Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-04-25

: ried on in the club"
The next evenings post brought him q
lime: ..Too late be brave for ootn our
sakes-H. H. and he promptly gave or
aers to pack up for ride to the equator
lin lawn-tennis shoes, with parcel OF re-
!. fr;oera.ors to sootn the native chiefs WIN
al Morning, however, brought him an
7 nroent invitation to breakfast with his IN.
Gle in Flat A. at which banquent ne 1ouno
himself the solitary guest.
..My boy," said his well-preserved re-
lation. as he began on slice OF melon.
..you did me a great service, and | shant
] forget it. She is really charming;
know YOU will approve of my choice. Art,
your affectionate uncle is about to take I'M
10 his midde-aged but still fascinating
self wife,"
"A what ?"
i "A wife, irreverent nephew; it may
seem foolish to you, PROBABLY is. more es
pecially as don't think she really loves
me 0rue, she doesn't quite know yeti hut
she said yes in fit of pique with some
unknown scapegrace who was PLAYING at
sulks. But then, bless you, understand
women, and love will come all right after
marriage, and now you know what
want. Special license next Saturday. St.
Dunstan's sin the. Lane-old City church.
Won know no crowds and reporters and
fellows to gossip over it-they can do that
in week if they like; and you know
our motto, Nunc aut nunquam y you. my
dear boy, are to be my best mani"
Your what %
"Confound it, sir ! can't you hear? Best
man second best, really" he chuckled.
as be made fair way with reindeer
tongue land you are to square the man
who runs the church. and the organ-grind-
ing chap, and all the rest of it,"
Art had his laugh out; he couldn't help
it, Forgive me, dear uncle. but really
this new departure is so abrupt-however,
FL see you safe through it all ; I'll square
everybody - bridesmaids particularly.
Mile fluctuations! St. Dunstans why
that's old Cantley's church: he was up
with me at Cambridge; capital sort, old
Bob. And now. let me see-yes, you are
not real peer; still you get the license
for the asking. Other people have 70 go
and tell shocking Grams to old men called
dens of the faculty and surrogate who live
in dens in the city and ask STUPID questions.
Then. there's new frock-coat, flower,
lockets for the girls. cake--no, that's her
UtpdTt IIleut LOdSlS, HUGS, tCiCSI ANS
Yes" he added, cheerly, ''it's close
thing, but we can do it, and now I'm eff"
and he got up, "Oh. by the way" he adj
ded. as he turned at the door, You have
not told me the fair ones name"
"Her name!'' said the elder peer, as
he quaffed off his claret and rang for cof-
fee, why, thought you must have
guessed it; Harry Horton. of course"
The door banged as Art leaped rather
than ran down stairs, and Lord Arthur
smiled complacently.
The capital sort,'' the Rev. Robert
Can,ley, NJ. A., was astonished by Art s
abrupt and feverish invasion of him, and
still more so to receive his marching Or
ders for the ensuing Saturday, and to hear
his old ally's Romeo-like romance. Like
a true Friar Laurence, he did his best to
administer ghostly and worldly counsel.
even going to the length of ignoring Art's
muttered imprecations as he pointed out
proverbally that the feminine fish yet re-
naming in the social sea, were fully
equal in flavor and quality to the speci-
mems that had already been, or were about
to be extracted therefrom. But chat fell
flat, admonitions were received with run
ming comments of kind long ago ex-
plunged from his reverence's vocabulary,
and finally he got up.
Look here, Lanton, be man; no
woman's worth fretting over. Do your
duty, don't whine over it, and now pull
yourself together, and come and look at
my church."
The vicar of st. Dunstan' S in-the-L Lane
pointed out the medieval carvings and win
| Inyuc (thn dos af urbi,b oh; aHp
ed Of interlaced noses and tongues, COM
memorative of the founders famous feat, J
the crypts, monuments, cells, fonts, lecterns,
brasses, and rare, thirteenth century
hagioscope, which might have been a
kaleidoscope. for all that Art knew of it's
uses-and the exploring party wound up
at the vestry.
This was a vaulted, octagonal chamber.
Mysterious doors led from it INTO dark
passages; through the dusty ivy that oc-
casionally tapped and tapped against the
wire guarded, stained glass, the sun Just
managed to struggle in colored shafts of
light, full of dancing notes. the very sur
plce that hung on its peg in the corner,
looked like ghost. 1t was queer place
altogether.
And where does that go to, pray ?'
said Art. pointing to a low wooden door,
thickly studded with nails, to reach which,
one had to descend three much worn steps.
That's the penitentiary; you see it
would have been no use setting IMPOSE
tons to the old friars who spent all their
days writing Latin, and precious bad Lat
in. too" said the vicar, land they did all
their swishing themselves; so when they
were in disgrace, or shirked the Second
Lesson, You know. Cart nodded, he did
know,) cor went out of bounds, the abbott
! used to bottle them up in there for bit,
till they were sadder, and wiser and hun
grier monks. Like a peepP" and he
opened the door,
| In the gloom. Art could Just make out a
: table, on which stood a decanter of sherry
and box of Abernethy biscuits.
'Heavy work of a morning sometimes, ~
said the vicar, laughingly, '.when the font
is as full as pool of trout, and the couples
are sorting themselves in pairs to be mar
ried af.erward. Take care! if YOU bang
that door you'll never get out as it shuts
with snap, and take two keys to open.
Fancy being shut up with the spirits OF all
the erring iriars who dolefully counted the
hours and their beads therein centuries
ago.
Art was glad enough to get back to the
vino 20 cro ord falt bntto, 6, =.