Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1892-01-28
doubt both girls = fond Of him.

As the hot we er drew near
and Saumarez mad ID sign women
said that you couI <ee their trou.
BILE in the eyes Il ke girls-that
they were looking ained, anxious
and irritable. Ne re quite blind
in these matters, less they have
more of the woma than the man
in their compositid IN which case
it does not matter hat they say or
think. / maintais + was the hot
April days that toe che color ont
of the Copleigh girl cheeks. They
should have been 1nt to the hills
early. No one---n!s n woman
feels an anger iclfs6s bot weather
is approaching. The younger sis
ter grew more cynical-not to say
acid-in her ways, and the winning
ness of the elder wore thin. There
was more effort in it.
Now the station wherein all these
things happened was, though not a
little one, off the line of rail and
suffered through want of attention.
There were no gardens or bands or
amusemeats worth speaking of, and
it was nearly a days journey to
come into Lahore for dance. Peo-
pie were grateful for small things
to interest them.
About the beginning of May and
just before the final exodus of hill
goers, when the weather was very
hot and there were not more than
90 people in the station, Saumarez
gave moonlight riding picnic at
an old tomb six miles away, near
the bed of the river. 1t was a
"Noah's Ark" picnic, and there
was to be the usual arrangement of
quarter mile interval between each
couple on account of the dust.
Six couples came altogether, in
Guiding chaperons. Moonlight pic
mics are useful just at the end Of
the season, before all the girls 60
away to the hills. They lead to
understandings, and should be en-
couraged by chaperons, especially
those whose girls look sweetest in
riding habits. / knew a case once.
But that is another story. That
picnic was called the Great Pop
Picnic,' because every one knew
Saumarez would propose then to
the eldest Miss Copleigh and be-
sides his affair there was another
which might possibly come to hap
piness. The social atmosphere was
heavily charged and wanted clear
ing.
We met at the parade ground at
10; the night was fearfully hot.
The horses sweated even at walking
pace, but anything was better than
sitting still in our own dark houses.
When we moved off under the full
moon We were four couples, one
triplet, and Mr.. Saumarez rode with
the Copleigh girls, and loitered
at the tail of the procession won
dering with whom Saumarez would
ride home. Every one was happy
and contented, but we all felt that
things were going to happen. We
rode slowly, and it was nearly mid
night before we reached the old
tomb facing the ruined tank in the
decayed gardens, where We were GO
ing to eat and drink. / was late in
coming up, and, before I went into
the garden, / saw that the horizon
to the north carried o faint dun col
ored feather. But no one would
have thanked me for spelling so
well managed an entertainment as
this picnic-anda q dust storm, more
or less, does no great harm.
We gathered by the tank. Some
one had brought out . banjo-which
is most sentimental instrument
and three or four of US sang. You
must not laugh at this. Our amuse-
ments in out of the way stations
are very few indeed. Then we talk
ed in groups on together, lying un-
der the trees with the sun-baked
roses dropping their petals on our
feet, until supper was ready. 1t
was a beautiful supper, as cold and
as iced as you could wish and we
stayed long over it.
l had felt the air was growing
hotter and hotter, but no one SEEM
ed to notice it until the moon went