Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-12-18

3 !.
to the Dog and Pheasant.
Throughout the neighborhood OF Lon
ION the old families have well nigh dis
appeared They have migrated, and sold
their estates and mansions to wealthy
ira lesmen, who live In the old aeats in
TAR grander style than did the plnin coun-
try squires.
Ringwood had belonged to the family
Of Ringwood for three hundred years,
then came spendthrift, then rash
speculation, bad times, finally q breakup.
! Squire Ringwood was obliged TO sell his
ancestral estate and manor house, and It
/ was bought by the Tottenhams Of the
ilrm OF Tottenham & Sons, Oxford street,
One day there arrived at the Dog and
Pheasant a gentleman Of engaging ex-
terror and manners. He wore d black
frock coat that fitted him admirably
lavender pants, and kid gloves, q crimson
ribbon round his throat Glorie do
Dion rose in his buttonhf lc. His name
he showed his cards--Mr Algcrnon
Beaufort. lie had u delicate complexion
and u slight cough, He came into tho
country because he had been ordered
country cir, and to Ringwood because
Ringwood was prescribed as specially
sal 1brious.
He strolled about the neighborhood for
day or two and found it dull--an end
less tract Of London clay, broken by old
tile pits and puddles. In time one may
have too much of good thing; II takes
very little time to have enough of Lon
don clay.
Mr.. Beaufort, standing In the bar,
drawing on his gloves, with his elegant
| lavender legs wide apart, asked IL 1t were
permissible for strangers to stroll in the
park. The host of the inn hesitated II
was not favor generally accorded, but
IL the gentleman would not mind taking
q message of thanks from him to the
keeper, whose lodge was In the park, for
brace of rabbits he had sent his mis-
sus 1t might serve as an excuse. Then
Mr.. Beaufort could look about him, and
see the trees, and the deer, and the lake;
and the keeper might, perhaps, take him
over the warren.
Mr.. Beaufort was much obliged His
Gloire de Dion was faded, SO he ven
tured to beg n China rose Of the land
lady, which suited his complexion better
even than the Glorie de Dion, assumed
his highly polished hat, curled up at the
side, took his cane, lighted cigar, and
sailed forth. He entered the side gate
OF the main entrance, sauntered about
the well wooded grounds, came to the
keepers lodge, delivered his message,
and asked to be allowed to sit down and
drink glass Of water His appearance,
his complexion, HIS address, struck Mrs.
Redfern as aristocrGtic. She made him
very welcome, entered into conversation
with him, assured MIN that her marriage
had been come down in life, and that,
| though she lived under cottage roof,
she knew what good society was, having
lived in baronial halls. This was little
bit of an exaggeration, but 1t did not
matter. Baronial halls-even when con-
verted by an intlrmity of the speakers,
into 'alls-sounds we'll.
Mr.. Beaufort assured the lady that he
quite believed it. Something in her
speech and bearing struck him as out of
the common when he first saw her. Then
she told him how she had acquired her
finished address and polite bearing. She
had been lady's maid to the Misses
Tottenham, of the great house, one of
whom was now married. The other was
still single, but said to be engaged. 1t
was a sad blow, she said, to old Mr.. Tot
an actress; he was not allowed to remain
In the firm. He was given an annuity,
and did not come to Ringwood.
Sand this, sir, she said, as Trip ap-
peared, "this, sir, is my daughter"
"Your sister, surely" exclaimed Mr.
Beaufort, starting to his feet and bow
ing gracefully, with wavo Of his hat
My daughter, an only child, sir, aged
eighteen"
Impossible, madame"
"Pray be seated urged the flattered
Mrs. Redfern.
"If might offer you some of our mod
est ale and humble cake, sir, or unpre-
tentious biscuits"
"With the highest pleasure. My name
Il ought TO have introduced myself--is
Beaufort" he put card on the table.
"You may chance to know the name; IL
you study the peerage, you will have OBJ
served that there is duke of my name. y
Mrs. Redfern was giddy with excite
ment She whispered to her daughter.
LENA, put on your myrtle green with
coffee trimmings; in it you look bcauti-
fullest" Then she fastened to produce
cake, biscuits, glasses, and Jug Of ale
and place them on the little table under
the balcony of the picturesque cottage.
After pause, and the eating Of bis
cult, Mr.. Beaufort said:
$50 you, my dear madame, were lady's
maid at Ringwood. A position of great
responslbilty-next to that Of the butler,
the most
"Respon ibilityr' exclaimed Mrs Red
fern, II should think SO. I've had thou
sands Of pounds worth of jewclry pass
through my hands. Ny young ladies
were awful careless, and left their
brooches, and bracelets, apd necklaces
about. I've had times out of mind to put
them away for them. didn't think it
right that they should DO left littering
anywhere.
"And where did you put them away,
madame9''
I'm morocco cases, locked in n jewel
box, which was kept in the wardrobe.
But there is not quito 60 much now as
was, as the eldest of the young ladies ia
married, and took hers away with herr
81 suppose the plate of the family must
be superb9"
''Seup-crb ain't the word for it, said
Mrs, Redferif.
What sore 5f q gentleman now, is tho
butlerr'
"Mr. Thomson. Oh, polished as his
plate"
! would IL be possible for yoa N 500