The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-14
$ which did not quite cover the bald patch

officer, and young man accompanied the
young lady, The youth must have beer
fond, for he was got up as If for Ascot and
his shining hat, delicate boots, lavender
gloves, and buttOn-hole flower, looked very
incongruous in that lonely spot. But the
peacock spreads his dazzling tail just as
readily in the depths of the lonely forest a:
on the lordly terrace and he is right.
do not suppose tbat m Adonis wants tc
fascinate more than one at time with bis
apparel; and II that one is present, what
does the absence of the twenty thousand
Others matter.
When the two emerged from the barrack
square, the young lady stopped short,
looked hard at me, bowed, and then spoke
eagerly to the old gentleman in uniform,
who at once advanced towards me, and
held out his hand.
Ny daughter tells me that you are Mr..
Tweedie, who so kindly came to her assist.
ance when she was lost in London, said he,
and was very civil. So was Miss Duck
ling. The young man to whom was in
troduced tried to follow suit, but failed IL
was easy to see that he hated me. lie was
but an ingenious ensign, and had not yet
learned how to conceal his feelings. The
cause of his emnity, need hardly say, was
the cOrdiality Of the young lady's manner
towards smyself
'S0you have left ireland, | unnecessarily
observed.
Yes papa got his step, and was put in
command Of this depot
'By-the. e.by, colonel, said |, 'what is a
dcpot2 Stores, shades and depOts have
been mysteries to me from my youth
The soIidity OF my ignorance excited II
smile upon the face Of the ensign, but the
old soldier sought to enlighten me.
"a depot2 Well, you know-seycral
regiments have their depots at it.
Il scc,' falsely asserted.
We had pleasant walk TO some new
butts which were being set up; and on our
return the colonel and lis daughter both
declared that must come and see Ms.
DIckling. So | passed through the bar
nck.gates with the rest, feeling taller
when the sentry presented arms. The
colonel took the ersign's arm, and spoke
to him aside; the poor youth nodded, and
presently afterwards asked me to dine at
the mess that evening. am sure, from
the forced character Of his smile, that he
felt feeding me to be pushing Christianity
loo far.
Then he had to bow himself of, leaving
me to enter the home Of the beautiful
Emma. Neither the beautiful Emma nor
her mamma could have beengood house.
wives, for the quarters Of the chief were
in terrible mess; and bis little ones,
who came swarming over us, were n
sad contrast to the clean, tidy, offspring
of the non.commissioned officers that | had
noticed playing about, As for the youngest
DuckliDg, a tot that pottered about, drag
ging a fresh herring tied to bit Of string
alter It as toy, he was so sticky that |
am convinced that fly allighting on him
would have been lined.
The furniture was scanty and common,
and no attempt had been made to set
things of. We found Mrs. Dnckling lying
on sofa reading novel. She had been
a handsome woman in her time, there could
mart oc beauty n Kind feminine GOOD.
tempered cyurssyion, left. She greeted me
with much corliality, and evidently
douchtrr's iarc. tCiyilitv I have met with
myself over and over again said she tbut
fiye pounds from an utter strapger-
neyerp
| liked her. shc WINS 80 thoroughly nm
affected: tbey were poor. hut she seemed
10 think that rather n ioke than other
wise.
Il will not ask Won to dinner, said she /.
W. dino carly. because of the children. ii
Won nre bunSrv at nny time about one
o'clock, and can eat cold meat and rice
We sball bs Glad TO sec you; bnt
io not cynect To he asked. When the
colonel cannot stand our fare any longer
bc poes to the mcss."
u +. uo,, ,,,o..,,. n IN ,n,,o ur.h -,
ond .Lo nvvo ,I;n~s voro s~ az % n%rno"iio th"t
/ STONED at Cobblcston A FAM days longer
than was strictly necessary. must con.
icss that | took n mischieyous pleasure in
exciting the Jealous wrath of the ensign,
and this anncared 10 be shared by the mir
Emma. AZ least she certainly acted in A
manner which was likely to pione him,
paid more attention to What | said when
We werc togetber and seemed 10 nrelrr
walking With me Int | cannot nut into
words the many little perceptible though
undeflnable shades of conduct which were
calculated 10 dcpress him and encourage
me. was clad not to be forced upon the
tho moor youth as A nominal-I saw nomi.
nal, because, doubtless, / really dined at
the coloncl,s eypense-as A nominal guest
arain, On the second day was made an
bonorably member of the mcss-a graceful
act for il Is really difficult to get a dinner
at Cobbleston. AT the end Of the week,