Connecticut western news., 1878-07-04

| rage on tactics and open contempt of hls
 instructions, declared that he would not
 tarnish his military reputation by march
 ing any longer with such drove of jack l asses. -,.. Captain s. said he might Ego dry g
 for aught he cared he wasn't beholden
 to him. As the quarrel waxed fercer
 and hotter, the company and following
 began to take sides with one or the other,
 and the whole parade soon became com
 pletely demoralized. .s..
 Just at this crisis 3OO-pounder hog,
 set upon by some snappish dogs, ran at
 full speed against our hero's legs, upset
 him, and carried him the length of the
 line ere it dropped him in the dirt. This overthrow was greeted with shrieks of laughter and roars of applause. For the
 same mob which stares at, admires, and fatters the hero on his feet, will clap it's hands and shout still louder to see his feathers trailing in the dust.
 But Captain Swingletree was not the man to let swine run over him with i'm punity. Hastily regaining his feet, he unclasped his entangled belts and cast aside his silly sword his dusty muster coat followed. Then, rolling up his shirt sleeves. he struck his fists together with frightful vehemence, and declared he could lick the whole company, single file, beginning with the adiutant Strangely enough, while arrayed in his war panoply and armed with trenchant steel, our captain seemed so despicable 8 figure that the very boys laughed at him now, in his simple manhood, four ishing the brawny arms with which na- ture had endowed him, he was terrible to behold. He colIared the tall file- leader, who shook like willow in his grasp, and without blow the company was reformed and the mutiny quelled.
 The commanding officer was appeased. and thereafter the muster was conducted so much to the satisfaction of everybody that, on the eve of dismissing the parade, Captain Jack took off his hat and pro- posed three cheers for Captain Swingle- tree.
 The cheers were given with will, and re-echoed from the following of boys and negroes, the store porch, the tavern benches, to remoter groups of spec tators by barking dogs, believing cat tie, and gobbling turkeys, was prolonged to three times three. VI
 The fair Melindy heard these shouts with conscious bluhhes and fluttering heart, and from that night our hero wore feather in his hat we'll worth the wearing. ..... ... H......
 To avoid the temptation of wandering away in flowery paths leading from the main highway of our subject, we here discreetly drop the curtain on the first act of our drama, and beg our complai- sant audience to imagine twenty years have elapsed between this and the next paragraph. .....
 Colonel Swingletree had become man of substance and of family, noted for in- dustry and thrift among the independ- ent yeomanry of his county yet time had in no way abated his patriotic ardor nor his zeal in the military service. During these years he had been punctil- ious in his attendance on all the musters prescribed by law, and on all national high days and holidays, barbecues, fu- nerals, and other jolifcations where the element could with proprietv be introduced.
 Owing partly to the fame of the new colonel, but chiefly to his indefatigable urgency, the turnout was larger and better equipped than had been seen for number of years.
 The oldest captain, acting as adiutant. had formed the parade, brought it to a |" present arms," and stood with his sword at salute.
 The colonel acknowledged tine com pliment with naughty air, advanced to take command, and seized the hilt of his sword with 8 rattling flourish which would have done honor to French The movement was failure, and the sword didn't appear. He tugged again and again, and the harder he pulled the harder it stuck in the scabbard.
 At once the obsequiousness of human | nature toward all bedecked and betitled greatness manifested itself. Twenty spectators and half the parade rushed | forward to offer assistance The lucky | parties were an old negro and @ 'pren- tice boy. who respectively seized the | hilt and point of the scabbard, while the | colonel straddled the insubordinate wea- pon, and held it firmly between his | knees. The eager volunteers worried | like two dogs at bone, dragging the commander backward and for ward as their efforts alternately pre- but the more they pulled and the more the crowd laughed, shouted, l and advised, the more 1nextricably inex- tricable was the case in hand. At length. | with one mighty pull all together, the colonel was lifted off his feet and rolled | in the dust.
 "Stop, you pesky fools p he exclaim- ed, '" l forgot about that patent fxin'." So, rising like Anteus from the earth, he pressed 8 spring just under the guard, | and, To! ...4...
 The mighty brand
 Leaped into his hand.'' The crowd gave three cheers, the music struck up, and the troops marched gal lantly away. ..',e
 From the day that Jake Swingletree | had carried corn stalk as private at the muster his aspiration had been to ride as colonel of the old Sixty | uox,oo%b rThot dow bo1 o4 1oro o&l, <3o~-,,,