The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-09-16

to my own, was glad enough to accept the
advances towards conversation which
were made to me, in a cordial manner
Presently Paterfamilias chimed in; and
then the eldest girl asked some question
about picture, which was referred to me
and so in little while | found myself
chatting away indifferently with the
whole party They were a very difideni
family, at least so far as opinion of their
own Judgment about works of art went
for they listened to my crude observations
with a respect which seemed almost
tinged with awe. / was cautions at first
fearing lest the young man with silky hair
might be either painter or soldier; but
when | found that he was perfectly ignO-
rant about the things represented, and the
merit of the representations, launched
out. 1t is not often that commonplace
dweller in the provinces finds an apprecia-
tive audience, and it is therefore just as
we'll for him to make the most of the OPP
portunity when he does.
The time slipped pleasantly away, till
/ it was necessary for me to go and adOrn
myself for Tibbit's banquet; and then /
took cordial leave of my new acquaint-
/
/ though | deserved Victoria Cross myself,
for had | not stormed the reserve of a re-
spectacle British family? | rather wished
that they had gone away first, and so af-
forded me an opportunity of looking at
the visitors book, and finding out what
their names were especially the
Christian name of the elder
of the two young ladies, who
had peculiar droop of the eyclids and a
certain disnple on the left check when she
smiled, which made me feel that perhaps |
had been wrong to put off from year to
year the crOwning of the edifice by the
election of Mrs. Stumps. POoh,-pooh
absurd; was as old as her mother! But
o my heart is an evergreen and would
not be pooh-poOhed,
But however fresh the heart may be, it
is apt, after beating for forty years, to find
a powerful rival in the stomach and | GER
tainly forgot all about smiles and dimples
when the table napkin was across my knees.
Tibbit has not many merits, but he does
understand how to order dinner, and the
artist OF the Apician can execute that or
der in manner to satisfy the most exact
inc gourmet. In the smoking room after
wards, however, those dropping eyelids
came back upon me, and l spoke of the
acquaintances | had picked up, to Tibbt.
''Very curious, their showing such read
mess to be friendly with a complete stran-
ger, was it not?" | observed
VERY" replied Tibbit. "The younger
man said nothing about the game of skit-
ties, | suppose 2"
"Absurd.'
"Ncither did the cheerful father propose
subscribing seventy-tive pounds to hos
pital, if you would put down another
twenty-five to make up hundrcd-eh ="
Tibbit has most absurd conceit of the
wisdom of the dwellers in cities, and sup
poses taat man who, like myself, is for
the greater portion of the year " buried"
as he calls it, in the deepest wilds of the
agricultural counties, must be ready to
fall an easy prey to the first sharper who
chooses to bait a hook for him. But, eX-
cept in gastronOmy, Tibbit is shallow
My reason for making my home so far
from London is, that cannot afford to
CRAFTY my passion for field-sports on any
other terms. The hire of Il moor is also
quite beyond my means, so, when trout
fishing ends, it is a dead season for me till
September and at the time L am speaking
of, | was therefore "On the rampage"
This unsettled period comprised a month at
Scarborough (spent), three weeks in Lon
don, two of which had also expired, and
the rest of the time in Paris, or at one of
the gay German baths. So seven days
after Tib BITS dinner, | went to London
Bridge S alton to catch the tidal train, and,
in onseIuence of three separate and
distinct bioc Ks on the road, nearly missed
it.
Look sharp, sir, and I'll manage it for
YOU First class? All right, sir. Take
the pOrtmanteau in the carriage with you?
Two places; here you are"
Moralists may write what letters to the
Times they like, Int that porter deserved
his shilling | should certainly have had
to 90 back ingloriously to my hotel, and
remain there till next day, if he had not
been remarkably spry. The guard was
whistling shrilly, and some official was
calling out to another that all was right
behind, as the tipped one showed my port
manteau under the scat; and when
pumped down, painting, and he slammed
the door to, the train was actually in
motion.
When | ceased to be n flurried package,
and grew capable of observing, | dis
covered that the four occupied seats be-
sides my own were filled by my acquaint-
ances OF the Victoria Cross Gallery, minus
the young man with silky hair. | greeted
them, and they returned my salutations
most cordially. The droopingeye one
was sitting next to me, and was faced by
her mother, to whom, of course, directed
my conversation, not, however, with the
same complete success which had attended
my efforts to interest her on the former
occasion, as her mind seemed to be much
occupied with a peculiar class of phe-
nOmena
"I beg your pardon" she observed, soon
after we were clear of the station, "yOu
are next the window, can you tell me If
the smoke from the chimneys is going
straight up?"
Not quite" I replied; it is waving
about, as smoke usually does''
Soon we were in the open country,
and then she put another question. care
the trees still, or swaying to and fro?"
"They seem pretty quiet, | think" said
/ /, wondering.
/ And then Paterfimilias leaned forward,
and spoke of some matter about which he
had been reading,-a Times article
His wife soon interrupted us. "There
is windmill somewhere about here" she
said, ION the left"
40 yes; can see il" l replied, looking
out of the window.
"Tell me, 0, do tell me, is it going
round?"
"No," said I, beginning to think her
rather cracked. ut is quite quiet; nc
grinding going on to-day"
/ suppose that the young lady sitting
next to me saw bewildercd and curious
expression on my face, for she offered an
interpretation " Mamma breads sca-sick
ness during the crossing so very much,
she said, "and takes great interest in thu
wind.
"Ol" cried |, much relieved in mind
then ! am glad to say that it seems to bt
very calm"
"Thank goodness :" exclaimed tn,
mother.
What brutes husbands almost invariably
are A man standing in any other relation