Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-11-09


means at hand Of responding to the i'm
portant document; Tor to have obtained
writing material wonld have entailed a
three miles walk to the nearest town,
and agreaterexpenditure of capital than
could with anv propriety at the present
time be afforded.
"Bli whp shall scrutnize the old mans
dreams of happiness and grandeur as he
read and re read the flattering missive to
the partner of his existence?
tie hal heard and read in fairy tales
Of beggars who had become prirces-of
Cinderellas who had, in a night. been
transformed TO queens; but this was
bringing the romance home TO his own
fire side in stern rellity.
How would ii all end?' was self
proposed question that made him giddy to
conte mplate.
The old regimentals of the --th regi-
ment were slightly asionished. promise
you. on that day. at being so rubbed. and
scrubbed, and brushed. ond ended. after
they had quietly lapsed into :he thought
that. like their old master. they were
worn out, and, after long tour Of duty
they had been left on the shelf for ever.
In many places they even disdained the
stitches of the busy wife, and mutinously
broke out as soon as attempted 10 be sci
into anything like the wearing order.
'Master Bobby was discovered. after
an hours hard search. sharpening the
sword blade on the homely knife board.
to the utter destruction Of that useful
household article.
"A last all was in readiness. and
having imprinted kiss on the lips of
each of his loved and only treasures. the
old adjutant set forth on his journey to
the Castle
'He had just attained the summit of
the nearest hill, when the strokes of the
town clock came booming over the plain
upon his ear. After ell. it was but five.
and he was an hour, al the very least. too
early.
y
"Alone in the dfawin9 room OF the
castle--for the heavy drops of the coming
storm had driven him onwards before the
appointed time--stood the hero of our
story. los. in wonder of The wealth and
luxuries that lay around him; the only |
feeling. save wonder, elected by the dis
play. being simply that the most triAing !
article there would keep his family in
plrnty for probably half their life.
oh! its bitter thing to stand sur
rounded BY another's wealth. when you
know not whete TO get crus: for your
starving homefull on me morrow! when
even in your daily sacrifice Of prayer
the words, Give us this day our daily |
bread. tremble on your ips as you brea the
them upwards.-for you think how vain /
they are.
But JOY! joy! why think of sorrow?-
the rooms are blazing in countless lights!
.glittering appingsl-snowv plumes
happy voices!-clear ringing tones OF
woman's laughter. down. thoughts Of
the congratulations, happy |
and heart felt.-all these are seen and |
heard around!-and is the old man left !
no! bright eyes beam sweet
iy upon him; noble lips pour forth prais
es upon his head. He. the almost sole |
survivor Of his regiment On the field of
Waterloo. may nearly be considered the |
hero Of the feast.
'.Oh, but for one-the lesst--of the |
jewels that lavishly bedeck that fair and
most enthusiastic interrogation or the vet |
eran to save my darlings from starvation!"
He cannot curb his thoughts; but
this is ali he thinks of
The dinner, so unusual to English !
dinners in general, soon thawed into con-
viviality. How surely we always find. |
that the more inhospitsl the appearance
of country. the more hospital the
dwel'ers therein; as if to compensate by
a profusion OF the Que for delinquency
OF the other.
The dinner ended. and the ioasts be-
gan. The ladies' had retired to the draw
ing room. and "reminiscences of the event
ful day were eagerly canvassed around.
Pass round the ruby wine.
1T is getting late.
Pass the snuff box. you please" ex-
claimed the host. who q an early period
after the removal of the dinner had pro-
duced an article Of elaborate workman.
ship. studded with brilliants. presented
TO him by Marshal Blucher in person. as
token of admiration for his valour, and
esteem for his friendship.
The snuff boxr the snuff box! echoed
the guests, passing the word one TO the
other; but no snuff box appeared.
"In vain were the desert dishes pushed
aside, in vain was search made under the
table and under the chairs; the snuff box
had vanished. as if by magic! The atten-
dants protested having brought it in at
the begi nning of the evening. and having
left il on the table.
1T is quite ridiculous exclaimed one
of the company after awhile; some one
must have pockete it in error. and I'll
be the first to try my own pockets.
MATTERS were looking most unpleas-
antly serious, and each one at the table
was feeling as uncomfortable under the
circumstances as men can be supposed
to fee!. when ;he noble host, rising. ad
dressed the company as follows:
Brother soldiers and gentlemen. ]
have missed an article Of unsurpassab BILE
value to me. lts,rikes me that some
one having got hold of the article, has in