, 1876-07-14
Told by the Snow.
BY AN OLD SOLDIER.

Sergeant Branstone's chat as we rode
homeWards to Greenwich was quite re-
freshing to me, cooped up as was for
20 many hours in the day withouta soul
10 speak to me, except on board days,
when there was rather too much conver-
sation, and always looked anxiously
for his long blue coat and scarlet collar
- approached the Surrey side of the
bridge.
Not always successfully, of course.
Sometimes he had already left before I
reached the tramwsy, at others o late
recruit claimed his attention and was
forced to make my journey alone, in
which case am bound to say that it
WAs not nearly so agreeable as when the
time was whiled away by some old PEN
ioner's endless "reminiscences.
I began to fear this one evening when,
having taken my usual seat outside the
trAm-car, l Iobserved Sergeant Cranstone
still standing ct his corner. engaged in
earnestly animated conversation with q
tall, very erect, gentlemanly- looking
man, and oblivious Of the fact that the
vehicle was about commencing its jour
ney:
"HiP shouted the conductor, who
knew him for . constant passenger.
"Now for Greenwich, sergeant. Look
GliVel Times up"
A hasty shake Of the hand, q parting
word with his friend, and Sergeant Gran
stone hurried after the car and climbed
up 10 my side.
can old soldier ?" 1 said, after we had
exchanged greetings, Is 1 indicated the
receding figure Of the man who had left
him.
"Yes, sir-that is, not exactly-he
had only about three years service when
he was discharged, and that's nigh upon
thirty years ago now, but Phil Burke
has never lost the straight back his set
ting-up drill gave him. he looks every
inch q soldier, now"
"He does, indeed" I replied. "But
I was very much struck by the strange,
wild look in his eyes. He looks like q
man who has had some severe shock"
"And 80 he had, sir. It's many year
back now, but Phil1l never get over its
remembrance as long as he lives, I'm
thinking"
knew that something more was
coming, but said nothing to hurry my
companion, who presently began in the
following words:
"Phi Burke was one Of the smartest
men in the old corps. Always neat and
trim from head TO foot in himself, with
boots hlackened and polished till it used
to be . standing joke in his barrack-
room to ask for the loan Of 'em to shave
by, with spurs FURNISHED like silver,
and every button on his speckless uni
form shining like Q fresh-coined sover-
eign, while every hair of his head seemed
Is though it must have been specially
placed in position, Phil was held up as
pattern toal his troopmates for clean
illness and smartness.
mot, indeed, that these were his only
good qualities. He was q light-hearted,
merry lad-for you can't tell q fellow
more when he isn't twenty years Old
when first knew him. BE came to nv
troop as lance corporal in AZ, when he'd
been little more than twelve months
in the service. Quick promotion for
those days, when there was very little
breaking, and, consequently, very little
making. But the colonel had got his
eye on Phil, and the first vacancy there
was he told him he should have his step.
And he'd kept his word, too, only for
the lads own fault Not that Phil ever
did anything seriously wrong, except in
q military point Of view, but, perfect
soldier as he was in all other. respects,
he had one failing.
" Nothing could ever induce him to
remember watch-setting, that is, as 1