The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-05-20
CHAPTER x. i
Owellers In Bohemias


Infantry, was not known to any of
his friends It is true that at times
he alluded in a modest way to his
little place." and even went the
length of remarking airily to new
acquaintances that he hoped they
would look him up any time they hap
pened to be in his direction AS
he carefully refrained, however from
ever giving the slightest indication
of which direction that might be,
his invitations never led to any prac-
tical results. Still, they had the effect
of filling the recipient with vague
sense of proffered hospitality, and
occasionally led to more substantial
kindness in return.
The gallant majors figure was
familiar one in the card-room of the
Rag and Bobtail," or at the bow
window of the Jeunesse Dores. Tall
and pompous, with a portly frame
and a puffy clean shaven face which
peered over an abnormally high col
lar and old fashioned linen cravat,
he stood as very type and emblem
From majors bald head to his dubious
finger tips and his gouty tees, there
was not flaw which the most severe
critic of department = even the
illustrious Turveydrop himself-could
have detected. Let us add that the
conversation Of the major was as ir-
reproachable as his person-that he
NJ q diaffY,
accomplished traveller, with a reten-
tive memory and mind stuffed with
the good things of lifetime Com
bine all these qualities and one would
naturally regard the major as most
desirable acquaintance.
1t is painful to have to remark,
however, that self evident as this
proposition might appear it was vehe-
mently contradicted by some of the
initiated, There were rumors con
cerning the major which seriously
compromised his private character. In
deed such a pitch had they reached
that when that gallant officer put
himself forward as candidate for
certain select club, he had, although
proposed by lord and seconded by
baronet, been most ignominiously
piled. In public the major affected
to laugh over this social failure, and
to regard 1t as somewhat in the ma
ture of a practical joke, but priv
ately he was deeply incensed. One
day he momentarily dropped his veil
Of unconcern while playing billiards
with the Honorable Fungus Brown
who was generally credited with hav-
ing had some hand in the majors
exclusion. BY Ged sir" TIE veteran
suodenly exclaimed, initiating his
chest and turning his apoplectic face
upon his companion, lin the old days
/ would have called the lot of you out,
sir, every dimmed one, beginning
with the committee and working
down; I would, by George!" At
which savage attack the Hon. Fungus
face grew as white as the majors
was red, and he began to wish that
he had been more reserved in his
condolences to some of his acquain-
tances respecting the exclusiveness
of the club in question, or at least
refrained from holding up the majors
pilling as proof thereof.
The cause OF this vague feeling of
distrust which had gone abroad con.
cerning the old soldier was no very
easy matter to define. 1t is true that
he was known to have a book on
every race, and to have secret means
of information from stud-grooms and
jockeys which occasionally stood him
in good stead, but this was no un-
common thing among the men with
whom he consorted. Again, 1t is true
that Major Clutterbuck was much aG-
dicted to whist, with guinea points,
and to billiard matches for substantial
sums, but these stimulating recrea-
tions are also habitual to many men
who have had eventful lives and
require strong reasoning to make
ordinary existence endurable. Per-
haps one reason may have been that
the majors billiard play in public
varied to an extraordinary degree,
30 that on different occasions he had
appeared to be aiming at the process
termed by the initiated getting on
the money" The warm friendships,
too, which the old soldier had cou-
tracted with sundry vacuous and sap
by youths, who were kindly piloted by
him into quasi-fashionable life, and
shown how and when to spend their
money had been most uncharltabIy
commented upon. Perhaps the vague
ness about the majors private resi-
dence and the mystery which hung
over him outside his clubs, may also
have excited prejudice against him.
Still, however his detractors might
malign him, they could not attempt
to deny the fact that Tobias Clutter
buck vas the third son of tho Hon
orable Charles Clutterbuok, who again
was the second son of the Earl of
Dunross, one of the most ancient oi
Hibernian families. This pedigree
the old soldier took care to explain
to every one about him, more par
ticularly to the sappy youths afore-
mentioned.
1t chances that on the afternoon of
which we speak The major was en-
crossed by this very subject Stand
ing ut the head of the broad stone
steps which led up to the palatial
edlfice which its acupiers irreYerent-