Litchfield enquirer., 1875-01-07
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WHOLE NO. 2588.

me. only answered yours. I fear, my good friend, that we are the victims of hoax.
 ssHoax! Let me see the man that dar- ed to hoax me-" cried Old George, in rage. "Only let me catch hold of him. But no, there can be no hoax; the attalr resolves itself into coincidence, that's all a coincidence, and, permit me to think, fortunate one"
 So saying, Old George having first put his hand to his mouth, to see perch ance if his teeth were in their places, de- iberately kissed MT. Villiers, staidly, and with a good of smack.
 Now 1t was at this very moment of all others that young Fitzgerald, in agony from the acute pain produced by sharp stone he was kneeeling upon, withdrew his support for second from Nina. The latter lost her balance, and, her feet catch ing in the skirts of her habit, she fell for ward among the branches, producing no little noise in her fall The elderly lovers on the bench jumped out of their tender embrace with wonderful alacrity, Mrs. Villers leaning against tree with cover ed face and in great agitation, while old George, shaking his cane in a threaten ing manner, approached the covert.
 ''Take care!' exclaimed Mrs. Villiers at this this juncture; it may be your friend the bear got loose."
 "Old George" paused. He was not deficient in courage, but it might be a wild animal, and he had only a walking cane.
 At this moment, struck by a happy thought, his dutiful son in the bushes gave vent to growl so ominous that old George stepped back few paces in alarm while Mrs. Villiers fairly ran away down the walk, screaming as she went.
 Fitzgerald, who had been. promising pupil of professional gentlemen who could initiate all the animals of the farm yard, improved the occasion to send Q parting growl after her, and with such Ot- feet that Old George too fairly turned tail, and with, as his son remarked, small blame to him. H r
 But we must get out of this at once, Nina,' he said, for there is the governor roaring for the keepers, and they will be down directly. Hark to him! The bear IS loose! the bear is loose! take care of yourselves! Just what we will do, my Pater.'
 He scrambled out of his uncomfortable position without loss of time, and with Nina. They hurried away in the opposite direction until they got we'll out of sight when they climbed the terrace and walked unconcernedly to their horses On the way they passed number of gardeners and keepers, armed with scythes and pitchforks, making toward the bears den, and as they cantered by the Constabulary Barracks they saw detachment of police getting quickly under arms for the pur- pose of shooting poor bruin. Of Mrs. Villiers or Old George they saw nothing, and did not stay to inquire as to their whereabouts.
 Dear aunt said Nina, few days after these occurrences, l love George Fitz- gerald
 'Hoity- toity! is the girl mad? cried Mrs. Villers. Hove in a cottage, indeedr
 But you will give us an income, aunt; for you are dear, good, kind aunt said Nina, coaxingly. -....s. s That won't not one penny?
 What, aunt! Not if tell the bear in the Geological GardensY said Nina, arch ly.
 Mrs. Villiers changed color, and left the room abruptly.
 The same day young George was walk ing down Kildare Street with old Geo. ge,' arm in arm.
 Sir said the younger gentleman, T am going to marry my cousiny'
 "The deuce you are! cried Old George stopping short. Not if know it. You shall marry Mrs. Mustard, or no one.'
 See here, Sir! said the son, decidedly, If you don't approve of the march, I'll complain to the bear in the Geological Gardens.
 Old George stared at his son aghast. Then he darted into his club with an agil- ity surprising for one of his years.
 There were many cogitations between Mir. Fitzgerald and Mrs. Villiers after this and much business with lawyers. but it all ended in the marriage of the cousins, who went to India upon a comfortable in come allowed them by Old George and Mrs. Villiers. For these two also became one some time afterward, to the amuse- ment of all their friends, and as George the younger wrote homo from Hugger- mugger in the East Indies, If Ursa Major did Rot smile on their nuptials, he should have done so.' To which Old George retorted, 'that he found less of the bear in his welded state than he expected and is, in fact, upon the whole, much in- debted to that animal.