Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-09-06
.AINARROM ESCAPE.


Col. Augustus Chopleigh, late oil
her maiesty's Indian army, lives in
a stately retirement upon his snug
little estate in one OF the spleasantest
of the home counties. From an out
sider's point of view the colonel
seemed to possess most things
which are generally considered Ito
Constitute mundane happiness. His
liver had survived pawnees, curries
and a tropical sun intact; his in
come was ample (; he belonged 20
two or three good London clubs; he
had an excellent cellar of wine !; he
was a j. p, respected by his neigh
bors and worshipped by his tenants;
and he rode to cover on the best OF
cattle. Yet With'alI this, the i.oionel
bad two eterhall y grifinifl & skeletons
Thehfa VAS 5Rsa apossesMoiT ofga
neier- -do-weel SON, and the second
was shei innn-possessien ofa wife, ~
noA ugustus Chopleigh, jr., although
Il rie'er-dOlweel in the-eyes Ola par
ent who was more ridgid and prez
else than are. most gentlemen who
have the atmosphere. of barracks
and environments during the best
part OF their lives, was, after all, but
an ordinary everyday young
man.n lHe'betted a little, il Is true !;
he belonged to ahelub where play
was sometime high of an evening /;
he could drink his claret like a man |;
he was a connoisseur in cigars; he
possessed two or three long tailor's
bills. and he was given to staying
in town for a week at a time. Still.
after all, what could be expected OF
a lhigh-spirited young fellow who
had received q, first-rate. education,
and was therefore untitled for any
serious walk in life; who was good
looking, who dressed well, who
found life at stately Dunn Dunn
Hail little nonotonous at times.
and who had handsome annual
allowance? sses
But in the eyes of the colonel all
these little peculiarities were helm
Gus crimes, and the poor old gentle!
man, as he pondered in the solitude
of what he called his study" saw
very clearly that unless the young
man was settled in life with we'll
bred, well connected girl, he would
infallibly follow, at headlong pace,
that broad road which lead to de-
Often alone at Dunn Dunn Hall,
deprived OF the society OF his son,
and not caring very especially for
that society when offered, it was
hardly to be wondered at, that the
colonel yearned for a suitable part
ner in his exile.
The memory OF the departed Mrs.
Chopleigh could hardly be said to
be yet green, for she had succumbed
TO an aggravated attack Of jungle
fever some twenty years before,
when Augustus, jr.. was but strip
ling i'm plaid dresses and bare legs.
1t might be said that the remedy
was easy. Why didn't the colonel
take unto himself a second Mrs.
Chopleigh? There were plenty OF
spinsters who would have
jumped at an offer from such
active, wealthy gentle.
man, who was little beyond the
prime of life. There was, however,
an almost inYincible obstacle. Un.
like most military men, Col. Chop
leigh was painfully shy, perhaps re-
Of the departed Mrs.
ChoDleigh, who was known as the
Dunn Dunn Tartar, had driven out
the youthful assurance which had
won her; at any rate, the f1utter of
a petticOat awakened feelings with
in the gallant colonel's breast which
were not TO be stirred by a horde of
yelling, mutinOus Sepoys, or by the
stiffest bulffinch in the county. He
had loved at a distance score of
times, but he had never placed him
self within speaking reach OF the OBJ
jects Of his affection.
Suddenly matters took different
turn. "a
A young lady OF strikingly pre-
possessing appearance = Millicent
Vanjohn, only daughter Of the Rev.
Aloysius Vanjohn, the only vicar.
had been espied by the colonel pro-
ceetling up the lane which ran par
aIIei with his grounds, as he paced
along his favOrite shrubbery walk.
Being on his own property had in
apired him with courage, he had
gazed at her and she had blushed
and looked down. He hurried into
The house and shut himself up in
his study.
li"ram fifty-fivo." he said to him.
self. ..Iam-well, i am well look
lng 81 my waistcoat is of decent
girth; / have good complexion !;
and a man Is only as old as he feels.
Why sh0uldn'tI? Imay be called
an old fool. Well. there are plenty
of older fools q in the world, vel
Il will 70. - -
= Miss Vanjohn was walkmt II tiss
Identical spot d the identicalk fsonri