Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-15


ducal apartments of Ballnagec in some
thing like the easy attire Of an UNDER
gardner, and accompanied by his friends.
for leisurely inspection of the pack
and studs, and proceeded half the length
OF the great quadrangle and had arrived
opposite the main castle entrance, when
he caught sight Of pair OF roguish
blue ewes beneath perfect little forest
of fluttering black curls, in turn sur
mounted by very ancient and battered
straw Int; the whole now and then TILT
ing cautiously around ono side Of the
arched entrance from the courtyard 10
the grounds of the demesne.
Though the figure had continued
showing and going tauntingly, he had
kept on his way as if not observing the
hat and curls and eyes, until well past
the demesne entrance; the eyes beneath
the battered hat meantime filling with q |
cloud of disappointment, and now and |
then appearing and disappearing at |
longer Intervals; when Vaudeville sud- |
denly wheeled away from his compan-
ions, glided lightly beneath the colon
made of that side of the quadrangle,
and, the next time this scarecrow figure
tilted around the arch side, with an
"Ive got you now, cushla!" in an ln-
slant had the poachers' Lucy in his arms
and dragged we'll within the courtyard;
where a scene for Lords and Commons,
scene that temporarily stilled the
tongues and banished the wits OF the
| noble ladies at the window, was begun,
1t was simply English lore and Irish
peasant appearing and disappearing in
| each others arms for q dozen or more
times, as prelude; and then brave
"stepping out" upon the courtyard pave
| ment that would have done credit to tho
exhilaratlons of Donegal fair. Around
and around they went, back and forth,
keeping the finest of time to wlerd
i Gaelic chant, droned from Randevllle's
l,lips; retreating and advancing; now
4 kiss and now cheat; each in turn at
times breaking into slathering jig
which rang from the stones beneath
them furiously; again piroutting and
embracing, all their vigorous and grace
full movements increasing in rapidly
and abandon-the young lord as grave
as q funeral mute; and his mite and
sprite of companion, forgetting the
bog-mud upon her clothing, for she had
been helping to "beat" the struggling
pheasants from the outlying holding
! back upon the demesne for the morrow
"battue," her curls bobbing and whip
ping her fair face and neck, her battered
hat swaying and tapping upon her
pretty shoulders, her lovely lips parted
: in bewitching smile, her cheeks alamo
with the crimson of innocence and not
. of shame, and her eyes fairly dancing
! in excitement and joy-when the girls
quick ewes caught glimpse of the white
/: faces filled with amazemcntand naughty
4 pity in the great window above her.
As if in pure defiance another whirl
1 another embrace; then the smothered
exclamation, "Oh, I'll be murdered en-
|, tircly y and then with the swift, skulk
G ing movement of pheasant, running t.
6 cover, she disappeared through thu
3 archway and on to the gamekeeper'!
n cottage; sending back such thrills o
laughter as set the birds a-tEembling OF
J, the twigs of all the leafy copses o
II song-haunted Ballnagee.
u Half an hundred faces, wedged in thu
j. quadrangle doors and windows, wer
grinning and venturing subdued ap
clause, when the strange scene wa
ended as suddenly as it was begun. Th
d grand ladies behind the drawing room
10 window looked at each OTHER speech
n Posthume from an almost complete col
Ie LAPSE; gathered about the indignan
duchess with that elusive sympath
d which told their secret enjoyment Q
l. her deep chagrin, finally deciding i
ID solemn conc:ave that "Somethiug mus
be done ~ while young ordsBunravel
IF Scarborough, Darlington, W'afcbnrtan
Teverdon swofe great lordlike oaths tha
) the London music halls "would go
e; hundred sovefeigns night for such
Of turn as that" and that it was burr
er ing shame to invite them there for but
x week, when there was such gloriou
game for the flushing at Ballnagee.
lie This sort of rallying savagely cor
he tinued at lunch; in the rides and drive
with the ladies to Clifford Castle,
It, Portadown and along the songful riyl
he Bann; in undertones at dinner;
ly smothered jests during the stately hor
with the ladies at whist; and grew I'M
70. such boisterous proportions i'll VT
sh Den" where the lords and gentleme
at Ballnagee, attended by the discrc
of John Jolly, always retire for tales az
of cards and wine, that Rector Brisbi
"a. who had been invited in, the enti
party being Oxonians, grew grave al
NO white; and young Vaudeville at la
to cried sternly, "Gentlemen, that
We enough!
ri. But young Darlington, who had Il
Is the badinage and who was trihe heaC
Id from the thrill OF coarse wit and fl
of wine, thumped the table soundly wi
his fist and sneered:
no "Pye been doing you far too gre
a n honor, Randeville. Now, I'll trade "
~ Lucky Lord n-"Lucky Lord" h;
&C. az. taken the last Derby-"for her, eve
i jos and; by George bar mud and pedigree
I ISi "it probably never occurred to !
"a house of Carlington," came holly ba
~ from Vaudeville, 'that an innoce
;da woman ever existed outside his family
tIf or in it !"
~ The words were scarcely utter
= before the wine from Carlington's gil
~ glittered in the gaslight and broke
If darts and spray upon Lord Randeyill
hat face.
,er. The two, upsetting the table and tn
I. a four noble companions, were instan
ter. upon their feet, lunglng at each othe
heads furiously.
,ye But it was u storm which ended
the quickly as it began. Rector Brisb
,ir. clutching each by the throat and foTci
them against the wall like children,w
n a quiet, Milford, remember you arc Ii
eat at Ballnageeln to Vaudeville, and
adj. Caflington, "Lord Darlington, you v
tor of course apologlze?" had them in eli
lad others arms in a moment, offering
50 manner of thanks to the rector and
raw grets to each other; while the overturl
lnS lordlings, having arisen, were shak
lila each others hands Silly at the haI
,ws outcome, and obviously inquiring
- .uhnt iarecise nnint their snLrL cnnle