LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 989, 27 August 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

OUR PICNIC : A Glimpse of a Golden Da v. ( Continued.) Uncle scowled on me, but I vanished into the drawing-room, and began to dash off something on the piano, which drowned his comments, at all events. The next morning his objections seemed to have been overruled. We started, in any case, at about one o'clock, and were joined by several friends on the n ute. The Aveather unhappily was perfect. Uncle Tawney had nothing to grumble about, and was in terrible humor. He carried a large umbrella, with a formidable handle, which he was determined should not have been brought forth for nothing. He hit out with it, right or left, as the fancy struck him, and 1 need scarcely add that his energy was not aimless. ' It'll rain I' he exclaimed suddenly, spying a most exquisite fleecy cloud overhead. 'There'll be a downpour at dinner-hour.' 'I don't think so, James,' ventured my mother. 'The sky never looked better.' 'ls that it's good looks—a mass of clouds and mistiness ? What a climate you have, to be sure ?' He had seen the very best of it; so what was to be done with him if he prolonged his stay into winter, I did not dare to think. My mother had been careful about the company. There was nothing approaching to a young or loving couple in the collection. We had a few dingy married folk, four old maids, three grey-headed bachelors, and any of the young people who were out of their teens were wholly unprovided with suitable companions. Matters being arranged in this dull and dreadful fashion, she thought uncle Tawney must be happy; and indeed everything went on with charming smoothness for a while. He only attacked her about every ten minutes foi not having us all in water proofs aud goloshes, ard for wearing a pretty bonnet herself ; and gave me but two violent prods with his umbrella when I ventured to dhsant from his opinion regarding the eooliDg nature of woollen mufflers and mittens. Our destination being reached, we drew up before a little wooden gate, where we alighted. There was no carriage-drive within, only a ptetty winding path, and here, being released from the close proximity to my uncle, I felt free for an instant. The next I started. 1 saw some one leaning against a tree, not a dozen paces away. The figure moved as I approached, and with a thrill of guilty terror 1 recognised Tom. I think my mother discerned him at the same juncture, for I caught something like a faint scream behind. My father, however, was calm and unconscious. He came forward at once,

* How are you, Tom ': ' he said, with a hearty hand-shake ; ' you got out early today. I did not think you could have been here before us.' So it was he had done it. He often, indeed bungled in this way, being of an absent turn of mind, and wholly unabJe to comprehend any of the little complications and intricacies which perplex ladies. All pleasureable surprise at his appearance was nullified by the dread of what must ensue. Already I had a tierce grasp on my arm from Uncle Tawney, and a full-toned whisper in my ear. 'v\ ho's that, girl ? Who's that '! ' Nothing -nobody—a friend of papa's,' I said faintly. At this crisis a fortunate diversion was created by the baskets. One of them, the smallest and most precious, that containing uncle's soda-water and sauces, was not forthcoming, like his luggage, till he h d sworn himself black in the face. I availed myself ol 'lie interim to aay a hurried word to Tom.

1 Don't speak to me lor your life, Tom I There's Miss Oldham—keep close to her and carry her umbrella. She may leave you a legacy in the end.' 'You are looking out for one yourself,' he muttered. ' That's more to the point.' ' Well, if I am wise, follow a good example ;' and I flitted from him swiftly, as I heard a stamp behind. I was sorry for him, be looked so disconsolate. But what could be done ? My mother must be pleased, even if uncle could not be propitiated, and the possibility of the

latter process I began to have grave doubts of. We were marshalled in sucti close procession up the walk now that I was almost stifling. A chattering brooklet was on one side, a delicious rustle of foliage on. the other band, and birds fluttering and carolling through the branches ; but I dare not be eut'eed to a spontaneous sally. We were all mute as mummers, except for a growling mandate ever and anon from Uncle Tawney. ' Keep together ! keep together! I'll have no straggling.' He chose himself the place for our repast, and only that in our beautiful country he couldn't find an ugly spot, I am sure he would have pounced upon it. The scene of coming ope rations was a mossy bank raised above the winding stream we had been following, and with a cluster of shadowy trees in the background Uncle had been panting during the conclusion of the promenade, aud once he had gained this haven he Hung himself heavily on the turf. In terror, lest any one should stray, my mother ordered us all thereupon to be seated, and we sank in lazy attitudes around. Tom managed to get next to me, but he did not speak, so I could scarcely attack him. I, for my part, fell into soft reverie. There was something so goldeu bright in the sunlight, such delicious warmth in the air, and such a drowsy hum from the insects hovering in mazy entanglement over the border of the stream, that it seemed to me I could have sat thus for ever. Tnere is a subtle charm iu a sultry day. Everything is vague and distant, and is seen through a gauzy medium. The very atmosphere seems to steal into the heart to breathe of softest memories, to open dreamy vistas. All harshness in outer and inner life is lost in a mellow haze of happiness. Thought even grows languid beneath the pervading hush in nature. The murmur of waters, the low whimper of the leaves, carry us to some salubrious region, where aught too vivid dies out in indistinctness. We can feel only the enchantment of the ' Enchanted Isle :' ' How sweet it were, hearing the downward stream, With half-shut eyes ever to seem Falling asleep in a half dream !' The spell was to be broken all too soon in the present instance. The flies had got inside uncle Tawney's muffler, and he was up iu a trice with a clapping of his hands which sent us all to our feet. He looked so dreadfully hot and horrible that mother stole up to him soothingly. 1 Have half a glass of our currant cordial, James,' she said, ' while they are laying the dinner. It will keep you cool.' I have noted that it is the correct thing to say ' half a glass,' and then fill it up to the brim My mother did so, at all events, aud accepting the offering, uncle took a full draught. The next instant we were all in terrified commotion around him. The glass had gone crash from his hand, and he had given a jump which shook the very ground beneath us. ' Murder 1 murder !' he shouted ; and whatever had been done to him, he seemed determined on perpetrating it himself. I was lucklessly the nearest, and he had me by the hat in a second. It was dragged over my eyes, and I w r as almost throttled about the neck. My mother meanwhile had seized the bottle. With a faint shriek she let it fall. It was labelled 'Best malt vinegar.' There was a laugh from Tom. ' We'll see how Ihe homeopathic dodge works now,' he chuckled. But the system didn't stand that test. Uncle grew worse and worse, and as I had resented his attack on myself with some vehemence, I felt myself especially singled out for his fury. ' You did it, miss—you did it !' he cried, and again he made a dash at me. 'No, no, James dear,' said my mother imploringly; 'it was a mistake —all a mistake ; my fault, if any one's. Jessie only handed the bottle.' ' This, however, was no mean part of the performance, according to his reading of it, and I had to dart from basket to basket in an access of the wildest activity to avoid another seizure. I really did feel for him, for a dose of our best vinegar was no jtk?, and when the repast commenced I attended to him assiduously with alternate offerings of salad oil and cream. I was in dreadful terror one time. When Tom had had a glass of champagno he stole up to me at once. He had been helping hitherto with the carving, but had struck work suddenly. ' Come, Jessie, and cut the cherry tart with me,' he whispered ; ' I can't manage it alone.' ' Well, I can,' I exclaimed, seizing the knife from him. ' Fly this instant to M iss Oldham, and change her plate. Where's her umbrella ? Pin yourself to it and her for the rest of the day.' ' Not I,' said Tom ; ' I'll be hanged it I will.'

' You'll haye me hanged if you don't,' I cried, pointing to my throat, where Uncle I'awney's seizure on the tight elastic of my hat had left an ominous line. Tom could scarcely resist this appeal, and he steered off rather sullenly ; not, however, to Miss Oldham's side. He walked towards the water's edge, and took a cigar from his pocket. At this juncture something awful happened. A drop of rain fell. I thought my poor mother would have fainted. She turned as white as her pretty bonnet; and, recalling the lectures about the waterproofs and overall, she felt that an earthquake would have been safer. There was but the one drop, I believe; but Uncle Towney scented it at once. He was up in a puff, and wielding his umbrella on all sides to gather us together for a retreat to the shelter of the trees. He didn't care for sweet things himself, and ruthlessly oveiturned my tarts and creams in his progress. 1 Keep together ! keep together !' he shouted at intervals ; and then, when he had us all packed in suflooat ng fashion under the arm of an ash, we saw a beam <>f the most lovely sunshine playing on the deserted dishes, aud 1 heard groans on all sides from the juvenile members of our party. Rebellion was the order of tin; day forth with, and then- A'n:i a ncranibJe hack to the ruins of the repast, aud a scrimmage amongst dilapidated pastries, which resulted in the breakage of moris than one visage. Uncle had lost the reins of government by that premature and precipitate move, and found it hard to regain them. "When the party started soon afterwards for the post prandial stroll, he was left in a Marius-like solitude, fallen fragments around him, and with an awful gloom on his brow. My mother even had vanished, with the hope of reclaiming the truants ; and I, who had duties amongst the baskets, was the last upon the scene. {To he ecntitiued.}