Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-12-04

little party. Agnes looked quietly up as he entered, and met his greeting with less embarrassment than might have been expected under the circum- stances, although she could not quite conceal the mantling blush which rose to check and brow. As servants at Lin wood were not to be in attendance upon the breakfast table, she herself made her lover cup of chocolate, while his pretty SiSters-to whom, next to their father he was the greatest hero in the world-showed their delight at his presence by waiting upon him with He5c-likc devotion. Once or twice, during the pleasant rcpast, he caught glimpse of the happy light which shonc from beneath the dark lashes of Agnes eyes, and, as she fingered a moment behind Ethel and Pauline, managed to whisper: ''I am going now to speak to your father, and mine."
 Divinely blushing, tho conscious girl broke from his detainfng hand and hurried away to rejoin her pupils; while he, ordering his horse, rode off to call upon MT. Graydon, whose cottage was a mile or so further down the river, and quite close to well-kept carriage drive.
 Now, whether because of his own joyous spirits, the beauty of the morn ing or the chafing impatience of his thoroughbred, matters not, but certain it is that the young man, instead of riding soberly along the smooth road, as beftted one charged with affairs of such weighty import, chose rather to go in a sweeping steeple chase flight across country, taking hedges, ditches, walls and brooks with the wild abandon of reckless fox hunter, and winding up by magnificent leap over the six barred gate which opened out of the orchard at one side of his friends house. MT. Graydon, standing just then on | the porch, viewed with consider able surprise this performance of the splendid horseman, and rushing out, exclaimed: 'Hello, Frank! what's up; where is the rest of the field; where the hounds and where the fox?"
 Frank had the grace to blush little as he laughingly replied: ''I am the whole field, MT. Graydon; the hounds are in their kennels and the fox in his lair; but-but-well, would not y0u feel like riding just so if the lovcliest, sweetest and best girl in all England had promised to be your wife; that is,'' he added, Eff you were my age?"
 "Ho! ho! my boy, lies the land that way; so Lady Louisa has said yes, eh?'
 Lady aoho?" almost shouted Frank.
 "Why, Lady Louisa Grafton, of course"
 "Well, well, well, who would have supposed that an old campaigner like yourself could make so blind guess? Lady - Louisa - Grafton indeed! My dear sir, you must come little nearer home. My peerless beauty is simply a Miss Agnes Graydon."
 If the sun had suddenly turned to4ce the solid earth to water, or any other impossible thing happened, the old war rior could scarcely have been more com pletely astonished than at this speech
 He fairly staggered back as the name of his daughter was mentioned, anC very gravely said:
 Frank Howard, are you serioust Yes, yes, see you are, but can it be possible that you have done this thing?'
 Quite possible and wholly delightful MT. Graydon. I love Agnes with all my heart, and she it is-not any Lady Louisa has said yes come now sxpressly to ask you to give her to me-