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welcome, none were more delighted to see us, or made us more perfectly at home, than Mr. Bolton, of Newnham Dale, and his three daughters. The "Squire," as he was called, over many a broad acre was one of a class which I hope I may never live to see fading from the face of our country. A kind landlord, a hospitable and affectionate friend, a refined scholar, and an enthusiastic sportsman, Mr. Bolton was the “beau ideal" of a thorough country gentleman, in the broadest sense of the word. I see him now in the old hall at Newnham Dale; we are coming in from pheasant-shooting in the wide woods that skirt his picturesque domain. A travelling carriage has just brought up a fresh accession of guests to partake of his hospitalities; and the Squire steps forward from the old oak fireplace, with a glow of pleasure on his handsome countenance—“ a good portly man i̇' faith, and a corpulent, of a cheerful look, a pleasing eye, and a most noble carriage"-receiving the ladies with all the refined courtesy of "the old school," lit up, as it were, by his own kind heart and affectionate disposition; while the cordial welcome with which he greets the rougher sex, makes the male guest at once feel completely at home. The eldest and youngest daughter are working by the light of the wood-fire, in a snug corner, so partitioned off and intrenched by ottomans, fauteuils, low chairs, tiny tables, footstools, and other lady-like encumbrances, that it almost forms a separate apartment. While coming through the billiard-room, I hear the rustle of a dress that my heart tells me can only belong to Mary Bolton, the second daughter of the hospitable “Squire,” and the fairest girl in all the "north countrie."

try to think of her impartially, as another might; but it was none of these qualities that gave her that indescribable charm which to me she possessed. People now-adays talk a great deal about “mesmerism ;” I think it must have been that; I can only account for it by a “magnetic influence.” “Je l'aimais, parceque c'était elle, et parceque c'était moi." And if you, my indulgent and venerable reader, will look back some fifty years into life, when your heart leapt to your lips, and the color rushed to your cheek, at the mere sound of a name, or if you, young and gallant cavalier, will seriously reflect upon the singular fact, that every one of your horses (of course, you pique yourself on your riding) bends himself into a curvet on passing one particular drawingroom window, and stops short, without any indication from his master, at one particular door, you will probably be able to give no better explanation of your respective conduct than the French sentence I have just quoted, as containing the whole essence and "morale" of an infatuation as mysterious as it is universal.

Well, although I was as conceited as most young men of my years, and a bold dragoon to boot, I blushed up to my eyes whenever "the second Miss Bolton"-as I reverently denominated my enslaver-made her appearance; and on the occasion that now presents itself so vividly to my recollection, I could hardly muster up courage for what I was dying to do-viz., to place a chair for her by her sisters' work-table, and ensconsing myself as near as possible to the wishedfor spot, monopolize the whole conversation and attention of my ladye-love. Shall I ever forget my astonishment when, passing close to me, she whispered in a voice inaudible to all but myself,

"Will

you step into the library, Mr. I wish to speak to you alone."

?

I need not now be ashamed to confess that I was over head and ears in love with —or what, in military language, we irreverently denominated, spoony on-Mary Bolton; nor can such an event be a matter of "Heavens !" I thought, "what can it astonishment. As for describing her, I hold mean?" Beyond the fact of my standing in it to be impossible to describe a woman. the position customary with gentlemen in Beautiful she was, that I know, for I have polite society, and not balancing myself on heard her charms discussed in many a crowd- my head, I was conscious of nothing, hardly ed drawing room; good she was, for much of my own personal identity, though vouched as the Squire loved all his daughters, he for by a smart shooting-dress, and muchnever called Mary by any other name than soiled gaiters. Visions of a declaration, "best of three." Graceful and lady-like, began by the lady!-throwing ourselves on quiet, and "quite clever enough," all these the mercy of her indulgent father-sale of I am convinced she must have been, when I commission--retirement in the country

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love in a cottage-with my own governor's ite. "He was so gentle !-and would eat awful resentment in the background-all out of her hand: he was so handsome!— this whirled through my brain, as hot and and Mr. would not cut his tail, she cold by turns I stood in the library, appointed begged: and she had hunted him sometimes as our trysting-place. I never knew exactly (with a smile); and he could leap so beauhow I got there myself; and as for Mary, tifully (with a blush); and if ever I went she might have come down the chimney for into any of those horrid battles-" Here ought I knew to the contrary. However, poor Mary's voice failed her altogether, and the trance did not last long, for even as the with a hurried "good morning, Mr. application of the pure element to the brows we shall meet to-morrow night at the ball,” of the sleeper-a process called by mischiev- she rushed away by a door that led to the ous urchins "cold pig"-dispels, like an air- secluded regions of ladies' boudoirs and bubble, the dreamy creations of fancy, so respectable married couples' chambers, in was I literally startled back to my senses that old country house, far removed from by the matter-of-fact, business-like manner the noise and racket of billiard-room range in which Miss Bolton addressed me. and bachelors' gallery. "Mr. I wished to speak to you in private, about selling my brown horse." "Your brown horse, Miss Bolton! very nice horse"- -was all I could stammer out. "The fact is," she proceeded, in the same calm, measured tones, "I wish to sell him for fifty pounds. I believe him to be worth a good deal more; and papa says he would at any time command that price; so I thought, Mr. —, that perhaps you could dispose of him for me: only I want the money immediately. In fact, it is absolutely necessary I should have it in two days; and I must beg of you not to say a word upon the subject to any one."

I felt that this was the moment to become possessed of a treasure, so intimately associated with Mary Bolton; and accordingly, mystified as I was at the whole proceeding, I expressed my willingness to purchase the brown horse, and begged to be allowed to send for him at Miss Bolton's convenience. When buyer and seller are both of one mind, a bargain is easily concluded; and it was soon settled that the animal should be paid for by his new master in person, the very next evening, at a York ball which we were both to attend, and that, contrary to the usual practice in these cases, he should be delivered the following morning.

And now, Miss Bolton having succeeded in attaining her object, began, like a true woman, to experience sundry twinges of regret at that which, a few moments before, had appeared to be the point she was most anxious to gain; and it was not without certain chokings in that white throat, and overflowings of those violet eyes, that she consigned to me the care of her dumb favor

66

The second Miss Bolton's eyes were somewhat red when she appeared at dinner, and I thought that she studiously avoided me, so as to allow of no further explanation as regarded our mysterious deal." When, after a fair "symposium" over our host's most excellent claret, we walked into the drawing-room, the ladies had retired for the night; and as I was to breakfast early, and hunt my way back to the barracks the following day, I could only console myself by anticipating a confidential and delightful explanation at the coming ball.

“There were dandies in those days;" and as, in the present fashion, a young man prides himself chiefly on the extreme looseness of his garments, more particularly those in which he means to take violent exercise by standing in a doorway, and watching people attempt to dance,-so, in my time, we thought it impossible to gird up our loins too tightly, or to be brushed up, curled, and starched too severely, ere we offered ourselves up, willing victims to the barbarous institutions of our ancient Terpsichore. "Down the middle, and up again," through six-and-thirty couple, might well be called what old Major Dumb-bells of ours-an apoplectic dragoon, in a stock nine inches deep-hoarsely designated it, "a choker, my boy!"

My toilet on the evening in question was of the most elaborate kind, as befitted one who hoped to progress in the good graces of his fair. Whatever scope for decoration the military simplicity of a uniform afforded, was taken advantage of; and the buckle of my belt, on that important occasion, was drawn at least two holes

and bend your dainty ear, to the twaddle of some insipid coxcomb-one of the world's

tighter than any previous experience of the strength and toughness of Russia leather could warrant. I was present in the body" monstrous gentlemanlike fellows"-and

at mess, but any thing so absent as my behavior has not often been seen at that convivial institution of the -th Dragoons. In little humor was I for that popular description of "badinage," which the vulgar call "chaff;" and my thirst was of a kind which red port wine only served to aggravate; so, after an early cup of coffee, another turn at the hairbrushes in my barrack-room, with an abortive attempt to draw that infernal belt a hole tighter, I proceeded to the dazzling scene of my anticipated happiness.

Well may Byron talk of "the hopes and fears that shake a single ball." Could we look into the hearts of the merry throng who fill yon glittering hall, what jealousies, what anxieties, what flutterings of hope, what pangs of regret, should we not discover! Love and hatred, malice and revenge, generosity and ill-nature, passions both good and evil, all arising from a scene professedly of gayety and merry-making. Ladies! ladies! a ball is to you a matter of even greater importance than to ourselves. We beseech you, do not disclose your hearts as openly as you uncover your bosoms! Self-denial, and something almost akin to deception, have been the lessons most sedulously inculcated on your maiden minds; stick to the maternal precepts; smile if you will, and if your teeth are white, but not too kindly; look proper and dignified, though you feel ready to cry-calm and careless, though your hearts be breaking. Say, "I believe I'm engaged," when you would give your two dovelike eyes for but one five minutes' more conversation with him whose hand has been already accepted for a single quadrille. What matter that the opportunity may never occur again?—that he is dying to tell you what you are dying to hear-that on the next quarter of an hour the happiness for life of two persons may depend? "Mamma" and the world have laid down certain rules of propriety, and Mamma" and the world must be obeyed; so you draw your glove a little higher, with a freezing smile, and repressing the bitter tears to curdle coldly round your heart, tears that shall gush unrestrained on your lonely pillow, when "Mamma" is enjoying the placid slumbers of conscious virtue, you bow your Grecian head,

when you raise your eyes again, they look in vain among the crowd for that wellknown form; they glance from face to face, in search of that kind, serious brow; he is not in this room, nor in the next, nor on the staircase with some more indulgent damsel; he is gone. You have made no half-expressed, well-understood appointment to meet again; you know not whether you shall see him more; you smile on, but you are sick at heart, and your brain is beating; you smile on, but it is a pale, wan smile, for love will not be denied, and you never felt before how much you love him; you think of the encouragement that might have been given, the return of affection he so well deserved; you wish you could but live the last half-hour of your life over again; something whispers, " too late!-too late!"

Mary Bolton gave me no opportunity of explanation certainly; I danced with her, but a country-dance is a bad medium of confidential communication; and declining all offers of tea, that convenient excuse for love-making, and disregarding all hints of the room being hot, and the flowers on the staircase well worth seeing, she walked me back to her aunt, a stiff old lady, well adapted for a chaperon, and receiving my note addressed to herself, and inclosing the fifty pounds for her horse, she thanked me coldly for performing her commission, and accepting "my cousin John's" arm for the next dance, left me planted by the forbidding old aunt, more in love than ever, horribly angry with myself for the little way I had made in the lady's good graces, and hugely inclined to pick a quarrel with "cousin John," as an infernally conceited fellow, and much too "bumptious," for a civilian.

Had I known what the morrow would bring forth, I think I could not have found it in my heart to part thus from Mary. I think even she would have felt it not unbecoming to show some interest in one so soon to be severed from her by the hoarse call of war; but truly none of us can tell what an hour may bring forth; and neither she nor I, on that evening, anticipated a parting of more than a few days. Long, long years were to elapse, and stirring

scenes to be enacted, in which one was destined to bear a part, ere we should meet again.

And now I see a figure wrapped in a horseman's cloak, and adorned by a gold-braided forage-cap, listlessly wearing through the moonlit hours of the "middle watch," on the deck of Government Transport, No. 9-a capacious old tub, which is stiffly and steadily working her way to windward over the long rolling swell of the Bay of Biscay-close-hauled is she on her course, for the breeze is steady from the southwest, and glorious is that boundless waste of waters, athwart whose hill and dale the flickering reflection of the moon seems to fling a glittering pathway, even to the far horizon, while myriads of fairies appear to be dancing their way along that road of gold. The old Transport makes tolerable way, as she bends industriously to her larboard tack, and the cavalry officer on watch, with one hand ever and anon removing a glowing cigar from his mouth, while the other grasps a friendly stay to aid a landsman's balance, who is he but the unacknowledged lover of bonny Mary Bolton, bound for the field of honor and promotion, the land of medal, clasp, and decorationthe blood-stained Peninsula ?

We had marched from York the very morning after the ball I have mentioned; the brown horse promoted to second charger, had arrived in the nick of time, and after the usual jollities and humors of a march through England, we were now fairly embarked, and already half way to a land where a far different service from any we had yet seen awaited our corps. I was keeping "the middle watch," as was then the custom of the service, even for "sogers," when on board ship; and, moreover, I was thinking of Mary Bolton, when my reveries were interrupted by the second mate of the Transport, a smart sailor-like young fellow, of some five or six-and-twenty, who was not unwilling to relieve the tedium of his watch by my agreeable society, and one of my still more acceptable cigars.

"How are we getting on?" said I, the usual question of a landsman on a voyage.

"Making five knots, sir," was the reply; and after a slight pause in our conversation, he added, "I think as your rig'ment was last at York, sir, if I'm not mistaken."

I answered in the affirmative, and making a guess, from a slight north-country accent on my friend's tongue, though scarcely perceptible--for sailors, like soldiers, soon catch a tone and idiom peculiar to themselves-I inquired, “ Do you know any thing of Yorkshire?"

"Well, sir, I'm Yorkshire myself," was the reply; "born and bred at Newnham Dale; till ten years of age. Maybe you know Newnham Dale, sir, and 'Squire Bolton-a kind, good gentleman is 'Squire Boltonand the young ladies, too, God bless 'em, I owe 'em more nor ever I shall pay, and father likewise; but I ask your pardon, sir; perhaps you never see 'Squire Bolton ?"

I longed to shake hands with the honest fellow, if it was only for knowing the Miss Boltons, and assured him, with my heart on my lips, that I was on intimate terms with the good 'squire and his whole family; and having once got him on the subject, he never stopped till he had told me the whole particulars of his birth, parentage, and education; and what interested me a good deal more, he described to me diverse circumstances connected with his own family, and the kind-hearted generosity of "Miss Mary," which entirely cleared up the mystery of the sale of her brown horse, and the secresy in which that affair was involved.

It appeared, from what the mate told me in his honest Yorkshire dialect, for as he talked of home he got more and more provincial in his accent,-that his father had become seriously involved, in his small way, during the past summer, that in consequence of a rascally cousin, (then in America, of course,) he had become liable for an amount, that all he could realize in the world, without selling the necessary stock from his little farm, would be insufficient to liquidate; that the 'squire, having already returned him a half-year's rent, to assist him in making head against his difficulties, the old man's honest pride would not allow him to ask for any further assistance from that source; that his children had gathered round him, and offered all their savings, as in duty bound; that he, the sailor, had been home at the time, and did what he could," as he modestly expressed the immediate production of three years' wages,-his all; but that, do what they would, and struggle as they might, there was still fifty pounds

wanting to set Farmer Bradley straight with the world, and to enable him to fight his way on, "not afeard," as he called it, "to look e'er a man in the face;" that this fifty pounds was not forthcoming, and the old farmer's distress was at its height, when, one evening, a letter arrived from the lawyer at York, who had managed poor Bradley's difficulties, stating that he had received a fifty-pound note to Farmer Bradley's account, which, with the money then in hand, would liquidate all claims against him, and set him square with the world; that they had no clew to discover who might be the donor of so acceptable a gift, and that it was only on the very morning my informant, the second son, Tom, departed to join his ship, that he was told by her old nurse, it was Miss Mary who had furnished the money, but that it was not to be mentioned, on any account, as she did not wish it known to any one; and, "poor dear," as the old nurse added, "she sold her horse, that, I've heard her say, she loved like a Christian, to be hunted to death by one of them soger-officers, God forgive 'em," to obtain the necessary sum, "and," logically added Tom Bradley, "if there's angels in heaven, that Miss Mary, she's a born angel on earth; and if she's not, I'm-" something or another, which had very little to do with the class of beings the honest young mate referred to.

The whole mystery was now cleared up; all my misgivings were at an end; whilst I had been puzzling my brain inventing clandestine reasons, and racking my heart, thinking hard thoughts against my ladyelove, she had been performing an act of charity and self-denial, in the truest sense of the word; and when I told Tom Bradley-as how could I help telling him that I was the "soger-officer" who had obtained Miss Mary's favorite, what wonder that, for the rest of the voyage, we jointly and severally petted the brown charger as never animal was petted before, even at sea and that from the very night on which I became acquainted with his history, I distinguished him from the other two horses I possessed, in honor of his former mistress, as well as for his own intrinsic qualities, by the well-remembered title of "Best-ofThree."

adventures inseparable from such a campaign, as the one on which I now entered. Mighty operations were being carried on by the master warriors of that day, and the great Duke was building, step by step, that pinnacle of glory which was eventually to be crowned by the closing triumph of Waterloo.

In these operations, though but a unit in the mass, I bore my part. In common with the smallest drummer-boy in the army, I identified myself with its victories, as I shared its privations and its dangers; and we rather piqued ourselves on being in the thick of the latter. It was my pride to know, that even a subaltern of dragoonseven the charger that bore him-was part and parcel of that mighty whole, which was to shake the war-anointed Emperor on his throne, and to influence the destinies of the world.

A cavalry officer, like a centaur, is nothing without his other half-his trusty charger. No fish out of water looks half so helpless as a dismounted dragoon.

As the animal is so important a portion of the pair, I may be forgiven for devoting a few lines to the description of "Best-ofThree."

Next to talking of themselves, men are apt to take the greatest delight in talking of their horses, and mine was indeed the most glorious of his kind.

His

He was a rich dark-brown, rather low, but of extraordinary strength and symmetry of frame, with a beautiful little head, and small, pointed ears, which-when excited by the difficulty in front of him, whether fenceor foe, a brook or a battery-turned inwards, till their quivering tips almost met. back and loins were strength personified; he was thorough-bred, and as fast as the wind, with that instinctive love for all the display and trappings of war peculiar to the horse among animals, as to the weaker sex among the human race. In temper he was docile as high-couraged, "gentle and not fearful," with the faithful affection and almost the sagacity of a dog. He learnt his drill quicker than any charger that had ever before been placed under the tuition of our riding-master, and the colonel complimented me on his appearance, when we made our joint debut in the field. Poor old "Best-of

It is not for me to dwell upon the series of Three !" All I have left of you, is that

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