The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-08-06
THE RED FLAG At NO. 81.


Cousin Ned from California, Nevada,
New Mexico, and all other places be.
yond the Rocky mountains, has been
paying us a visit. You know Just what
a Jolly good soul Ned always was. and
he Is Just as jolly now-as why should
he not be, with an income OF six or seven
thousand yearp Beside that my poor
Georges eighteen hundred hides its
diminished head. He is handsomer than
ever, too--the same merry brown eyes
and chestnut hair; but, in addition,
an appearance, an air so altogether
distingue that our neighbors all
20 to their windows to gaze after
him. Well, do you know, the mo-
ment he appeared set my heart on him
for our dear old friend Adelaide, who
shall not waste her sweetness on the
desert air if can help 1t. You know
! always had q fancy for matchmaking,
though. to confess the truth, / have
never yet scored success in that line;
my two predestined aflinities always fly
off at tangent Just rs fatter myself
it is uu fait accompli. (You will per.
ceive have not forgotten quite all the
French we learned together at the River
side seminary, Notwithstanding my
years of devotion to pies and puddings.
/ will keepa little of IL out OF respect
for the memory of poor Mademoiselle
Laurent who worked so hard TO drill il
into me).
Rut Adelaide and Ned have been cor.
responding year or two; he speaks ol
her with great respect-as how could lie
otherwise, of courseP-and / have
fondly hoped that his mission to the
East may have more relation to the
ffasx Of tha hoart fhan IN mi mi,
stocks, rs he pretends.
Well, soon after his arrival three
weaks ago, Ned and / were sitting in
the dining-room alone; the children
had started for school, and George had
kissed me and gone downtown, after
an hours talk with Ned about ranches,
and burros, and gulches, and canons.
Now that was alone with our visitor
the conversation took confidential
turn, bordering on the sentimental. and
In pursuance of the idea uppermost in
my mind, told him l thought il
mysterious, providential, that he had
not fallen victim to some bonanza
princess, or some bewitbing senorita
with no dover but her beauty.
"And by the way" went on, what
was ever the trouble between you and
the captains daughterP"
You remember of course, Julia, how
much we heard at the time about that
affair-how during the war 1 used to
read to you, even during study bours,
the letters l had received from brother
Jim, stationed at Fortress Monroe,
giving the details. in Jim's rather
satirical style, of the serious Irritation
In progress between Lieutenant Ned,
OF Company @, and Captain Daring
toms pretty daughter, OF the regularsf
And afterward, how some way a
shadow came between them-nobody
could tell how, only that Ned was
hasty. and had exaggerated ideas of a
mans prerogatives, perhaps, and Miss
Darlington proud and shyp So 1t was
forgotten.
And now this same lieutenant, after
nair-breadth escapes from shot and
shell, and scalping Apaches, sat there
in an easy chair by my Baltimore
heater and actually turned pale because
l mentioned the Captains daughterl"
Love Is indeed la grande passion.
He had nothing to communicate,
however; bade me consider that we
were always great fools at twenty-one,
and likely at that time to get caught in
a trap, or, on the other hand. to throw
our chances of happiness away, Just a.
it chanced to be; he became silent, and
had not the heart to rally him as he
sat there watching the floating smoke
of his cigar with far-off look in his
eyes-knowing as l did that he had
gone back fifteen years. and that he was
walking the moonlight beach with
pretty Lottie Darlington. while the
band OF the regiment played In the dis
tance.
From the sublime TO the ridiculous
It Is always my fate, dear Julia. Bar
ney, the factotum of the neighborhood,
tapped at the window, and as I raised
the sash, "a foine morning, num-" said
he; there's red flag out at Number
81, and thought I'd be after comm to
tell ye. 'Tis foine house, and foine
Teddy, more's the pity" You see
Barney knows my weakness, and he
had seen me few days before an ami
mated bidder at an auction in the
neighborhood. THANK you, Barney
think I'll be on hand" replied, clos
Ing the window.
"a foine leddy," to be sure; had
often met her-a fair-faced woman,
plainly and tastefully dressed, walking
with two charming children. Her
house seemed the abode of peace and
comfort, 30 far as the passer-by could
Judge, and what could have compelled
the breaking up OF so cosy an establish
msntP At all events / would not stop
10 speculate-it was possible here was
my opportunity to secure a handsome
sideboard at a bargain. As wished
10 be on hand In time TO look through
the house before the sale began, asked
Ned to have the goodness to excuse me
for an hour or so.
"Oh, l will 60 with you, Mrs. Too
dies" said he. quite gayly, and ran up
stairs for his hat and cane.
So of we went to No. 81, where the
flaming flag announced the desecration
of household gods. We were admitted
by the man In charge OF the sale; and
such a charming abodei Not n down
right curiosity shop, the effect OF deco
rative art run mad, but such taste and
ingenuity everywhere visible. People
with shrewd, bard faces, boarding
house keepers, secondhand men,"
eyeing the engravings and pretty water
colors on the parlor wall, running their
greasy fingers over the keys OF the piano,
turning chairs topsy-turvy, and shaking
tables TO see how firm on their legs they
might be. In the bay window was a
large stand of beautiful thrifty plants OF
which I resolved to carry of at least
half. The two floors above were neat
and pleasant; but 1t was the second
story back that wrung my heart. II
was the NURSERY. Toys and personal ar
ticles had OF course been removed. but
there was n pretty little bed beside the
large one. and two cunning little rock
ing-chairs. The windows looked on
on pleasant garden. and here was sit
ting old Mrs. Wiggan, with whom
had little acquaintance.
"Sueh a charming house." said !
"e |. not pity to break up this prett.