, 1864-08-08

stopped in surprise and looked toward the
shanty, and each mans hair stood up in
horror.
"The colonel's coming, you confOunded
foolw yelled one of the frightened and in
dignant mess, thrusting his head into the
room where poor Pat was himself undergo
ing all the agOnies of fright brought about
by wretched blunder.
In taking the pig out of the box, aftei
first securing him by the snout so that he
could make no noise, Pat had lot him slip
from his hands, aud the animal had com.
menced running about the room, with his
would-be-slayer at his heels. Finding O
board loose on one side of the shanty, Mr..
Pig had attempted to go through and try
his fortune in another quarter, and Mr.
Flanagan, being contrary minded, had at
tempted to prevent it. For time it was
sort of drawn game between the two
Pig had forced his head and half his body
through the aperture, and in that position
Pat had caught him by the hind legs and
endeavored to pull him back. The loose
board was accommodating one way, but not
the other. 1t would let Pig go through
easily enough, but it wouldn't let Pat pull
him back. The harder he tugged, the
tighter it closed upon poor Piggy's sides.
Pat jerked and cursed, and Pig struggled
and squealed. Such squeals, tOO!-the
very owner of the pig, living anywhere
within mile, might have heard them.
Pat was resolved, however, not to be
cheated of his Christmas dinner, by letting
the brute go; and when he heard the awful
announcement that the colonel was coming,
he grew desperate, the perspiratiOn started
out and stood on him in beads, and giving
the board a tremendous kick. outward, aud
jerking the pig inward at the same time,
he fell backward, and rolled over on the
floor, with the still shrieking animal tight
in his grasp. To spring to his feet, fling
the pig into the box, cover him with blan-
kets, and shut down the lid, was the work Of
ouly few seconds; and when, minute or
so later, the excited colonel stood in the
doorway, he beheld Mr.. Patrick Flanagan
seated very quietly and demurely in far
corner, busily engaged in polishing the bar
rel of his musket.
"Well, sirp exclaimed the colonel in q
quick, angry, imperiOus tone
"Ah, good evening to your honor" re-
turned Pat in the coolest and most polite
manner possible, accompanied with the
usual military salute. "NVill ye no walk
in and tax a seat, sirl" -, -.--se
What was that noise / heard" demand
ed the colonel, advancing into the room and
looking searchingly arocnd.
sand did ye hear noise, sir!" in
quired Pat, with an interested and innocent
look.
"Come, none Of your jokes on me! you
kaoW l did," cried the colonel, angrily.
at was pig, sirp'
"Arrah, now, it's like. l heerd the same
thingw said Pat: ait did sound like pig. "
"And It appeared to be in here!' cOntin-
ued the colonel.
"And by the same token, it appeared to
mesilf to be outsidep returned Pat, speak
ing the literal truth, for the head Of the
pig had unfortunately been outside at the
very moment Of doing his lOudest yelling.
whats in hereY' pursued the colonel,
taking two or three long, quick strides, and
lifting the cover Of the very box in which
the cause Of so much disturbance was con-
cealed.
BY this time a crowd Of loiterers had
begun to collect at the shanty, and the room
was half filed with curious and eager lis
teners,
athens blankets, sirl" replied Pat, with
an innocent look, as he glanced into the
box and saw the pig was not in sight.
The colonel angrily slammed down the
lid Of the box, and wheeled on his heel to
depart; but the noise startled poor piggy
again, and he gave terrified Woo-O-ethF'
"Hallow exclaimed the colonel, reopen
ing the box and whirling out the blankets.
aWhat's thisg" he cried, seizing Pat by
the arm, and pointing to the now exposed
and trembling porker. a
It's like pig, sin, /" replied Pat, looking
as il he considered himself called upon to
find sagacious solution to some geological
mystery. is
at looks ike pig, docs itf" said the
colonel, with suppressed passion.
at does, sir!H
Perhaps il Is pigP"
Ishouldn't wonder, sirw
sin fact, l kRoaO it is a pigs
So do /, sirl"
There was suppressed litter among the
spectators, and the colonel was ready to ex-
plode with anger. a
"HOw came it in here?" pursued the ex-
cited officer.
!" All, trOth, and how should i know that,
sirl" replied Pat scratching his Uranium
"some pigs has mighty strange ways oi
poking their noses into places where they're
not wanted, sirp a,s s,3r
This was considered by the crowd a good
hit at the colonel, who had made himself
very unpopular by his cot-bettyprOpensities
and atthe risk Of being punished, the whole
party burst out in rOars Of laughter
You shall spend your Christmas in the
guard-house, you villainP cried the colonel
shaking his fist in Pats face; "and aftel
that, be tried by court-martial!p and white
with rage. he stalked out through the parted
crowd ond hastened to his quarters.
aPll be ayen wild him, though, betimes!'
muttered Pat as he was being marched
away TO his prison.
On the following night there was a grand
soires at the house Of a wealthy citizen, t.
which all the principal officers Of the regi