St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-03-16

you are uOG Tic bOrt VI poisoh WISH w
see married to my daughter. You under
stand therefore that il you aspire to be
her husband you will not be late again
for any important matter such as dinner
and least of all when am one OF the
company
Captain Steel was proud, but he also
dotted u2on Margaret, and he swallowed
his resentment and submitted. He only
lived for her and the volunteer force.
There was, Of course, no pecuniary ne
cessity for his undertaking the duties OF
an adjutant, but he liked the work and
did it we'll. He was always too late, OF
course, but when he had once begun he
made up for lost time. His men adored
him, and be would put himself to any
onvenience--short Of being in time
to serve them. He had rifle butt
erected in his own grounds, 80 that
those to whom it was nearer than where
the regimental target stood might come
and practice there. There was shot
proof house for the marker upon one
side of it and all complete.
The time for Hippolyte's marriage
was drawing very near, and it was not
his intention to be late for that, prom
Use you. Indeed since that edict OF his
future father. in. law, he had much i'm
proved in respect to punctuality, as l
can certify. who happened to be staying
with him during those last bachelor
days. However late at night we played
billiards. Hippolyte was always Ito
the fore" at breakfast time, and the
cook was quite astonished to find master
always at home when the second bell
rang.
Upon certain day we were engaged
to dine with the Buttons at their coun-
try seat in the neighborhood. / could
hardly prevent Hippolyte from driving
over there Immediately after lunch so
as to be positively sure to be in time,
but / represented to him that would
only look as if he had no confidence in
himself. He would seem like habitual
drunkard, who dares not be merely
moderate, but is obliged to take the
pledge If we started at 6, we should
still have a"full quarter Of an hour to
spare. At a O'Clock Hippolyte had put
on his evening clothes, in which he
looked remarkably we'll, but still, as
observed, it was a premature proceed
ing. "Never mind" said he. 81 feel
safe in these. shan't have to dress IN
case anything should happen to delay
us.
, 1t was quite touching to see his anx
iety and desire toamend. "When Ihav'
once got her." said he (referring to hi
beloved sbject). "I'll snap my fingers a
, old Bullion and make point OF neve
, being in time for anything"
. At half past 4, who should ride up Of
that speedy" Tweed" Of his but Mr.. Nolal
O'Shaughuessy of the Royal Blankshir
. volunteers, one Of those Irish gentleme
!, to be found in every corps, about whor
nobody knows anything, except tina
there they are. He was sorry to intrudt
. but he had been accidentally shut out
= the regimental competition last wee
q and was exceedingly anxious to get int
h class Q. 1t was competent for the adj'
; tant to admit him, if he should succee
- in satisfying him Of his efficiency, whie
- half an hours practice at the targ
~ would suffice to do.
:. ~ doubt that, my good fellow, =" sal
:. Hippolyte, "for your shooting used
~ be rather wild, but can just spare ye
"a half an hour. :"
~ SO we went out to the hut, O'Shaug
- - messy leading his thoroughbred al
~ lettering that attenuated animal to
- neigh boring gate. He had character
70 tically omitted to bring his mmunitit
~ with him, which the adjutant had
n. supply.
No When Steel and I had shut ourselv
~. up in the markers box, which was qui
~ an arborlike little editice Of turf, wi
i. its one aperture close to the target,
60 remarked to my companion that o
~ friend from the Emerald Isle had rath
ho an undisciplined appearance.
"a "He's as mad as March hare, sa
an he, land knows about as much abo
70 shooting. He will never get into t
NO second class as long as he lives; on
20 one does not like to seem i'll nature
~. We shall never have to use the gre
80 flag, for he never made bullseye in
~; course of his existence, and very mu
-, ~ doubt if he will ever make AN o.
ar. E'"-
49, whats that?" cried I, as d
-, thud on ono side of our turf hut folio
ri; ed the discharge of his first shot.
IL; ooh, he's hit our butt instead Of
' 70 target, that's all, returned Hippol
tho coolly. cts quite shot proof; ne
fear"
"But he must be q lunatic. rem
o css strated L "Why do you let him sh
nh at all?"
All II can't stop him. By Jove,
ons quick he fires, but it will be all
md sooner over. Stop a bit; you mus
a,s distract an adjutant's attention. l dt
;nn know whether that was hit or mo-
,m must 60 out and see. I suppose
. a knows that the red flag means stop
,er ing" Hippolyte put out the sigma
., question, waved 1t in the usual man
, 70 and then stepped out himself. An
tor, slant afterward there was sharp or
w, not and then bullet whizzed within
nv an inch of his left ear.
, ,o;r Goodness gracious" cried Hi
o. lyte, hastily re.entering his ark of
Mss ty; "that blackguard nearly shot