Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-05-30
A NARROW ESCAPE.
Another Amu~iu- Yarn all the way
from IN aianG.

Colonel Augustus Choplcigh, late Of
Her Majesty's Iudian Army, lived il
stately retirement upon his snug little es
tate in one of the pleasantest of the home
counties. From IN outsiders point OF
view, the Colonel seemed to possess mos
things which are generally considered tc
constitute mundane happiness. His liv.
er had survived pawnets. curIies, and d
tropical sun intact ; his income was am
pie he belonged to two or three good
London clubs he had an excellent cellal
of wine he was q ]. p. respected by his
neiGhbora and worshipped by his tenants
and he rode to cover on the best of cattle,
Yet with all this, the Colonel had two
eternally grinning skeletons in his cup
board.
The first was The possession Of ne'er.
do-weel son, and the second Was tue non
possession of a wife.
Augustus Chopleigh. iunior, although
ne'cr.do-weel Ill the eyes of a parent
who was more rigid and precise than are
most gentlemen who have breathed the
atmosphere of barracks and environments
during the best parts of their lives, was,
after all, but an ordinary, "every-da
young man" He betted little, it is
true; he belonged to IL club where play
was sometimes high of an evening lie
eould drink his cluret like man; he wae
a connolsseur III cigars he possessed two
or three long tailors' bills and he was
given TO staying in town sometimes for II
week at time. Still, after ALL what
could be expected of hgh-spirited
young fellow who had received first-rate
education, and was therefore untitled for
any serious walk i'll life who WAS good
looking, who dressed we'll, who found lii,
ct stately Dunn DUN Hill little mouut-
onous at times, and who had Il handsome
annual allowance :?
But in the eyes of the Colonel all these
little peculiurltles were heIuuus crimes
and the poor old gentleman, as he pom.
sered III the solitude of what he called
his study, saw very clearly that unless
Tie youhB man Was settled IN life with +,
well-bred, well-couuecttd girl, he wnuld
ihiaIllbly follow at headlung pace, thai
broad road which lra-s to destruction.
Often alone at Dnm Dunn Hail. de.
prlved OF the society of his son, and not
caring very specially for that sOclrty hen
oneleu, 1t WAS hardly to be wondered M
that the Colonel yeurned for suitable
partner Ill his exile.
Inc memory of the departed Mrs.
Ohoplelgh could hardly be sud To- be vet
green, Tor she had succumbed to an ag-
BfuV"leu attack Of Jungle fever some
twenty years before, when Augustus.
junior, was but stripping in plaid dress.
en- ana bare legs. 1t might be said that
me remedy Was easy. Why didn't the
colonel take unto himself second Mrs.
ono .Jipgh There were plruly of eliyi-
Die splhsters WHO would have iumped M
an Ofltr from such fiesh-faced. active.
wealthy gentleman, who was but little
beyond the prime of life. Th, re was,
now yer, sn almost invincible obstacle
Ike most military men, Colonel Clop-
lelght was painfully shy; perhaps re-
membrances Of the departed Mrs. Chop
le'8h who was known as the Dunn Dunn
tartar, hhd drlven out tie youthful as
surance which had won her at anv rate,
the iutter of pettlcoat awakened feel.
lngs within the gallant Coonels breast
whlch were not to be stirred by horde
OF yelling, mutinOus Sepoys, or by the
stitfest bullfnch in the county He had
loved at distance a score of times, but
had never placed himself within speak,
ing reach of the various objects of his
affection.
Suddenly matters took different turn.
young lady of strikingly progresses.
ing appearance-Millicent Vanjohn, only
daughter OF the Rev. Aloysius Vanjohn,
the only vicar-had been espied by the
Colonel proceeding up the lime which ran
parallel with his grounds, as he paced
along his favorite shrubbery walk. Being
on ms own property had inspired him
with courage lie had gazed at her, and
she had blushed and looked down. He
hurried into the house, and shut himself
up in his study.
~ am fifty-fve, he said to himself.
II am-well, 1 am well looking nv
walstooat IS OF decent girth have q
good complexion and a man is only az
old as he feels. Why shouldn't L? /
may. be called an old fool. Well, there