Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-15

tonholder / was in search Of. IF Mr..
Gascoigne ana Lord Chestnut be not one
and the same person, then must Nature
in their case have done what she very
rarely does-duplicated her handiwork"
"lhis is most extraordinary most as
toundingl' gasped the rector. "You did
not say Il word of your discovery to Mrs.
Jcnricki"
Papa, what do you take me for?"
With that Margery ran up stairs and
presently reappeared with the number
of The Buttonholder containing the car
toon of the Earl of Chestnut, which she
gavo to her father.
The rectors hands trembled little as
he placed his glasses on his nose. He
gazed at the caricature long and earnest
ly; then he said in his most unctuous,
ecclesiastical tones: ut is quite evident,
my dear, that we have been entertain
ing, not an angel, but peer of the
realm, unawares."
(which have no doubt is much the
same thing in the eyes Of great many
people," said Aargcry, slyly,
The rector turned to the brief notice of
his lordship which accompanied the car
toon.
There is no moro popular member Of
the Four-in-uand club than tho Earl of
CHESTNUT began the notice, land few
more sbillful whips than he have ever
fooled drag between the Magazine and
birmingham. Jimmy as his intimates
delight to call him, is known as first
rate judge of the points OF either race
horse or a collie; and if his knowledge of
human nature hardly equals his knowl-
edge of matters equine and canine, that
is little defect, if we may venture to
call it so, which every added year will
tend to lessen. 1t is an open secret that
his lordship's well known good nature
has been taken advantage Of or more
occasions than one in a way that few
people would be likely to forget, and it
is much to his credit that he seems no
whit soured or rendered misanthropical
by the Bullets he has had to put up with
If, as is well known, he is peculiarly SEN
sitve in respect of a certain physical
popularity, he can plead the example of
one of his country's greatest poets, who
was equally 'touchy' on the score of his
little peculiarly.
That his lordship is much sought
after by match making mammas goes
without saying, seeing that not only is
his rent roll a very handsome one, ana
his property wholly uncncumbered, but
that the accommodations of his long mi
nolity (he came into the title when he
was twelve years old) made up a nest
egg such as, meta phorically speaking
might well cause the mouth of any dow
ager with manageable daughters to
water, and almost justify her in the
adoption of any means which would Sc
cure to one of her brood the position of
wife to its fortunate possessor. So far,
however, his lordship has succeeded in
eludng all the decoys and snares which
have been set for him, although how
long he will continue to do so is probably
is as little known to himself as to any
one"
80! Madcc, my darling" murmured
the rector with deep sign as he laid
down the paper and removed his glasses.
The eyes of father and daughter met.
There was 40 need for another word.
III.
II was a month later, and Mr.. James
GasCOigne, otherwise the Earl of Ches-
hunt, was reclining in an easy chair in
his private sitting room at the Anglers
hest, with his little legs stretched out on
another chair, He was cogitating over
very serious questionable most ser-
Gus, in fact, that had ever confronted
+, i,, 81.
daughter of the rector of Whiteapple,
and the question be was now putting to
himself was: Should he, or should he
not, ask her to become his wife:
He had been hit through his armor
more than once in days gone by, but all
previous hurts had been as scratches in
comparison with the wound he was now
suffering from. He felt that only she
who had inflicted the hurt could heal it;
nowhere else was there any remedy for
him. Dur.n5 the season just over
such n dead set had been made at
him from the matrimonial point of
view, that in sheer disgust-wth
which, it may he, Il little fear
was mingled-he had thrown over two
or three country house engagements in
order to bury himself for a time in this
out Of the way spot, where not Great
ure knew him as other than Mr.. Gas
coiSne."
Yet now it seemed as if he had merely
come here on purpose to court the fate
he had fled from elsewhere. But, then,
how different We're the circumstances,
At length the secret dream of his life
seemed on the eve of reaIization-hls
dream Of winning the heart of some
sweet girl who would care for him, for
himself alone. And he felt nearly sure
that he had so won the heart of Mar
gerry t'ermor. Half unconsciously he
repeated to himself the laureate's lines:
II my heart by signs can tell,
Maiden have watched thee daily,
And think thou lov'st me- we'll
That he was desperately enamored was
not to be denied, and yet he shrank, with
a feeling OF tiInidity of which he was
half ashamed, from taking the final
| plunge But things could not go on
Il. Il.