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Article MASONIC REMINISCENCES. Page 1 of 7 →
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Masonic Reminiscences.
MASONIC REMINISCENCES .
BY ^ torotpiKoQ , P . M ., L . 50 , Dublin . ( Continued from p . 484 . ) CHAPTER VIII . THE DIPLOMACY OF THE JOHNSONS PHIL ' S COURTSHIP—Miss JOHNSON DISCOVERS A RIVAL—A LOVE SCENE—A CONTRE-TEMPS .
PHIL vegetated into manhood , stout , stalAVorth , and well-featured , but without one beam of that intellectual light Avhich gives grace , and character to beauty ; his father grew every day more helpless , and his mother more feeble : while the politic fathers , and managing mothers of the neighbourhood , threw many an anxious glance at the green heir , and the green acres
oi Simpson Hall . Deep aud various were the plans , and speculations of the several manoeuvring parents , who happened to have a sAveet Mary , a gentle Jane , or a gifted Rosa to be disposed of , as to the best mode of Avinning the good opinion and confidence of the old people at the Hall , and seeming its future proprietor for one of their rival beauties .
Amongst them was a hale old gentleman of polished manners , and imperturbable temperament ( Avhom Ave shall call Mr . Johnson , though generaEy addressed as captain , but his most intimate acquaintance could never discover to Avhich branch of her Majesty ' s " service he belonged ) , who rented a handsome residence within a few miles of the Hall , and who ¦ contrived to keep up , at least , the outward appearance oi wealth . He
was a crack shot ( and a knoiomg one as the sequel Avill prove , for he managed to lag Phil , hall , acres , and all ) , as Avell as a scientific fisherman , and having discovered Mr . Simpson ' s weakness for trout , and wild foAvl , he allowed scarcely a day to elapse during the season that he did not send a welcome present of either , to his respected friend , Mr . Simpson , of Simpson Hall .
Mr . Johnson Avas blest Avith one fair daughter , IIOAV , according to the neighbouring gossips , in dangerous proximity to the dreadful epoch of old maidenhood ; she was looked upon by the young ( perhaps a little spice of envy adding somewhat of piquancy to their feelings ) as a Avaning coquette Avho had flirted in vain , through each successive regiment of a garrisoned toAvn , for nearly a dozen years , having previously jilted , or been
jilted by , half the squires of the county . The proprietor of Simpson Hall , having but a very flitting , and shadowy recollection of his grandfather ' s " local habitation , and name , " Avas most anxious that Phil should form an aristocratic connection , and Mr . Johnson took care to put prominently forth his OAA ' claims to high pedigree , and continually boasted of his close relationship Avith several branches
of extinct peerages ; in fact , he exulted so much in the antiquity of his family , one became impressed with the notion , that he laboured under the delusion of being descended from Adam ' s eldest brother , and by
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Reminiscences.
MASONIC REMINISCENCES .
BY ^ torotpiKoQ , P . M ., L . 50 , Dublin . ( Continued from p . 484 . ) CHAPTER VIII . THE DIPLOMACY OF THE JOHNSONS PHIL ' S COURTSHIP—Miss JOHNSON DISCOVERS A RIVAL—A LOVE SCENE—A CONTRE-TEMPS .
PHIL vegetated into manhood , stout , stalAVorth , and well-featured , but without one beam of that intellectual light Avhich gives grace , and character to beauty ; his father grew every day more helpless , and his mother more feeble : while the politic fathers , and managing mothers of the neighbourhood , threw many an anxious glance at the green heir , and the green acres
oi Simpson Hall . Deep aud various were the plans , and speculations of the several manoeuvring parents , who happened to have a sAveet Mary , a gentle Jane , or a gifted Rosa to be disposed of , as to the best mode of Avinning the good opinion and confidence of the old people at the Hall , and seeming its future proprietor for one of their rival beauties .
Amongst them was a hale old gentleman of polished manners , and imperturbable temperament ( Avhom Ave shall call Mr . Johnson , though generaEy addressed as captain , but his most intimate acquaintance could never discover to Avhich branch of her Majesty ' s " service he belonged ) , who rented a handsome residence within a few miles of the Hall , and who ¦ contrived to keep up , at least , the outward appearance oi wealth . He
was a crack shot ( and a knoiomg one as the sequel Avill prove , for he managed to lag Phil , hall , acres , and all ) , as Avell as a scientific fisherman , and having discovered Mr . Simpson ' s weakness for trout , and wild foAvl , he allowed scarcely a day to elapse during the season that he did not send a welcome present of either , to his respected friend , Mr . Simpson , of Simpson Hall .
Mr . Johnson Avas blest Avith one fair daughter , IIOAV , according to the neighbouring gossips , in dangerous proximity to the dreadful epoch of old maidenhood ; she was looked upon by the young ( perhaps a little spice of envy adding somewhat of piquancy to their feelings ) as a Avaning coquette Avho had flirted in vain , through each successive regiment of a garrisoned toAvn , for nearly a dozen years , having previously jilted , or been
jilted by , half the squires of the county . The proprietor of Simpson Hall , having but a very flitting , and shadowy recollection of his grandfather ' s " local habitation , and name , " Avas most anxious that Phil should form an aristocratic connection , and Mr . Johnson took care to put prominently forth his OAA ' claims to high pedigree , and continually boasted of his close relationship Avith several branches
of extinct peerages ; in fact , he exulted so much in the antiquity of his family , one became impressed with the notion , that he laboured under the delusion of being descended from Adam ' s eldest brother , and by