole day with her. And yet an other exists in the consciousness that she has new cap just out from Plymouth, which vii presently surmount her own kind, clear eyed soft complexioned face most becomlngly Lastly, she is not indifferent to the fact tha the chickens now being pasted carefully at tn. kitchen-fire for the one o'clock dinner arc bouncing birds, weighing five pounds apiece being of most successfully mixed race whici she has carefully bred herself.
 Presently she hears voices outside the win dow, and her face brightens as she looks uE and sees her well-grown son walking along under the glowing apple-trees by the side of trim figured hazel-eyed girl, whose dress o striped galatea is moldei as accurately to he rounded form by her own delft fingers as if il had been the work of Regent-street Mlllner
 They're 8 handsome couple. and glad shal be the day hear it's settled that they are tC be married" Mrs. Ainslie thinks as her eyel follow them for it is one of the pet schemes of her honest active brain that Jamie shall sue ceed her as queen of the Little Firs farm house.
 ''Theres no pinching, nor wasting, nor idle ness in the Welbyns' house, she is telling her self in self-congratulatory spirit, when hel reflections On this agreeable point are cut shor by the sound of a horses hr,fs cattering over the stones in the courtyard, and of a bright bell-llke voice ringing out demand to know 'If MT. and Mrs. Ainslle are at homer" The old mothers face grows curiously perplexed and f1ushes as these sounds greet her ears. fol the voice is the voice of Miss Ffolett. the Squire's daughter, and intuition teaches Mrs Ainslie that Miss Ffolett's visits bode no gooC to her son.
 But she cannot retain touch of vexatior
 
 swung open and Miss Ffolett comes bounding in, sweet and full of life as are all the Spring influences around her, and beautiful with the beauty of youth and high breeding and gen test courtesy. She is in her hat and habit she is rarely seen out of these garments unti nightfall, indeed-and as she advances, her slender, wllowy figure clearly outlined, her sapphire blue eyes sparkling with high health and intelligence, her fair face bright and cleal in hue as monthly rose, Mrs. Ansie feels that her Dick would be blind indeed if he did not see something in her that thrilled him more than Janie's more substantial charms will ever have the power to do.
 'I come with message from papa" says this dazzling young Diana, shaking the old lady's hand heartily. '.He hasn't given a tenants ball since the year I was born, and now he's going to give one on my coming oi age-the third of next month, you know would come and give the invitation to Dlck and you myself. and I'Il tell you what Pm go ing to wear, and all about it; but must see Dick too, please Mrs. Ainslie, about the brown colt. know Pun to have another horse given me on my birthday, and of all things would like Dicks brown colt; but he musn I tell, and you mustn't either, that I've said anything about it, for Pm supposed not to know"
 She laughed delightedly as she says this, and Mrs. Ainsle is beginning to say how she is sure that the Squire would give this apple of his eye all that her fancy desires, when Belle Ffolett catches sight of the couple out in the orchard
 Who's that with Dick ?" she asks, quickly advancing to the easement and opening it. What a pretty picture they make Snder the apple-trees. No! don't cali them; I like te look at them. I wish could sketch.''
 dts Jamie Welbyn, Miss Bell." Mrs Aims lie says, coming and standing by the side of her young visitor. Don't you remember her 2 She's grown away fine girl since she's been at school in Plymouth"
 And is Dick going to marry herr" Miss Ffolett asks with quick interest. "Yes. 1 know her again now; isn't she pretty? I'll tap to them, and make them look foolish ;" and she taps with her whip on the window. pane. and rings out clear merry Good morning, Dick l" without hesitation
 Jamie looks round from under the green leaves and pink blossoms happily and undis turbedly as Eve might have looked in Para disc. ''It's Miss Ffolett.' she says simply. "oh isn't she pretty. Dick ?" and in her ab