Year: 1877

A NEW HOME.


We will pass over the preparations which
almost Immediately ensued upon Sir Johns
final resolve-the hurry and hustle of de-
parture the sad farewell to the dear old home,
where the baronet and his children had been
born and had spent nearly every day of their
lives Evelyn's almost frantic grief, her SIS
ter's more undemonstrative, yet equally deep
sorrow and their fathers, deepest of all, yet
resolutely kept in allegiance, by the force of
will, now that the crisis had fairly come which
had wruug his heart in anticipation for so
long time. Lyndhurst was sold, but fell
into friendly hands, the purchase being rela'
tive of Sir Johns, one of an old county taml-
ly. with no plebian blood in his veins. 1t
would have distressed its former owner be-
yopd measure to think that the noble old
place should be desecrated by descending into
any common ownership. That those trees, of
centuries growth, that waved their giant arms
above the greensward, should cast their shad-
ows upon the track of base-born feet; that
the gardens should display their wealth OF
bloom, the wood birds sing their songs, for
other eyes aud ears than those worthy Gin his
estimatien) of such enjoyment, would have
caused the baronet pang almost as keen as
that of the actual parting from bis home.


The wrench being accomplished, it was not
much wonder that Sir John should hasten his
exit from the scene Of his former prosperity,
and set out, with all possible speed, for the new
field upon which he was about to enter. In
his nervous anxiety to depart, he barely al
lowed time for the necessary, yet most painful
leave-takings, between themselves and the
numerous friends of long standing with whom
an intimate intercourse had always been main
tanned all of whom sincerely sympathized
with him on account of his misfortunes, while
many blamed his rashness in leaving Eng
land, and especially commiserated Rose and
Evelyn for their hard fate, in being condemn
ed to live in that "wild, barbsrous place" to
which they were being exiled. Many were the
offers most warmly urged upon their father,
of home for them, at least for time, until
he should have settled himself and made suit
able preparations for them to join him; but
though, for their sakes, he felt inclined to &C.
cede to some of these proposals, yet he felt
how hard his life would be without them, and
was secretly glad at their strenuous opposition
which would have made compliance on his
part almost cruelty. Old Martins deter
mination to accompany them was also source
of unfeigned joy to them all. For though
his master had tried to argue him out of it,
representing to him the difficulties and dis
comforts which might be in store for them
he knew that it would be like losing right
arm to cut the tie between himself and this
tried and devoted servant and friend.


So the party all set off together, feeling
that much of the bitterness Of exile was lost
in the happiness of mutual companionship.
It was on lovely August afternoon that the
shores of dear England faded from their view.
Around them stretched Oceans vast expanse;
before them lay long and weary voyage;
and their hearts, though aching at the sever
ance from the past, turned now with wistful
longing and expectation to the untried future
and the new, mystical land whittier they were
bound.


The voyage was over, the dream became
a reality, and Sir John, now plain Major
Lyndhurst, Che had borne this rank in MI
litia organization in his own county at home,
and preferred dropping his loftier title in
republican land and his little family, arrived
one day, in primitive conveyance, at the
gate of a wild, howery, uncultivated domain,
in nest of hills, of which he had just be-
come, by purchase, the lawful owner.


He and Martin had explored the country
around, the children being left under the
protection, in the mean time, of some kind
friends they had made in one of the Western
towns, where they had sojourned for short
time to rest and look about them, and had
found no spot on which to locate themselves
as suitable as this The situation was healthy
and exceedingly picturesque, the climate de-
lightful, and the ground only needed culture
to turn its fertility to account. The house
was quite habitable, though requiring some
additions and repairs. They were not in the
vicinity of any formidable region, and one or
two families of a superior sort had ranches in
their neighborhood, thus holding ont pro-
mise Of some kind of social intercourse,
though in all probability of quite different
kind from that to which they were accustom-
ed. Not the least charm Of the situation, in
its new masters estimation, was that it lay
conveniently near an important mining SET
tlement, increasing every day in size aud