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Article MASONIC REMINISCENCES. ← Page 4 of 7 →
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Masonic Reminiscences.
Avild absurdities , till he worked himself into such a paroxysm of insanity , as completely frightened her senses , and very nearly her life aAvay . Mr . Johnson , though someAvhat angry AA'ith his daughter , AA'as unable to restrain his laughter at the conlre temps , and said , "After all my instruction , I am really astonished at your stupidity , your vanity must have led you astray , my dear girl , The Madame Vestris of Phil's adoration , is a
celebrated steeple chase horse , to which he has taken a fancy , and which he is anxious to purchase . Your rival is , therefore , not a very dangerous one , nor is your lover quite as mad as you suppose . " " Lover , indeed , papa , how can you ? The hideous muff , " she muttered , in affected disgust , but . still innately resolved not to give up the heir of Simpson Hall , Avithout another vigorous effort .
There was still one little drawback to their sanguine hopes , they dreaded the opposition of the Colonel , AVIIO was a shrewd man of the world , ancl ' who , to their great consternation , vyas daily expected , and . with whom of course there must be an eclcdrcissement on the important , step contemplated for the happiness of his nepheAV . Mr . and Miss . Johnson had a faint notion , that on the few occasions they had met him ,,
they had not impressed Mm with the most favourable opinion , and feeling , that it AA'as a pretty matter as it stood , they feared , like Sir Lucius 0 ' Trigger , that an explanation might spoil it . Thus matters stood on the arrival of the old soldier , who , having been duly informed of the wishes and plans of Mr . and Mrs . Simpson , pooh , poohed the Avhole scheme , and threw out such interjectional phrases of
disapproval , as " broken down black leg , faded flirt , & c , " he , hoAveveiv made up his mind to pay a visit to Elysium , a disagreeable ceremonial ,, AA'hich he went through in due time .
CHAPTER IX . —THE COLONEL ' VISIT—His RECEPTION —His DESCRIPTION OP ELYSIUM , & C . THE usual tranquility of Elysium was considerably disturbed by the expectation of the Colonel's meditated visit . The furniture was furbished up , the pictures cleaned , the varied articles of vertu . were unpacked , and
set out for display , —Mr . Johnson had travelled a good deal , and affected someAA'hat of the vertnoso—there were stuffed birds of the most dazzling plumage , from the " gorgeous Indian land , " preserved butterflies from Brazil , mottled skins of wild beasts from Africa , with which were associated many tales of Avontlrous adventure ; and to astonish the natives , a la Barnum , there Avas a real mermaid from Japan , with a variety of
other nondescript curiosities ; but the great puzzle which brought into play the nicest diplomatic tact of Mr . Johnson was , how to evade any discussion on the main object of the visitor . This gentleman ' s quick observation made him acquainted Avith the Colonel ' s horror of barking dogs , and particularly , if they manifested any disposition to go beyond the harmless exhibition of their teeth , and ' having in his menage , two of the most cross-grained little mongrels that
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Reminiscences.
Avild absurdities , till he worked himself into such a paroxysm of insanity , as completely frightened her senses , and very nearly her life aAvay . Mr . Johnson , though someAvhat angry AA'ith his daughter , AA'as unable to restrain his laughter at the conlre temps , and said , "After all my instruction , I am really astonished at your stupidity , your vanity must have led you astray , my dear girl , The Madame Vestris of Phil's adoration , is a
celebrated steeple chase horse , to which he has taken a fancy , and which he is anxious to purchase . Your rival is , therefore , not a very dangerous one , nor is your lover quite as mad as you suppose . " " Lover , indeed , papa , how can you ? The hideous muff , " she muttered , in affected disgust , but . still innately resolved not to give up the heir of Simpson Hall , Avithout another vigorous effort .
There was still one little drawback to their sanguine hopes , they dreaded the opposition of the Colonel , AVIIO was a shrewd man of the world , ancl ' who , to their great consternation , vyas daily expected , and . with whom of course there must be an eclcdrcissement on the important , step contemplated for the happiness of his nepheAV . Mr . and Miss . Johnson had a faint notion , that on the few occasions they had met him ,,
they had not impressed Mm with the most favourable opinion , and feeling , that it AA'as a pretty matter as it stood , they feared , like Sir Lucius 0 ' Trigger , that an explanation might spoil it . Thus matters stood on the arrival of the old soldier , who , having been duly informed of the wishes and plans of Mr . and Mrs . Simpson , pooh , poohed the Avhole scheme , and threw out such interjectional phrases of
disapproval , as " broken down black leg , faded flirt , & c , " he , hoAveveiv made up his mind to pay a visit to Elysium , a disagreeable ceremonial ,, AA'hich he went through in due time .
CHAPTER IX . —THE COLONEL ' VISIT—His RECEPTION —His DESCRIPTION OP ELYSIUM , & C . THE usual tranquility of Elysium was considerably disturbed by the expectation of the Colonel's meditated visit . The furniture was furbished up , the pictures cleaned , the varied articles of vertu . were unpacked , and
set out for display , —Mr . Johnson had travelled a good deal , and affected someAA'hat of the vertnoso—there were stuffed birds of the most dazzling plumage , from the " gorgeous Indian land , " preserved butterflies from Brazil , mottled skins of wild beasts from Africa , with which were associated many tales of Avontlrous adventure ; and to astonish the natives , a la Barnum , there Avas a real mermaid from Japan , with a variety of
other nondescript curiosities ; but the great puzzle which brought into play the nicest diplomatic tact of Mr . Johnson was , how to evade any discussion on the main object of the visitor . This gentleman ' s quick observation made him acquainted Avith the Colonel ' s horror of barking dogs , and particularly , if they manifested any disposition to go beyond the harmless exhibition of their teeth , and ' having in his menage , two of the most cross-grained little mongrels that