Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-01-02
A CHRISTMAS NIGHTS ADVENTURE.
BY EDMUND III. YATES.

The adventure which | am about
30 relate is the only one that | really
ever had. Some people are perpet-
ually having adventures they never
go anywhere or do anything, without
being placed III most peculiar posi-
tions by wonderful combinations of
circumstances. My friend Vavasour
Pelham rejoices principally in anna
tory adventures, and his experiences
are full of raven tresses, flashing eyes,
exchange of love tokens, dark nights,
stolen meetings, with concluding hints
of sharp poniards and ya"ning sacks
whereas little Griggs never returns to
the Draft aud Docket Office after his
months ramble on the Continent
without having been crushed by ava
lanches III Switzerland, seized and car
RED away to the mountains by brigands
in Italy, and, in the back slums of
Paris, put into wonderful beds which
sink through the floor and deposit HIM
in some blood stained cellar, whence
ae is only rescued by his own personal
yalor and acquaintance with the noble
art of selt-defence. But to me these
things have never happened | have
never seen an avalanche except from
a safe distance, never met brigand
except upon the stage. and never found
anything in the beds of Paris worse
than--you know what and yet have
had one adventure in my life, and this
IS how it occurred:
A few years since mo matter how
many; suffice il to say that at the time
/ was unacquainted with rates and
taxes and the price of babies shoes y,
finding that, owing to there having
been n death in the family where |
usually dined on Chrstmas-day, our
annual gathering would not take place,
and being rather used up and over,
fatigued, determined to take a holi-
day and spend the Christmas out of
town. The resolution once made, the
difficulty was to decide upon a destlna
ton, and with blank face looked
through the list of invitations | had
received. First and foremost | found
the noble name of Dunsinane-his
Grace the Duke of Dunsinaue, who is
now keeping open house at his magni-
ticent castle, 1.-THE Haggis, Renirew.
shire. | was acquainted with his
Grace's younger brother, the Hon.
Malcolm Macbeth, and was sure of
polite reception. Should l go down to
these noble people, Should | put up
with a bachelors bed room on the
fourth story of the castle2--a bed room
bell-less and uncomfortable. INTO which
the wind whistles and the Scotch mist
peuetrates in which | should have to
climb on to the bed when there was
occasion TO open the door. and where
the domestic rat would hold his nightly
reyels Should | consort with the
company there assembled, making up
nay mind to bear old General Blanquo's
blunt vulganty and Young Captain
Fleance's lisping impertinence Could
| endure Sir Hercules McNab' ancestry
and Lady Cawdor's rheumatism
Should |, surrounded by all the Dun
shame males and followed by all their
gillies, stamp and struggle over barren
moOrs or should |, extended on my
stomach, in the words of the lyric poet,
follow the stag from ms slippery
crag, and chase the bounding roe, no,
no, no, no Finally, while the noble
company was fuddling itself over claret
and teddy after its hard days sport,
should | make mirth for it should |
be funny, sharp, smart, witty, in my
usual agreeable manner n Is. This
being expected of me, as payment for
my board and lodging, / being regard
ed by all present MS q rather superior
Jack pudding. No! that last thought
decided me to the Haggis | would not
gol