Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-10-10
THE SQUIRE'S BONFIRE.
BY 5. PHILLIPS GALE.

"a bonfre.'
eyes, Miss Nancy, bonirel" and
Lucia's pretty black eyebrows wen
straight up into her forehead in comical
imitation of my yellow ones, while her
ten white little fingers clutched thu
braids of soft, dark hair at the apparent
risk Of the dainty couture. Little
Musgrave has just come over on the
children's donkey, to say that the SOUR,
is going to have bonfire this evening
and will we be pleased to 90 to IT.
"And where will he have it prayl In
the back yard, or in the road before the
house! That's proper place for such
festivitlesl And what does Little Mus.
grave want to go riding around on that
absurd donkey for, as if he were au in.
FAINT instead of a grown-up man; he
needn't make any more of his lack OF
inches than is necessarily
My scorn was increasing with the con.
trariness Of the bowl OF cream in my lap,
which would rot whip as it ought.
"Cross- patch said Lucia. smiling
amiably, II suppose he rode the donkey
because it suited him, and the bonfire is
to be at Cool Spriu5 pool, and we are all
to go IN the big wagon, and if you don't
look out I'll say that you've got the
mumps and can't go!'
"Iou would better" grimly. Then
the cream beginning to gather, began
to soften accordingly and to take some
interest in the affair before us, for Lucia
had evidently accepted the iuvitati On
already, Little Musgrave having ridden
out Of the yard during my TRADE
Elbow are we all to go in that one
cartl There are six at the Barrons'; he's
coming tonight, you know, and the
Bartletts and the Captain will go, | sup
pose, won't they2"
eyes" said Lucia; then flushing a
little, 81 am going to ride with Captain
Custer; he asked me to so this evening,
you know"
My cream-whipper dropped from my
hands this time. "Lucia Bradstreet .
you are going to ride down there vita
that man! Aud what do you expect me
to do with Ned Villars2"
ENTERTAIN him, said Lucia, calmly,
"or perhaps he'll entertain you. I've
known him to amuse young ladies on
moonlight drives"
looked at the creature in despair. so
pretty and pink and smiling away in that
aggravating manner, just as if she were
not punging me into the midst of the
worst mess of love affairs that any one
could imagine. Here was she, Lucia.
just home from a year in Colorado with
Aunt Susanna, and here was this Captain
Custer whom she had met out in the
western wilds, already prancing around
on his red horse, before our gate, day
and night, so to speak, and now Ned
Villars had written up to ask if he might
stay with us while he looked up some
Blank County records, indeed and
Lucia had been about with Ned every
where all last summer! OF course we
wanted him to come; he had been like
one of the family ever since he and Tom
graduated together from Quincy. But
county records !-fddlesticks! And |
must pacify this youth, on the very first
evening of his arrival, while Lucia
giddily whisked along just out of his
reach, on that little black horse which
the Captain was so carefully training for
his sister. How devoted these brothers
can be sometimes! My brothers were
devoted, of course, always, but that was
different. They were my brothers aud
they were not in love with Lucia, though
she was their cousin. But now picked
up my whipper.
"Wcll, l suppose if it must be it
must" l groancd, "but your goings on
are more than my comprehension can
take in.
"Yes, I'm a sad case," said Lucia,
shaking her head gently, and then she
swept off to see to the flowers and ar
range the table for luncheon. Nobody
knew how many extra persons there
might be these days, and Lucia always
insisted on pretty table. 1t was de
lightful TO have her at home again, Slip
ping so easily into the accustomed ways.
The old house had seemed lonely, and
the boys and had grown little dull
without Lucia's exciting presence. There
was always a subdued sense of something
about TO happen when she was around,
and now it was two furious lovers who
were stirring up the waters of our peace
full life. Lucia herself had little air OF
unusual citation about her, since she had
returned and felt sure that something
out of the common was about to take
place. 1t was one of these two men,
but which onef Was she going to take
Ned Villars, or was it the Captain1 1t
was hard telling. | sided with Ned |
had always liked him, and he seemed to
me better adapted TO making Lucia
happy than any ofthe troops of admirers
who had been Tutoring around that
young woman for three years past. Ned
seemed to me even handsomer, too, than
the Captain with his dark eyes and fine
military air. The boys favored Captain
Custer, declaring that Lucia needed a
firmcr hand than Ned's aud that Custer
would know just how to manage her.
But we were not likely to have the de
Gliding TO do, since Lucia had small
will of her own and declined consulting
us at all on this occasion.
The Captain was at luncheon to-day,
looking very brave and fine and paying
such degree of gallant attention to my
wants as made me feel quite like a grand
mother. Ned arrived just after luncheon,
ond Lucia, who was standing in the
hall doorway as the stage coach drove
up, came back in the parlor where We
were, with bunch OF glorious red roses
in her hands and with cheeks to match.
The two men met, and though no swords
were drawn, out of Difference to oul
chandeliers doubtless, there was war t.
the knife in the Captains eye, and thu
peculiar tone of Ned's voice when he
asked that officer il his black horse wa,
accustomed to lady's saddle, made me
smile in spite of myself.
Darkness mas been trained by the
best man in the country, sir, !" replied the
Captain, with a decidedly lofty air,
Though for that matter" with fine