The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1909-03-11
CHAPTER I,


took Vincent with me, except that we
both needed a holiday at the same
time and the same kind of holiday ap
pealed to us both. Vincent's whole
name and title Is Lord Wilfred Vim
cent, for he Is the younger son Of the
old duke OF Totten. Men of his own
age call him Freddy but | call him
Vincent or Wilfred, because | con
slider curtailed appellations undignitied
Vincent Is an artist-that Is, he calls
himself one; his friends call him IA
dabbler in art" He doesn't really 20
In for II seriously, you know, but he
did little sketches OF cows and that
sort Of thing rather well | fancy. So
we agreed that our aim was to find
little old village, far away from
London, and get rooms in some old
farmhouse. My idea was that Vincent
would go out and paint the cows while
] would lie in the hammock and the
old lady would bring me buttermilk.
Wilfred had an idea that he. too,
would like to spend a good bit of his
time In hammock. but with this diff
ference. that the old ladys beautiful
daughter was to bring him lemonade.
But pointed out to him that the
chief reason that | was running away
from town was to get rid of the
debutantes, and therefore he'd have to
leave the fair ones out of our air
castle
Our plan was just to bask in Nature,
and we had six weeks to bask in. The
foreign Office doesn't seem TO require
much of Wilfred's time and he doesn't
do anything else except "dabble.' OF
course, being younger son, he hasn't
a shilling of his own, but the old duke
makes him q comfortable allowance,
because he dotes on Wilfred as much
as he detests his eldest son, Edmund,
the heir TO the dukedom. So, when
Vincent complained OF feeling "all run
down" II was easy for him to get six
weeks off. although, as tell him, he
has been getting six weeks Off" ever
since he left Oxford, two years ago
He isn't "a yet.
Nevertheless. Vincent is one Of the
best little chaps in the world. l done
mean that he is understood, for he
stands six feet two in his stockings;
but Is SO good natured, so jolly and
amiable and straight-well-just natur'
ally nice don't you know-that every
body Is lust crazy about him." as the
American girl | met last summer used
to say, and all the men, young and old
alike, have gotten to calling him lit
tie Vincent" or Freddy" from his
Elton days, just by way OF endearment.
Or course. I'm much older than Vim
cent--to be more exact, there's a mat
ter OF IL or Is years between us-but
must say | can't help being drawn
to him. I've known him ever since he
was born, and then, you see, we're
both Oxford men. belong to the same
clubs, and, of course, Terhune is as
old name as Vincent, even If it hasn't
any handle to 1t, and. II | do say it,
there's never dinner given in Lon
don town that Archibald Terhune is
not invited. But. somehow, in this, my
tenth season. | became utterly weary
Of the limelight, the dinners, the balls,
an eligible bachelor'D and, most of
all. the debutantes, with their edu-
Gated smiles and cultivated stares. /
felt that | must fee from London 10
escape, and thus, as Vincent Is al
ways ready for a holiday, we found
one fine day we'll started on
BUR jurney. We had taken the noon
rain for Kingsbridge, and changing
there were To go on TO Cuppstone
which an artist friend OF Vincent's had
recommended to us as just the place
We were looking for
Jolly lark this" said Vincent, after
We had been some time on our way:
only hope Cuppstone and Damers
arm will be what we want. Graham
tracked II up to the skies"
That's the trouble" | complained;
when a things talked up too much |
is sure to disappoint one"
Wait till you see il, old pessimist"
aid Vincent, with cheerful grin. |
Its got cows which provide butter
milk and art, and I've got some lem
ms in my grip for the lemonade. The |
,nly thing that troubles me is the |
andladys beautiful daughter. I'm |
Ifraid she'll be minus quantity"
Then he put his feet across on my |
ide OF the carriage and lit a nasty, |
NELLY, old pipe That's the worst |
Il Vincent he's so young he doesn't |
hink how thing like that may get |
IN ones nerves. But | wouldn't hurt |
lis feelings for anything. and SO | had |
o let him smoke.
About three o'clock in the after. |
oon, when we had left the comfort
BILE carriages OF the main line for
he Tamshackle ones OF the branch /
Inc, we came to sudden stop In the
enter OF a big stretch of meadow
and A few miles away we could see
he spires and roofs OF a little village,
nd, what was more noticeable, a big
astle, that stood on higher ground
oms distance above the town. but
ot far from where the train had
topped. asked the guard what the
rouble was, and he told me that
was wrong with the engine
nd II might bo a couple OF hours be-
pre- We could so ahead.
Just as he finished his explanation
'incent. who had been looking out OF
he window with great interest, spraRg
. his feet and sho0k my shoulder sx.
itedly. look there! Do you see
hem? he cried, pointing at the beau
ful meadows with their winding
tream and gentle slopes.