The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1855-01-25
SELECT STORY.
THE COLONEL'S STORY.


Until | was fifteen | lived at hom
with my widowed mother and two sisters
My mother was The widow of an officer
who was killed in one of the battles o
Hyder Ali, and enjoyed pension from
the Indian Government. was tn
youngest; and soon after my fifteenth
birthday she died suddenly. My sisters
went 10 India on the invitation Of dis
tant relation Of my mother; and ] was
sent 10 school, where | was unhappy
You will, therefore, easily imagine witt
what pleasure received visit from 4
handsome jovial old gentleman, who told
me that he was my fathers elder hal
brother; that they had separated by a
quarrel in early life. but that now, being
a wdower and childless, he had found me
out and determined TO adopt me.
The truth was, the old man loved com.
pany; and that as his chief income-a
large one-was derived from a mine,
near which he lived, in a very remote
part of the country, he was we'll pleased
to have young companion who looked
like gentleman and could be useful as
crrver, celler-keeper and secretary.
Installed in his house, a room was as.
signed TO me, and had servant and a
couple of excellent horses. He made
ME understand that need not give my.
self any further anxiety on the subject Of
the future, that might abandon the idea
Of proceeding TO India in the Company's
service, where a cadetship had been Sc
cured for me; and that so long as | con-
formed to his ways, it was no matter
whether studied or not; in fact it as no
matter what | did.
Sometime after becoming an inmate Of
Beechgrove Hall, my uncle's attack o.
gout, in spite OF the generous living he
adopted as precaution, became so Sc.
we're, that he was unable to stir out except
in a wheeled chair, and it was with diff,
Guilty that he was lifted occasionally into
his carriage. The consequence wasthal
to me his business naturally fell, and
although he grumbled at losing my COM
pany and attention, he was obliged 10
send me to London 10 watch the progress
of canal bill, in which he was deeply
interested 1t was my first visit 10 Lon
don. was well provided with instruc.
tions and with funds. My uncle'S busi-
ness occupied me in the morning, for
dreaded his displeasure TOO much to neg
lect it; but in the evening | plunged into
every amusement with the keen zsst o!
novelty and youth.
cannot say that up to that period
had ever been in love. My uncle had
twice seriously warned me that if made
fool of myself for anything less than a
very large fortune, he would dnever forgive
me.
"If, SIR" he said on the second occa
sion he saw me blush and tremble-for
was too proud and selfwilled to bear
such control-"lf you like to make an
ass of yourself for pretty face like Miss
Willington's, with her three brothers and
five sisters, the half Of whom you'd have
10 keep, you may do it with your own
money, you shall not do it with mine"
told my cbnfdant. DR.. Creeliegh, Of
this; be answered me, "You have only
about a hundred and twenty year OF
your own from the estate you inherited
from your father, and you are living with
your horses and dogs at the rate of five
hundred year. How would you like
to see your wife and children housed and
dressed like a curate, poor Mr.. Serge!
Your uncle cannot live forever"
The argument was enough for me, who
had only found Clara Wilmington the best
partner in the country dance. My time
was not come.
My lodgings in London were in large
old fashioned house in Westminster
formerly the residence of nobleman-
which was a perfect carvanserai in the
number and variety Of its inmates. The
best rooms were let to Parliament and
persons like myself; but in the upper floor
many persons of humble means but gen
teel pretentions had room. Here, | ire.
ouentIy met on the stairs, carrying roll
of music, q tall, elegant female figure,
dressed in black. and close y veiIed;
sometimes when had TO step one side,
a slight bow was exchanged, but for seve'
raj weeks that was all. At length my
curiosity was aroused; the neat ancles-
The small hand. a dark curl peePing ou
of the veil, made me anxious to know
more.
Inquiries discreetly applied TO Mrs
Cough, the housekeeper, told me enough
to make me wish to know more. llel
name was Laura Dalacourt, not more
than twenty or twenty-five years Old; she
had lived four years previously with hel
husband in the best apartments in the
house in great luxury for one winter.
Mr.. DaIacourt was Frenchman and
gambler; very handsome and very dis
spated; it seemed as if it were her for.
tune they were spending. Mrs. G said
il was enough to make ones heart break
TO see that pretty creature citing up in
her ball dress when her husband had sent
her home alone, and remained to play
until daylight. They went away and
nothing was heard Of them until just be-
fore nv arrival. About that time Mad
anne Dalacourt become very humble, and
had taken a room on the third floor; had
only mentioned her husband to say that
he was dead, and that she lived by Civ