The Portland daily press., 1867-11-22
miscellany.
Dick DesultOr,


Here Is little story from Echoes Of the
Clubs, about an Englishman who deserved TO
be Yankee:
Inere Is no knowing what he may DO next
At Eaton he was Capt. of the Boats. VI
course, when he arrived at Cambridge, he was
thought sale for the University Eight. Not
bit otit. He went to st Johns: read math-
ematlcs with ayidity; bets We're made that
he would be one of the first six wranelers
He tcasnt He took 10 driving tandem In
his last term, and left the University with
out degree.
SO, OF course, his governor quarrelled with
him. Dick took huff, buried himself in Lon
don chambers, and wrote a novel. 1t was
good. An adventurous publisher gave him
hundred pounds for il. So well did it sue
ceed that the publisher wrote TO offer Dick
five hundred for second. The offer never
reached him. Garibaldi was lust ON the
move for some bold enterprise, and Dick had
started to join him.
When he returned, with two or three bul-
lets IN MIN, he took suddenly to chemistry
ne discovered new detonatmg mixture.
which blew off his whiskers at the moment OF
discovery. Convinced that il was immensely
valuable, he spent almost a week in trying to
persuade the War Office and Admiralty TO
adoptit. The War Minister was busy recon
structing the Navy, and nobody would listen
to Dick. He resolved to offer his invention
to the President of the United States.
On his way out however he made friends
with the manager Of a New York fhearer
who was SO amazed by lis inexhaustible fer
tlllty that he offered him an engagement.
Dick accepted, Of course; but on his first eve
ming in New York he met with an cratic
college friend who was about to try his luck
IN Caniornla Small persuasion needed our
hero to go with him, and the manager yainly
waited breakfast for him next morning. DICK
wassingularly lucky in California, and thought
he should like to go home and see his frit nds !:
but somebody happened to suggest that Chi
na was worth seeing, and off he went thither.
ne speculated rather successfully in tea; and
fnding some rare kinds, determined TO in.
troduce them to the London pnblic and sbnt
up fwming and Antrobus. Home he came
at last with his intent; and, having selected
vast block OF buildings In town which he
thought might do as a tea warehouse, it oe-
Cured to him he might as we'll so down and
see his family. 40 f3K0l9
At this time Dick had never fallen in love.
That busy vivacious brain of his would not
let him. Ha ~A" ned, however to fall IN
to a fair imitation Of that inevitable senti-
ment, the magnetlzing medium being a most
charming young lady, with hom he travelled
down towards his fathers place In Gloucester
shire. She was very young and very raante
and seemed to know all the people he used to
poor Dick. They were tete-d-tete in the rail-
way carriage and he positively made a pro-
SAL
More amazing still Is the fact that tho little
girl wash at all shocked, and promised to ac-
cept him ii their respective relations consent
ed, ia 93 sa
And then. in course OF more familiar collo-
guy, it came out VINO ne was, and that she not
only knew his people, but was going to his
governors house.
They don't expect me, quoth Dick, rather
ashamed: 'Pm only just back from Chi
na.' EEEgg .1E
Never mind, DEAR said the young lady.
lovingly; they'll be charmed to see you, and
the carriage Is coming for me-
: So they drove home together through the
bright antumnal moonlight, Dick thinking he
had been lucky to fiud chf rming wife SO easily
on his return. Bntlhe was very pieasantly
welcomed by everybody, and his kind old ia
ther being delighted to receive his desultory
son again. 24 tA-
But Dick Desultor, esquire, was rather chae-
rined to find that the pretty girl he had been
wooing was his own youngest sister, whom he
had left baby in long clothes, and who had
Just reached the malriageable and mischey-
ious age. She had recognized tile poor boy by
his talk, and had served him pretty trick.
However he got over it, and they iound him
very .ifce substitute. She may tame him
down in time, perhaps. He has given up the
tea-trade long ago, and is engaged (snce Oc-
toDer 20) in the construction of a war-bal-
loon. sfiafF Ysgr,,s,.a g[F1s"'-.,G
p. She has just called to say that he is
engaged to write play for Mr.. Blackstone"