Read "Stretton" by Henry Kingsley online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
"Lucky beggar, he has got married, and hung his hat up."
That hanging up of the hat was in old times the facon de parler by which naval and military men made one to understand that Captain or Major So-and-so was utterly and entirely free from all earthly cares of any sort whatever. Listen to them at the Naval, Military, Marine, Militia, Volunteer, West Coast of Africa Club in Pall Mall. "Where is Joe Buggins?" said Captain Kimberton, R.N.