Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-01-04
AN ERIMENT.

There weI" rY"ellrnt rrnsOns-w which
/ have lost force nOw--fOr hushiug up the
story of the fire at Portal abbey That
| Sir Gruiirry Stuynr caused it. was known
| in very few hours, for several of Mr..
/ HudSOn'S servants overheard his angry
| Tcpruachcs, hut the facts have not been
| published, and they are worth noting.
1t was limited at the time that the Stcyncs
had never forgiven the purchasers OF their
ancient seat. This is absurd The fam
lilies were friendly enough till, 30 years
ago, Mr.. Hudson, father of the present,
| began to Improve" the abbey. Among
other dreadful deeds, he transformed the
, private chapel into Il billiard room. Sir
Herbert Stcyne took proceedings under
an old statute, to prevent this outrage,
but he had to drop the action, finding him
self unable to prove that the building had
ever been consecratcd. Then the acquaint-
ance broke off naturally. As a matter Of
fact, believe that none of the present
generation had so much as seen each other
until this story opened
Sir Godfrey Stcyne, his fortune re.
cruited by long minority, spent abroad
for the most part led shooting expcdi.
ton from the Iambczi right up to the do
main of the East African company, where
Captain Hudson, r. f., was surveying at
the time. a quarrel arose with the ma
tivcs, the camp was attacked, and Hudson
arrived only just in time to save the par
ty. He spent but a few hours in their
company, sending them down to the coast
next day under escort, but Sir Godfrey
character struck him.
Il never saw such fellow" he wrote
home. Its absurd to suppose he was
drunk. A drunken man doesn't fight in
that way, especially when wounded in half
a dozen places, but if it isn't anything
spirituous which flows in that boys veins
it's quicksilver. And he proceeded to de-
tails which interested his sister Madeleine
She was not pattern young lady-Inuch
too fond of fun, which seemed all the more
delightful If it had spice of mischief
Some weeks aftcrward Sir GCOf'rey
reached England and called ON the family
of his prCservcT. The conversation opened
with all dCcOrum, but when the young
man had expressed his thanks-vcry nice
ly, tOO-he broke loose, Just as Captain
Hudson described. | have no space for
samples of his humor, which, in truth,
was little more than the Outburst of abnors
NAL vivacity, amusing enough to any hear
er, but especially to young people us
thoughtlcss and as ready to laugh as Mad
elcine-not adapted for transcription,
however. That sort of man makes ac-
quaintance rapidly. George Hudson begged
him to call whenever he had time, and
Madeleine sGcom'ed the invitation with her
eyes.
hn hol CHI
brother, and both laughed Mr.. Hudson
expressed their thought. So early in the
afternoon" he murmured. Dear, dear,
such II fine young man toop
The call was returned, of course. Then
Lady Steyne made advances. Her son had
passed the age when, as she thought
young man of property ought to marry,
but hitherto, in the literal sense OF the
words, he had regarded no young lady Sc
riously. Madeleine on her best behavior
seemed a most desirable match, and she
was very pretty.
So the acquaintance grew, not with Mr..
Hudson's approval, but that signified
nothing. AS time went on the first nat
ural explanation of Sir GeofTrey's high
spirits became rather doubtful. He refused
to drink anything besides water and tea
Most people would have felt quite sure
that the suspicion was quite unjust, but
Mr.. Hudson had drunkenness on the brain,
as they say. He regarded that us the main
spring of events at large, public and pri-
vate, in this realm of England. And Mad
eleine, of course, had imbibed something
of his fancy.
Sir Godfrey was telling stories one day
when he was interrupted "Do you mean
literally that you can jump off a horse GO
ing at full gallop and shoot an antelope
right and left? Can you do it in the
park?r
'Trot out the antelope, and will try"
THAT'S not necessary. Let us sec you
jump off, and We'll imagine the antelopes.
DO you offer any prize2"
Eyes; I'll believe every word you say
hereafterp'
"Oh, this is the listener l have prayed
for from my youth upl will reward you,
Miss Hudson, with adventures never yet
con6ded to mortal. Where's the horseY
Give me a winchester, George, and I'll
throw the shooting in. The brook meadow
would be a good makeshift for a veldt, 1
think"
AS they walked thither Madeleine began
to quake. George overlook them with a
groom and a lead horse
"Oh, the wretched boy has brought
Rasperl' she exclaimed. He's much too
spiritedr'
1--WE take them as they come. Now
Miss Hudson, here is the first trial of the
confidence you have sworn"
"You have not earned it yet"
''Well, if yodre so punctilious, for
few minutes more you may cherish the
fancy that those two Objects" pointing.
''are young trees, not antelopes."
Rasper approached, fretting and tossing.
ooh, don't try it, please" Madeleine
cried. "I'll accept your word"
Heaven will forgive you the flb, hope. |
Now. George the rifel''