CAPTAIN JENK1N cxlix 



which proved however more than he was quite prepared for. 

 He shone more, in his remarkable way, in society ; and twice he 

 had a little holiday to Glenmorven, where, as may be fancied, he 

 was the delight of the Highlanders. One of his last pleasures 

 was to arrange his dining-room. Many and many a room (in 

 their wandering and thriftless existence) had he seen his wife 

 furnish ' with exquisite taste ' and perhaps with ' considerable 

 luxury ' : now it was his turn to be the decorator. On the wall 

 he had an engraving of Lord Kodney's action, showing the 

 Pr'othee, his father's ship, if the reader recollects ; on either side 

 of this on brackets, his father's sword, and his father's telescope, 

 a gift from Admiral Buckner who had used it himself during 

 the engagement ; higher yet, the head of his grandson's first 

 stag, portraits of his son and his son's wife, and a couple of old 

 Windsor jugs from Mrs. Buckner's. But his simple trophy was 

 not yet complete ; a device had to be worked and framed and 

 hung below the engraving ; and for this he applied to his daugh- 

 ter-in-law : 1 1 want you to work me something, Annie. An 

 anchor at each side an anchor stands for an old sailor, you 

 know stands for hope, you know an anchor at each side, and 

 in the middle THANKFUL.' It is not easy, on any system of 

 punctuation, to represent the Captain's speech. Yet I hope 

 there may shine out of these facts, even as there shone through 

 his own troubled utterance, some of the charm of that delightful 

 spirit. 



In 1881, the time of the golden wedding came round for The 

 that sad and pretty household. It fell on a Good Friday, and 

 its celebration can scarcely be recalled without both smiles and 

 tears. The drawing-room was filled with presents and beautiful 

 bouquets ; these, to Fleeming and his family, the golden bride 

 and bridegroom displayed with unspeakable pride, she so pain- 

 fully excited that the guests feared every moment to see her 

 stricken afresh, he guiding and moderating her with his custom- 

 ary tact and understanding, and doing the honours of the day 

 with more than his usual delight. Thence they were brought 

 to the dining-room, where the Captain's idea of a feast awaited 

 them: tea and champagne, fruit and toast and childish little 



