Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-12-24
A NARROW ESCAPE.

AlOi- aux AettI Va
her ma. esty's Indian army, lived in
stately retirement upon his snug little
estate in one of the pleasantest OF the
home counties. IRON an outsiders
point of view the colonel seemed to
possess most things which are gen
orally considered 10 constitute mum
dane happiness His liver had sur
vived pawnees. curries and tropical
sun intact; his income was ample; he
belonged to two or three good London
clubs; he had an excellent cellar OF
wine; he was respected by his neigh
bors and worshiped 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 his cupboard
The first was the possession OF. q
ne'eredo-well son and the second was
the possession of a wife
Augustus Clopleigh. ir.. although n
ne'er-dc- well in the eyes OF parent
who was more rigid and precise than
the most gentlemen who have breathed
the atmosphere of barracks canton
ments during the best part OF their
lives was after all but an ordinary
every day young man. He bet a
little it is true; he belonged to club
where play was sometimes high of an
evening; he could drink his claret like
a man; he was a connoisseur in
cgars; he possessed two or three long
taigors' bills and he was given to
staying in town sometimes for week
at time.
Still after all what could be ex-
pected of high-spirited young fellow
who had received first-rate educa-
ton and was therefore untitled for
any serious walk in life; who was
good looking. who dressed we'll who
found life at stately Dunn Dunn hall q
little monotolous at times and who
had handsome allowance at his dis
posal2
But in the eyes OF the colonel all
these little peculIarities were heinous
crimes. and the poor old gentleman.
as lie pondered in the solitude ct what
he called his study saw very clear.
u that unless the young man was set
tied in life with well-ored well-con
neeted girl he would infallibly follow
at headlong pace that broad road
Wnlcn leaQS TO QeSLrucblOn-
Often alone at DUN Dunn hall de.
prived OF the society Of his son. and
not caring very especially for that so.
ciety when offered it was hardly to
be wondered at that the colonel
yearned for suitable partner in his
exile.
The memory Of the departed Mrs.
Chopleigh could hardly be said to be
yet green. for she had succumbed 10
an aggravated attack Of UNCLE fever
some twenty years before when
Augustus jr.. was but STRIPPING in
short dresses and bare legs. II might
be said that the remedy was easy.
Why didn't the colonel take unto him
self a second Mrs Chopleigh? There
were plenty Of eligible spinsters vino
would have jumped at an offer from
such a fresh faced. active wealthy
gentleman who was little beyond the
prime OF life.
There was however. an almost in
vincible obstacle to the colonel
marrying again. Unlike most military
men. he was painfully shy; perhaps
remembTances of the departed Mrs
Chopleigh. who was known as the
Dunn Dunn Tartar had driven out the
youthful assurance which had wor
her; at any rate. the flutter of {
petticoat awakened feelings within
the gallant coloners breast which
were not TO be stirred by horde o
yelling mutinous Sepoys. or by th,
stiffest bulfnch in the country. HI
had loved at a distance a score o
times but he had never placed him
self within speaking reach OF the
various objects of his affections.
Suddenly matters took a differen
turn.
A young lady OF strikingly pre-
possessing appearance Millicen
Vanjohn. only daughter OF the Rev
Aloysius YanJohn the only vicar
had been espied by the colonel pro
ceediug up the lane which rar
parallel with his grounds as he paced
along his fayorite shrubbery walk
Being on mis- own property had in
spiFed him with courage-he haC
gazed at her and she had blushed anc
looked down. He hurried into tn,
house and shut himself up In hi
study.
Il am ntty-nVe. he SAID TO nm
self Il am-well. | am good look
ing-my waist-coa is OF decent girth
have good complexion and mai
is only as old as he feels. VIII,
shouldn't 1? may be called an oil
fool. Well there are plenty OF ever
older fools in the world. I--well-
willp'
Miss Vanjohn was walking at tn,
identical hour the next day and tn,
next day after that and so on 10
more than week and each day th,
same little comedy was played
sheep s-syes on the part of the col
onel bushes aud looking down OF
the part Of Miss Millicent Vanjohn.
Did Miss Yanjohn walk in that Ian
80 regularly with a fixed purpose
Why. OF course she did.