Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-14

in rWrlrn-Should opportunity Oner.
 Then, bidding all goodbye, he re- joined his companions, and together the three resumed their Journey.
 CHAPTER xI.
 THE PICNIC.
 The picnic which John Parsons had told the girls wa' being gotten up for their home coming by the y oung people of the neighocrhood was held . week latcr than the events recorded in ou1 last chapter. The place selected for the days enj nent was beautiful crore on tllc banks of little lake that lay ncstiin~ iil thc bosom of the hills so;no seven UT eight mics from the Parsons cottagr.
 i>aly in the morning the young peo- plo started for the rendezvous. Most were On horseback, for among tho hills the ladies, almost as much as tlic mon, were accustoncd to the saddle. h the Sprin- Gons. w.th those who chose this mode of conveyance. were placed the cakes and roastc,l fowls, with bread and butter and fruits which were to fur. nl>h the repast-
 Among those who elected to 90 ol horseback were Jennie and Lucy Par sons and Erastils HemlHingway.
 By 9 previous understanding a dozen of the young people Of both sexes met at the Parsons cottage, from whence they started together. These were joined on the way by others, making a gay and jolly cavalcade that walked the echoes in the foothills With their merry laughter and started the quails from their h.ding places in the wild oats. Some of the more vcnturesome ran races across the bits of icycl ground be- tween tho hills. Now and then q couple would drop b, ind their companions and eNcn&ngc 9 look or word of cndcar- ment, Iot 1t is ot to be supposed that in California, moro than elsewhere, thirty young paople-young men and young women could come together, and that among them all there should be none whose hearts had been touched by the boy with the bow and arrows.
 In the main, however, they held thcir ranks well enough to be able to cx- change merry jokes and witty rcpartcr. Now they sang . verso Of song in con cert: now bantcrcd each other with ac- cusations of loneliness because of the absence of some lad or maiden who perchancc had found another partner for the day, or been detained at home by some untoward circumstance.
 In all thls merriment Jennie and Lucy Parsons took full part and share. Us- ually Jennle was moro scdate and quiet than her sister, but to-day was the first time for months that she had been on horseback among the hills, and tho pent-up gaiety of her nature found cut let, and she riva!cd them all in merry speech and reckless riding.
 Arriving at the grove they found Q platform erected for dancing and two musicians ready with their violins. Very soon others who were to be of the party, but who were later in starting or had come 9 greater distance, began to arrive, and soon a half hundred gaily dressed, light-hearted young people were on the ground.
 Then the violins were tuned up and dancing began.
 When tired of dancing they sat in the shade of the live oaks and laughed and chattcd, or wandered away two and two, and spoke low, and looked love, and may be planned for future to be spent in each others society. Or they rowcd on the lake, six or eight in one light skitf that had but S single pair oi oars, and sunk so low with their weight that when some one among their num- Der moved, it dipped almost to tho Wa tcr's edge. causing screams, half of fright and ha!f of pure loyousness, to issue from lips as red and ripe as red rasj,berries ill July, and which were 2 temptation as hard to be rcsiste.t by those young men as arc tue berries to boys who gazo nt them through a crack in the iIlclosure within which they grow 1 and ripen in tho sun.
 1 And if. sometimes, the temptation 1 was too great to be overcome, and some 1 bold youth took advantage of the he!p- | lessness of 8 maiden, who feared. or thought that sho feared. to struggle, l lest sho ovcrturn the boat, and pre- | ferred being kissed to getting wet, why | what business is it of mine, or of yours, my dear sits? Thcre are other lips as rrd and ripe await ng to be kissed, anl ] there are other lakes and other boat; 1 with single oars, and other sunny days and starry nights to come. Then why should we finger over this picture of golden day that Is past; of rot lips ant | ripcned fruit that were not for Us; tha were gathered by others on this boauti i iul day in spring, away off in the foot 1 hills of California?
 When the sun became too fierce il its reflection fra,u the calm waters o the lake. shey gathered themselves il l iiitio knOtS, all near together, anu tn provisions were brought from tine sprin! wagons, and spread upon clean liner cloths on the ground, and they ate, an' drank lightly Of their native wines, ane laughed and called back and forth, ant twittercl just as did the birds that hat taken shelter from th> sun in the leave: above them; and were as happy and a.
 freo from care.
 While they were thus engaged ther al preached two men; strangers they a fi1st appeared to all. Each carried ; fishing pole and basket. The younge
 one was dressed in a very handsom, suit. resembling those seen i'll picture only by very wealthy gentlemen whcl . engaged in hunting or fishing. : The other was 8 much older man