Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-03-04
OLD POINT EPISODE.

If there is one spot in the world where
people ought to be agreeable it is at Old
Point Comfort. In the winter, of course
But if there is one place where the angu
larities and acidties of human nature are
accentuated it is at this fashionable sea
side resort.
This was the conclusion that Colonel
Maxwell arrived at half an hour after his
name was added to the list of the guests
quarterod at the Hygeia, which everybody
knows has an unrvaled repute, and-well,
an unrvaled rcpite The hotel is large,
roomy and comfortable, and as thousands
well know is in perfect harmony with the
great, solemn sounding sea as the best
architectural achievements one encounters
the world over, An admirable contrivance
to swallow up the indvidualities and eX-
ira allowances of Il liberal race of travellers.
The colonel had no sooner set foot in his
room than he wished he had gone to Flor
ida Just outside his door IA dog snarled
mt him. Dogs were his aversion. If he
had been less considerable he would have
kicked the dog aside: instead he exclaimed
angrily, Get out of my wayN and passed
into his room. At that instant a little
child appeared in the hall. She looked at
the colonel with solemn big blue eyes
relaxed as he glanced at her Then he
closed his door with a snap.
Simultaneously door almost opposite,
and trifle ajar, was opened wide, and
lady beckoned the child in an imperious
manner. The child obcyed the silent man
date, was drawn into the room and the
door OF No. o. closed with bang.
Half an hour later the door of No. Oh
opened, the colonel emerged, and as before a
dOg-the same he encountered as he ente red
his room, seemed to rise up out of the floor in
his path. And again, as before the colonel
,xclaimed, angrily, Get out of my way,
you nuisance!" Upon which the dog dis
,ppeared-dissolved into air apparently,
IA the COlOnels attention was attracted to
the peculiar manner of the child he OBJ
served half an hour earlier and who now
Nainiy endeavored to conceal her doll as
she walked backward, recoiling from him
shyly but surely. Again, as before, the
door of o. opened the child darted into it
sidewise and the door closed with signifi-
cant snap.
The colonel's friends were in the habit
of saying that it was great pity, consid.
ering how much nature had done for him
in the way of features, figure, complexion
and voice that he took so little pains to
display his admirable qualities How
much reason there was for this high esti-
mate leave the reader to Judge.
When the colonel was seated at the din
ner table he found himself opposite the
child that had attracted his attention in
the hall He was passionately fond of
children-a man who tossed up, caressed
and crowed over babies in secret. This
child's beauty was so rare that he sat star
ing at her unwittingly, until her manner
recalled him to himself; then he chided
himself for disconccrting her He glanced
at the lady beside her-a brilliant bru-
nette. Finely penciled eyebrows, suf
fcient in themselves to stock beauty; a
neck that was marvel, and the head
how eXquisitely modelled, how cne the
lines of that head
Meantime, the beauty flashed glance
at the colonel 1t comprehended the en-
tire outer man-she measured the inner
man two hours earlier in the day. As the
colonel intercepted the glance he actually
blushed, while the brunette apparently
was unaware that she and her charge were
not the sole occupants Of the table,
"Odd," thought the colonel.
Two hours later Mrs General Ollapod
beamed upon the brilliant brunette as she
met her with olt>tretched hands
NY dear, have II surprise for You. My
particuarfricu Colonel Maxwell is here.
Now don't put me out by being Indifferent
after the times have planned to bring you
together"
From which it may be inferred that
whatever military genius or talent was in
the Ollapod household Mrs. Ollapod did
not share it, The beauty smiled.
"The Heterogeneous you have encoun-
tered, Mrs. Ollapod, almost justifies the
opinion that Providence does not indorse
your plans"
providence has nothing to do with it.
have asked him to join my party this
evening. He is graceful dancer-such a
fine figure on the floor and"-
You forget; have not danced for yeal
OF more"
you will, to please me, Grace; / have
set my heart on it, BY the way, the colone
is your neighbor He occupies Oh in the
west wing"
THAT odious man" The tone as wei
as the manner in which this was said cleo
trified Mrs General Oilapod
"I-I-my dear, beg your pardon
butt
Mrs. Ollapod, do not care to tell ever
you how he has offended me. Nothin.
under heaV IN can ever induce me to ad,
Colonel Maxwell to my list of acquaint
ances."
Mrs. General Ollapod's amazement wa
IneNpresslble; her modification pathetic
After schening years in the misdirecte,
manner in which the best of friends oftel
distinguish themselves, to encounter uneX
pectedly an intangible but none the less in
surmountable obstacle, brought tears t
her eyes.
IL don't see any Use sniveling about it,