Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-05-15
General Miscellany.
DELHI All.

DELILAIi.
Sir Thomas Winton and are fellow
directors of a Company which will new
er, | fear, make the fortunes of either
of us but it pays its way-five per cent
on capital, the salaries of secretary,
clerks, and porter, and the guinea-fees of
the directors, are always punctually
forthcoming. Now, it is a singular fact,
that however well off II man may be, II
guinea always has an attraction for
him and Sir Thomas Winton, when in
town, is very regular in his attendance
at the Board.
The charms of general conversation
are not unknown ut those social bust
ness gatherings, and Sir Thomas and
often discuss our favorite topics. He is
a sporting character; my hobby is the
drama. If open the conversation,
politely affect an interest in Derby pros
poets mention the Middle Park sale of
ycarlings or inquire tenderly after the
baronets patridges and pheSants. If,
eon the other hand, it is Sir Thomas who
takes the lead, he inquiries what think
of the last new French adoption put up
egl the London stage. And 80 a certain
intimacy has sprung up between Us.
Are you anything of shot, Mr.
Chevers - Sir Thomas asked me one
day early in last July.
- | am very much out of practice |
replied; "but used to be Il fair average
performer with the gun some years ago.
When ] get an odd day now, | am apt
to be too anxious"
AT any rate, YOU are fond of sport ?''
Very"
Then you must come down to my place,
and try your hand-will you?'
You are very kind"
And you like a day or two's hunt
ing for a change will give you Il
mount"
"Thank you; shall be most hap
py."
You will not mind coming rather
late in the season? We generally have
houseful of young people in Novem-
Der, and | keep some covers unbeaten
for the occasion. And if we have a
touch Of frost, there will be some
snipe."
thanked Sir Thomas Winton again
and thought no more Of the matter,
Invitations Of that kind are 50 very
rife after luncheon-sherry being a
heart-expanding tluid-and are so often
forgotten, that L never expected to
hear again of this one. was quite sur
prised, therefore, when a kind letter
from Sir Thomas came in November, re-
Winding me of my promise to come and
stay with him, and fix the day.
so | went down to WintOn and found
that Sir Thomas had a very good notion
of fitting up country-hOuse. Every
bedroom had a dressing room attached
with bath in it, and hot and cold wat
er laid on and warm bath before din
ner, after violent exercise, is one of the
greatest luXuries in the sybarite's list
Then the breakfast arrangements were
capital: guests entered the room at any
hour they pleased, rang the bell, and
ordered what they liked, just as if they
were at hotel. But all this, which i
common enough in large English coun-
try-house do not give the idea of comfort
wish to convey, and which consisted in
the ease and smOothness with which all
the wheels of the household turned
hospitality; but if you wanted any.
thing, you got it ut once, without trouble
or delay.
But l am anticipating. l have only
just reached the house at present. Sin
Thomas WintOn was widOwer, and
his present family consisted of two
daughters, somewhere between eighteen
and thirty and son in the Lancers, now
at home on leave. There were several
guests besides myself: Captain Seymour
brother officer of young WintOn's
with suspected desire of forming an
other fraternal connection with him
Paddy" O'Brian of the Foreign Office
sort of social Crichton; and others. o.
the farler visitors, need only mention
one, Ada Dart, for what man of SOUND
mind could notice any other girl when
she was in the room? Well, Captain
Seymour could do so, but then he was
infatuated and not of sound mind-suf
fering from younger Miss WintOn on
the brain, in fact. 1t surprised me very
much to see the beautiful Ada sail into
the draWlng-room before dinner on the
evening of my arrival. l had met hel
mt q dinner party and three balls; haC
attended her with grateful humility
throughout the whole of a picnic, ant
her image rose before me rather NOR,
often than liked. 1t is very unpleas
ant to be haunted by face; to see i
whenever you smoke a quiet solitary
pipe; when you lean back and shu
your eyes in a railway-carriage wheI
you are trying to get to sleep at night
! really do not know which is worst,
have a beautiful woman or a tune run
ing In your head.
or course was not in that absur,
state which the ancients style enam
ored, and the moderns 'spoony )" an
free from such an extreme of weakness
But to certain sort of attraction, O
fancy, or admiration, / must plead gull
ty. Marriage is a state which is consid
cred by many hard-headed practica
men to have its advantages, and it di
occur to me that if ever tested them, i
would be rather pleasant to do so il
partnership with Ada Dart.
had M idao fb of oha vya, q,
with the Wintons, and her unexpecte