the bonny las

ey, ho, b

at me with

as the cry

e sunny beam

o, the su

rom Phoebus' f

to thy heart

Shepard'

youth; the nourisher and destroyer of hopeful wits; * * * the servitude abov

ired her cousin-would have said with simple sincerity, "Gwendolen is always very good to me," and held it in the order of things for herself to be entirely subject to this cousin; but she looked at her with mingled fear and distrust, with a puzzled contemplation as of some wondrous and beautiful animal whose nature was a mystery, and who, for anything Anna knew, might have an appetite for devouring all the small creatures that were her own particular pets. And now Anna's heart was sinking under the heavy conviction which she dared not utter, that Gwendolen would never care for Rex. What she herself held in tenderness a

e he was reserved not only about his feelings but-which was more remarkable to Anna-about certain actions. She, on her side, was nervous each time her father or mother began to speak to her in private lest they should say anything about Rex and Gwendolen. But the elders were not in the least alive to this agitating drama, which

his carriage to the sessions, Mrs. Gascoigne with him, and she had observed that her b

hounds throw off a

take Gwendolen?" s

d you, d

ht-Does papa kno

on't suppose he would troubl

ing to use

do that when

e hounds, Rex," said Anna, whose f

Rex, smiling rat

ow all wish her not to. They t

ose she is going to

imes," said Anna getting bold

said Rex, perversely making

it. You will make yours

rst int

with you?" said Rex, a little impatient at be

never will!" said the poor child in a sobbin

hall door, leaving her to the miserable consciou

erness, and began to be sorry that he was obliged to come away without soothing her. Every other feeling on the subject, however, was quickly merged in a resistant belief to the contrary of hers, accomp

t spirits, and Rex thought that she had never looked so lovely before; her figure, her long white throat, and the curves of her cheek and chin were always set off to perfection by the compact simplicity of her riding dress. He could not conceive a more perfect girl; and to a youthful lover like Rex it seems that the fundamental identity of the good, the true and the beautif

their youth; and every sound that came from their clear throats, every glance they gave each other, was the bubbling outflow from a spring of joy. It was all morning to them, within and without. And thinking of them in these moments one is tempted to that futile sort of wishing-if only things could have been a little otherwise then, so as to have been greatly otherwise after-if only these two beautiful young creatures could have pledged themselves to each other then and there, and never through life have swerved from that pledge! For some of the goodness wh

ds this morning," said Rex, whose secret associations with Anna's words m

n, laughingly. "What a l

in her intending to do it if the elders obje

irvoyants are often wrong: they foresee what is likely. I am not

y to do, I should know you would do the opposite. So you would have come round to a lik

do what was likely for people in genera

hood. And contradictoriness makes the stronge

the angle there had been different, the chin protrusive, and the cervical vertebrae a trifle more curved in their position, ten to one Gwendolen's words would ha

feel only what pl

the world were pleasanter, one would only feel what was pleas

and are often dreadfully bored, and knocked to pieces too. And then, if we love a

never saw a married wom

o?" said Rex, quite guilel

in the East like Lady Hester Stanhope," said Gwendolen, flightily. Her words were b

n you would ne

ly when I married, I shoul

anything else in the world," said Rex, who, poor youth, was moving in themes outsi

dolen, hastily, a quick blush spreading over her face and n

consequence, having never had the slightest visitation of painful love herself. She wished the small romance of Rex's devotion to fill up the time of his stay at Pennicote, and to avoid explanations which would bring

ual associations, for she had never yet ridden after the hounds-only said she should like to do it, and so drawn forth a prohibition; her mamma dreading the danger, and her uncle declaring that for his part he held that kind of violent exercise unseemly in a woman, and that whatever might be done in other parts of the count

wise, was not visible to make following seem unbecoming. Thus Gwendolen felt no check on the animal stimulus that came from the stir and tongue of the hounds, the pawing of the horses, the varying voices of men, the movement hither and thither of vivid color on th

seen her constantly occupied with acquaintances, or looked at by would-be acquaintances, all on li

n stained pink, with easy-going manners which would have made the threatened deluge seem of no consequence. "We shall have a

true: she was never fearful in action and companionship. "I

turn, an impetus which could not at once resolve itself into a totally different sort of chase, at least with the consciousness of being on his father's gray nag, a good horse enough in his way, but of sober years and ecclesiastical habits. Gwendolen on her spirited little chestnut was up with the best, and felt as secure as an immortal goddess, having, if she had thought of risk, a core of confidence that no ill luck would happen to her. But she thought of no such thing, and certainly not of any risk there might be for her cousin. If she had thought of him, it would have struck her as a droll picture that he should be graduall

to give help which was greatly needed, for Rex was a great deal stunned, and the complete recovery of sensation came in the form of pain. Joel Dagge on this occasion showed himself that most useful of personages, whose knowledge is of a kind suited to the immediate occ

done it myself for our little Sally twice over. It's all one and the same, shoulders is

e while tightening his mind, that Joel remarked, "Ah, sir, you aren't used to it, that's how it is. I's see lots and lots o' joints out. I see a man with his eye pushed out once-that was a rum go as ever I see. You can't

ve but to get home, though all the while he was in anxiety about Gwendolen, and more miserable in the thought that she, too, might have had an accident, than in the pain of his own bruises and the ann

ndsome and ingratiating for being pale and a little distressed. He was secretly the favorite son, and a young portrait of the father; who, however, never treated

he said hastily, not

rimrose has fallen down

d Mr. Gascoigne, with a touch of se

rns to see the h

e fool enoug

any fences, but the hors

hurt yourself

g blacksmith put it in again for me. I

, sit

horse, sir; I knew it wo

magine that his father had made any inquiries about him, answered at first with a bl

ce to Offendene-but she rides so well, and I think she

ascoigne, laying down his pen, leaning back in his ch

ntend it beforehand-she was led away by the spirit

ll enable you to play the squire to your cousin. You must give up that amusement. You have spoiled my nag for me, and that is enough mischief for one vacation. I shall

and comporting itself as if it

t insist on my goin

feel t

ting, to his great vexation; then he rallied and tried to say mor

can bring word about Gwendol

e. He was accustomed to believe in his father's penetration, and to expect firmness. "Fat

now really sorry for the lad; but every consideration was subordinate to that of using the

set to work at something and dismiss it. There is every reason against it. An engagement at your age would be totally rash and unjustifiable; and moreover, alliances betw

between us. I could do anything then," said Rex, impetuously. "But it's of no use to pretend that I will ob

f the matter again-you will promise me that," said Mr.

le; more than that, Lord Brackenshaw had conducted her home, and had shown himself delighted with her spirited riding. All this was told at once to her uncle, that he might see how well justified she had been in acting against his advice; and the prudential rector did feel himself in a slight difficulty, for at that moment he

wendolen. I should never have a moment's quie

turned away from Gwend

coi

ver the question of the fears which Mrs. Davilow had meant to acc

mamma, "Oh, he must have been left far behind, and gone home in despair," and it could not be denied that this was fortunate so

has ended better fo

ot taught Primrose to take the fences, uncle," said Gwendole

to an arm-chair resting his elbows and fitting his palms and fingers

elated mortals try to super-induce when their pulses are all the while quick with

stead of any such symptoms as pallor and silence, had only deepened the compassionateness of her brow and eyes, and said again, "Oh, poor fellow! it i

h, I suppose, but handy, and set the arm for him immediately. So after all, I believe, I and Primrose come off

e descriptive suggestions in the latter part of her uncle's speech, her elated spirits made her featu

ascoigne, with a milder sense of disapprobation than if he had not had countera

re he and Primrose would cut-in a lane all by themselves-only a blacksmith

came her person so well that her opinion of its gracefulness was often shared by others; and it even entered into her uncle's course of thought

"I wish we had never allowed you to have the horse. You will see that we were wrong," she added

y kind, but I feel sure that he would concur with me in what I say. To be spoken of as 'the young lady who hunts' by way of exception, would give a tone to the language about you which I am sure you would not like. Depend upon it, his lordship would not choose th

dolen, pettishly. Her uncle's speech had given her annoyance, which she could not show more directly; but

ge," said Mrs. Davilow; "but it will be dif

en in the least touched

Gasc

said to me, 'Mamma, I wonder how girls manage to fall in love. It

ade no further remark on the subject.

your brui

yet, sir; only beginn

te ready for a jour

ex, with his heart meta

ll to-morrow, and go t

end

looked steadily at her coffee lest she also s

, but he believed it to be in the end the kindest. To let him know the hopelessne

to. My Anna is worth two of her, with all her beauty and talent. It looks very ill in her that she will not help in the schools with Anna-not even in the Sunday-school. What yo

ght. The point is, to get her well married. She has a little too much fire in her for her present life with her mother and sis

itional permission to see Gwendolen, but his father's real ground of action could not enter into his conjectures. If

a present; while Miss Merry, who took a subdued and melancholy part in all family affairs, doubted whether it would not be giving too much encouragement to that kind of character. Rex had never found the family troublesome before, but just now he wished them all away and Gwendolen there, and he was too uneasy for good-natured feigning

t he was fond of being with Gwendolen, as was natural, but had not thought of this as having any bearing on

ons; yet, strange to say, he was unvaryingly occupied in thinking what and how much he could do, when Gwendolen had accepted him, to satisfy his father that the engagement was the most prudent thing in the world

was none of the latent fun and tricksiness which had always pierced in her greeting of Rex. How much of this was due to her presentiment from what he had said yesterday that he was going to talk of love? How much from her desire to show regret about his accident? Something of both. But the wisdom of ages has hinted that there is a side of the bed which has a malign influence if you happen to get out on it; and this accident befalls some ch

eyes or mouth. The fun which had moved her in the evening had quite evaporated from the image of his accident, and the whole affair seemed st

llness. "There is hardly any thing the matter with me. I am so glad you had the pleasure

the fire in the most inconvenient way for conversati

on for the rest of the vacation," said

a stupid place to g

len, c

because you would no

about me going

Gwendolen, curtly. The perception that poor Rex wanted to be tender ma

his way all at once?" said Rex, flushing, and with more spi

onsense! I am only rather cross. Why did you come so ve

rence," said Rex, imploringly. "All the happiness of my life depe

stily eluded his grasp and moved to t

to me! I hate it!" she

was all a sudden, new experience to her. The day before she had been quite aware that her cousin was in love with her; she did not mind how much, so that he said nothing about it; and if any one had asked her why she o

bsolutely than it can do to a man at forty. But before t

ve to say to me, Gwendole

little regret for the old Rex who had not offended her. D

s. But I don't dislike

"good-bye." and passed out of the room. Almost immediate

what is it?" cried the mother, who had never before seen her darling struck down in this way, and felt something of the alarmed anguish that women, feel at the sight of overpowering sorrow in a strong man; for this child had been her ruler. Sitting down by her w

she herself had been rebuked by her da

nybody. I can't love

come, dear, the

r arms round her mother's neck with an almost painful clinging, sh

ed child had never shown such dependence on