Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-06-18
CHAPTER Y.

stately array OF silver candelabra, placed on
the mantle, and containing tall, formal wax can
dies, threw glaring light around the antiqualed
paror, with its massive mirrors, its Turkish car
pe,ing, its wainscotted walls, adorned with pain
tings, its old fashioned sofa, and high backed ma.
hogany chairs.
A young man Of some twenty.three years, at
tired in the uniform Of an officer in the British
dragons, lay extended on the sofa in an attitude
of the most elegant disorder; with his legs enve.
loped in Hessian boots, shining with spurs and
spattered with mud, very easily crossed one ovel
the other; his head with its powdered locks rest
ing upon one arm, while with his face TO the cell
ing he seemed inently engaged in examining the
merits of his chapeau, with its mass of feathers,
which his other had, held poised directly over
his face. He was not an unhandsome man, but
there was an air of effeminacy about his small,
delicate features and a jaunty air of every posi-
lion assumed by his slender and well proportion
ed figure that gave you an idea, you stood in the
presence of the fashionable fop, the man of the
world of idIers, the ''dawdler" at ladies' elbows,
the taker Of small sayings, the coiner OF COM
pliments, and smatterer Of little pieces OF all
kinds of knowledge, which combined, together
form what the mass calls gentleman, always
provided the combination Of so many rare quail
ties is we'll dressed.
And Wildwood Tracywas nodull fellow either.
A few summers at Oxford had given him some
Il idea of the existence of Greek and Latin, and he
was sufficiently acquainted with them, 10 know
that these words meant languages, not celebrated
PHILOSOPHERS; winter in London passed amid
The excitement Of balls, routes, sulrees, and the
thousand other assemblages of the gay world
had given him some idea of life, and insed in
10 his mind that fashionable morality, which pa
ces The winning of a game at cards and the de-
struction Of q woman's virtue on scale OF per
feet equality in the list Of innocent pleasures ant
veniaI sins; what with all these requirements anC
genteel way Of saying large oaths and dalnt.
imprecatons, lieutenant Wildwood Tracy, wa
voted by the world in general and his messmate
in particular. to be deuced clever fellow, fin
ished gentleman, in every way worthy Of sue
ceeding to the earldom of Wallngford, in cas-
the immediate heirs should happen TO vacate thi
scene of trial and care. The lieutenant had ju:
counted each feathern his chapeau iorthe twelfl
time, when the door opened, and servant infor
med him that his chamber was ready for his use
where he might remove from his person the dust
disorder and dishabille of travel.
"Now for my bridal robes"-lisped the gallan
dragoon, as he tumbled fromthe ofainto an erec
position. 81 wonder where that cursed valet O
mine is staying all the time! What detains th'
village prestl WeIl--wel looking at hlswatch
its near the hour, and I've just time TO dress.
fellow can be married but once-its best 10 sub
nit with good grace, so here goes for the mys
teries of the toiIet-and then she's handsome anc
rich and | may one day be earl of Wallingford!'
Disappointment is the great misery of life
success the great blessing. Which of the twair
shall be The lot of the gallant lieutenant Well
wood Tracy of his majesty's dragoons1