Connecticut western news., 1878-12-18

General" said tho Commandant, drawing him little to one side, "may l say that I sincerely trust your great generosity has not led you to-"
 "Sir," cried the old General, "can you imagine that any mistaken idea oi kindness would cause me to make you s companion of thieves? Gentlemen" he went on, seeing that the company were not unaware of his little by play, "1 pledge you my word that lam satisfied of Ensign Ranson's honor, and whoever dares to doubt him makes me to be his accomplice."
 And the old General seized the young Ens1gn's arm and marched him from the banqueting-room, while every one sat dumbfounded, till the spitefuI Major remarked that wonders would.4neve1 cease.
 There was nothing more to be said. It was discovered that Ensign Ranson was not only invited to the Castle with the other officers, but was believed to have taken tea with the General and Lady Elizabeth in their deepest retire. ment. For the Generals sake rather than his own, his brother officers con- tinued on courteous terms with him and he had always been 50 shy, and held himself 50 aloof, that perhaps he did not discover there was but little cordial ity in their courtesy. And presently he exchanged into another regiment, which went on foreign service.
 He was away for several years, and in the fortunes of war he got rapidly pro- noted, so that when he returned home, though he was still young, he was no longer poor nobody. When he landed in his own country he found 8 letter awaiting him, written by one who had sat near him at that memorable dinner party, and who wss now residing in the Old Castle where the General and Lady Elizabeth had been guests. This letter pressed him in the warmest, terms to spend some of his earliest days in Eng land at this very Castle, and so give many old friends who were in the neigh borhood an opportunity of meeting and congratulating him. Ensign Ranson, now Colonel Ransan, smiled a little strangely when he read this invitation, but he wrote very polite reply and &C., cepted it.
 Once more he sat in the stately old banqueting-r of the fort. This time he had not walked in from the bleak east end of the town, but had been driven from the Castle in the chariot of the Castles owner. But, as he took his seat in the chair of honor, he noticed that every face at the table was, in all it's changes, familiar to him. All of the guests at the former dinner were not there. Many of those, indeed, he well knew, were sleeping on battle-fields far away. But nobody was at this dinner who had not been at the other one. Once more the dishes were removed and the servants withdrawn. The guest of this evening was no wonderful story teller, like the good old General, who had now passed to his rest. Colonel Ranson was as taciturn as Ensign Ran son had been shy, and he even let the conversation flag, and never seemed to notice it.
 "Colonel," said the eldest gentleman of the party, speaking with visible effort, and giving slight cough to veil his embarrassment, Colonel, I think we all remember another time when we dined together here."
 Certainly, remember it." answered the Colonel, lifting his gray eyes, with g cool light in them.
 "Colonel, we fancy you think some of us did you ill-justice then. At least
 lady says you felt so-Lady Elizabeth
 the good old Generals widow. If what
 we are going to do is in any way painful
 to you I hope you will pardon us, for we
 are only following her counsel. Colonel
 there was box lost that evening. Here
 it is.'
 Yes, there it was, gleaming once nor.
 in the light which danced gayly upor
 it. The Colonel looked at it calmly
 and asked:
 , "Where was it found ?'
 His composure was exceedingly dis
 concerting. Another gentleman feeling that the first had done his part now tool up the parable.
 "It was found in the very chair ol F which you are now seated, Colonel" h
 said. "You will remember that tn General sat there on that night. Itmus l have found it's way back to the General l own hand, and in the interest and ez citement of his own storytelling, h 5 must have intended to slip it back int 3 his pocket, which, if you recollect, wa l the first place where he sought it. IT 3 stead of that it evidently escaped th 3 proper orifce, and dropped into th 8 covering of the chair that covering We r very thick and heavy, and hung in lal @ pets about his legs. Part of it was ul g sewn, and this box dropped between t1 d damask and the lining, and remaine s there safely and unseen till the chair W. 8 recovered last year."
 n Gentlemen" said the Colonel, wit Il his accustomed calmness, though h d lips trembled 8 little, "I cannot wond, d if some of you thought my conduct su Il picious. I thank you heartily for sho, 'e ing me your brotherly delight that tho 1t suspicious were unfounded."