Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-11-20
CHE gturv Teller.
THE ENSIGN'S SECRET.

out OF llttle mouse at tue eaSteTH euu oi d
town by the sea- There was plenty of life
and gayety at the other end of the town,
which was enlivened by one or two barracks,
a fort and castle. But the eastern end was
very poor, and would have been quite lonely
but for the fishermen and their boats. The
house from which the young man came was
beyond even this homely hustle, and was lit
tie more than wooden hut, tarred to defend
it from wind and weather. Its only near
neighbor was huge windmill, whose gaunt
arms were almost over its humble roof; and,
though its windows and doorstep were clean
and its curtains white, it was clearly very
poor place, where none but very poor people
would live.
But the young man who came out was in
the full dress of military officer, though
that was screened from first view by the long
gray cloak which the wild March wind made
so necessary He looked back and waved his
hand toward the little house, as IL he knew
that somebody there was watching him,
though, certainly, nobody could be seen from
the outside. And then he turned and strug
gled against the strong gale which blew in
from the sea.
He was quite young, and his face was finely
cut, and would have been pleasant but for a
look of stern and painful sorrow, not unmix-
ed with bitterness, which seemed strangely
incongruous with his years and his dress.
He wslked on quite through the town.
There were few people taking exercise for
pleasure in that rough weather, and the
crowd of shipping in the Downs made the sea-
ward view almost less lonely than the shore.
1t was very simple little town with red
tiled, decent dwelling houses crowded forward
toward the sea, as if their inmates wanted to
watch the boatmen and fishers from as near a
point as they might. Wherever the houses
broke apart, one caught glimpses Of a wild,
fiat country, dotted here and there with wierd
trees in Indian file; and the youth looked
wistfully toward the desert fields, as if he
would fain have struck away across them. in
stead of going on, as he did, toward the grim
old fort.
Yet there, it was clear. festivity was going
forward, and friendly voices greeted him as
he passed the gray old portal. And then,
over his stern, sad face, he dropped mask of
gayety, and though he relapsed into silence at
times, he was as polite and conversible as the
best of them.
There was a preparation for dinner party
in the fine, stiff old hall, with its rows of mill.
tsry portraits. and its dingy, blood.stained
banners The castle, the barracks, and the
fort itself, had eagerly furnished guests to
welcome the visitor Of the day, grand old
general recently from honorable victories in
the south Of Europe.
- After dinner, when the ceremony was fair
ly thawed, the good old general, in the kindli'
ness and pride of his heart, displayed little
box, which had been given him by some
grandee of Spain. 1t must have been toe
small for snuff box, and was probably one o1
those tiny trifes in which fashionable folks
used to carry com6ts and lozenges. At any
rate, this box was set with diamonds and col
ored gems of rare value, and it passed from
hand to hand, flashing brightly in the lamp
light, while the old warrior told dread stories
of his campaigns, and Of the daring and hon
or of his men.
But suddenly, at the end of story so thrill
ing that all heads had been craned towarc
him, while the military servants had throngec
the door in rapt attention, the simple question
was asked:
"Where is the generals jeweled box ?" =.
Nobody knew; every one said that he hao
silently passed it on to his fellow.
The general rummaged his own pockets
thinking it had found its way back to him
and be had, halfconsciously, put it away
No, it was not there, and the brave old fight
ing face looked little blank, and he muir
INJURED an excuse about show its loss woul'
vex Lady Elizabeth"
"But it cannot be lost, general" cried tn
officer in command of the fort. "ln this room
it was few minutes ago. and in this room !
must be still. No gentleman, to his know
edge, has it in his possession. Let the ser
wants at the door come in, though to the bes
of my belief, not one of them has approache'
the table since the box was brought out. LIE
the door be made fast and let our search b
thorough"
The candles were bran dished to and frc
under the tables, under the chairs, round tn
table drapery. But from no point flashed on
the brilliant beauty of the little box.
'Still it must be here," insisted the com
mandant, "and surely no gentleman will thin
his honor infringed if each, in turn, is aske
to empty the contents of his pockets upon tn
table. I, myself, will be the first to do Sc
And the servants shall be the last"
Nobody could be expected to demur at $
simple and sensible proposal, backed as
was by the honest old officer instantly rattlln
out some crown pieces and tobacco poucf
ba]fpence. and an old pipe. One after al