Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-06-06
A NARROW ESCAPE.


stated ? retirement upon his snug little
estate in one of the pleasantest of the
home countries. From an outsiders
point of view the Colonel seemed to
possess most things which are general
Nv considered TO constitute mundane
happiness. His liver had survived
pawnees, curries and tropical sun IN
tact; his income was ample; he be
longed to two or three good London
clubs; he had an excellent cellar OF
wine: he was Justice of the Peace,
respected by his neighbors and wor-
shipped 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 the
cupboard.
The first was the possession of
ne'er-do well son, and the second was
the non possession Of wife.
Augustus ChopIeigh, Jr., although
a meier do well in the eyes of parent
who was more rigid and precise than
are naost gentlemen who have breath
ed the atmosphere Of barracks and
cantonment during the best part OF
their lives, was, after all, but an or
binary every day young man" lie
bettered little, it is true, ne belong
cd to club where play was sometimes
high of an evening; he could drink
his oIaret like man he was con
noisseur in cigars; he was giving to
staying in town sometimes foI week
at a time. Still, after all, what could
be expected Of n hIgh-splrlted young
fellow who had received Il first rate
education, and was therefore untitled
for any serious walk III life. who dress
cs we'll, who found life at stately Dunn
Dunn Hall little monotonous at
times, and who had u handsome an
nual allowance.
But in the eyes Of the Colonel all
these little pccullaritics were heinous
crimes, and the poor old gentleman,
rs he pondercd in the solitude Of what
he called his study" saw very clear
ly that unless the young man was set
tied in life with well bred, well con
nected girl, he would infaIlbly fol
low, NJ hcadIong pace, that broad
road which leads to destruction.
Often aIonc ut Dunn Dunn Hall,
deprived of the society of his son, and
not caring very specially for that so
ciety when offered, it was hardly to be
wondered ut that the Colonel yearn-
cd for suitable partner in hls exile.
The memory of the departed Mrs.
ChopIeIgh could hardly be said to be
vet green, for she had succumbed to
an aggravated attack of jungle fever
some twenty years before, when
Augustus, ,Ir., was but a STRIPPING IN
Al, Il, al ,, lt
he said that the remedy WAS easy.
Why didn't the Colonel take unto
himself II second Mrs. ChopIelgh3
There were plenty of eligible splnsters
who would have jumped mt an offer
from such II fresh faced. active,
wealthy gentleman, WHO was little
beyond the prime of life. There was,
however, an almost invincIble
obstacle. Unlike most military men,
Colonel Choplcigh was painfully shy.
Perhaps remembrance of the depart
ed Mrs Choplcigh. who was known
rs the Dunn Dunn Tartcr, had driven
out the youthful assurance which
had won her At any rate the tlutter
Of petticoat awakened feelings
within the gallant ColonclS breast
which were not to be stirred by
horde of yelling, mutinous Scpoys, or
by the stilTest bulliinch in the coun
try. He had loved mt n distance a
score of times, out had never placed
himself within speaking reach of the
various objects of his affection.
Suddenly, matters took Il different
turn.
A young lady of strikingly prepoS-
scssing appearances Milhcent Van
john, only daughter of Rev Aloyslus
Nanjohn, the local vicar-had been
cspied by the Colonel proceeding up
the lane which ran parallel with his
grounds, as lie paced along his favor
ito shrubbcry walk. Beng ON his
own property had inspired him with
couage; he had gazed at her, and she
had blushCd and looked DOWN. He
hurried luto the house and shut him
self up iii his study.
II am fifty five, he said1o himself;
II am we'll, am well look ing; my
waiStcoat is of decent girth; have
good complexion; aud a man is only
as old as he feels. Why shouldn't ]
| may be called an old fool. Well.
there are plenty of older fools in the
WOflu. yes j WILL
Miss Naujohu was walking at the
Identical spot at the identical hour the
next day, aud the next after that, and
SO on for more than week, and each
day the same little dumb comedy was
played Sleeps eyes on the part of the
Colenel, blushing and looking down
on the part of Miss Milliccnt Van
john.
Did Miss Nanjohn walk up that lane
SO regularly with a fixed purpose} OF
course she did.
Punctually ut o'clock every after
teruoon MIR. Augustus Chopleigh, Jr.,
met her ut the top of it. 1t was rath-
err an odd thing to ao-thc daughter
Of well known parSou meeting sub
rosa the son Of IN equally well known
Colonel. The following conversation
explains it:
"Oh, Gus, begin to feel SO awful
~ guilty, meeting you like this, Why
can't VIC love each other openly
There's nothing 10 be ashamed of in
it,"
For more than one reason, my
darling, I've a bad reputation down
here, all fellows have in country
places who go up to town, belong to
club, drive down TO Ascot, take medi-
cinal b. and 5. S and 81 on. If the
old Nlan We're To know that | was
spooning you he'd rush off to your
father and warn him. If your father
were to know he'd rush off to mine
and tell him that | wasn't lit aspir-
ant for the hand of his dughter."
But is your father sNch n terrible
old gentleman, thenW What is he
hkei I've never seen him.
mo. don't suppose you have. He
fights shy OF anything with pet
ticoat on it like the plague I've
known him to cut good run short
because there were ladies along with
him in the same field. and he was
afraid that, in case of accident, he
would have to assist them. He's tall
old fellow, with a fresh complexion
and a gray mustache, and always |
wears shepherds plaid trousers, sum
mer aud winter. Why, what's the
matter2n
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear, Gus, don't |
go on; please don't, or shall die of |
laughing"
''What is there to laugh at in it,