Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-04-18
light which is youohsafcd to the world in our

been too small for snuff box, and was prob
ably one of those tiny trihos in which fash
ionabe folk used to carry comfts md lo2-
cugcs At any rate, this box was set with
diamonds and colored gems of rare value, and
hpassed from hand tohaud flashing brightly in
the lamp-light, while the old warriortold ddread
stories of his campaigns, and OF the daring
and honor of his mon.
"Bgt suddenly at thc end Of a story so
thrilling that al heads had been crnned
toward hiiu. while the military servants had
thronged the door iu rapt attention, the sim
pie question was asked
.' 'Whora is the Generals jeweled boXY
Nobody knew; everybody said that he
had I'D uily passed il on 60 his fellow.
"Iha General rmumaaed his own pockets,
lest Il had found its way back to him and he
Ind half consciously put it away. No, it
was not there, and. the brave old fighting
face look d n little blank, and he murmured
an exrus about how its loss would veX La
dy Elizabeth
d" But il cannot be lost. General cried the
officer Ia command Of the fort IN this room
it was d f,w minutes ago, and in this room it
must be still No gentleman, 10 his knoWl-
edge, Las had it in his possession. Let the
rvalts 1T the door come in, though. to the
best Of my belief, not one Of them has ap-
preached the table since the box was brought
s.arch be thorough
''lho candles were braudshod to and fro,
uudar the chairs, round the table dnpery.
But from no point flashed out the brilliant
beauty Of the little box.
'Still il must be here insisted the Com
maudant, and surely no gentleman will think
bis honor infriuged If each IN turn is asked
to empty the contents Of his pockets upon
the table. myself will be the first to do 30.
And the servants shall be the last
Nobody could be expected TO domur at so
simple and sensible proposal, backed as it
was by the honest old officer instantly rat
Ting ont some crown pieces and "A tobacco
pouch, half-pcnce, and an old pipe. One af-
ter the other the gentlemen on each side Of
the table followed his example, while sharp
but not unfriendly eyes took eager note of
strange pieces Of personal property. and Of
dainty three e-cornered notes, which might
serve in the future as material for badinage
and quizzing.
but one drew back when the Command
ant made his proposal That young man who
had walked in from the eastern end Of the
town dropped suddenly into his seat whence
he had risen in the first eagerness of the
search. lie passed his hand once or twice,
ucrvously, through his hair, leaving it wild
and struggling And then be watched blank
ly, as the fruitloss search drew nearer and
nearer to himself Within five minutes later,
one or two of the officers were whispering to
each ether that any simpleton might have
seen hc did not expect it could be found.
Ills turn WAS the very last Ensign Ran
son, said the Commaudant steadily. Ensign
Ransom was certainly the first who had re-
quired to be called upon by name.
The youth arose. And though the rest Of
lis face was Of deadly whiteness there WAS
%, Z ls-ttiYff I ~, .ynl, ,la.E
:" 1 don't think any gentleman should be
asked tn do this, he said. i will give my
word of honor that the box is not upon my
person. | did not even keep it in my hands
for a moment; ] merely took it and passed it
on
Too high-mindod oven to look at such
sewgnws sneored spiteful old Major, un-
der his breath.
What men high in the service and old
enough 10 be lis father have already done,
Ensign Ransom may safely do also, said the
Corumaidant with severity which was not
| uukiudly, for young hanson looked such
boy among the crowd Of men mostly stout
and uidil4 aged; and the very suspicion sud
denly lowering over him made the old officer
think Of his own lads growing up, and not
quite sure to do well for themselves after all.
Il would never have asked it for the sake
Of my box observed the General, leaning
back iu his chair, and inwardly wondering
what Lady Elizabeth would say Of his care
! ltssucss.
'.'I}ut we ask it for the sake OF our honor,
! Gen rll.' ..ii ili. Clmuiudaut testify.
And We 10 uot s.m TO have asked it
nc,il SLY said the -g,t.ful Major.
1 vii, Lo; 30 tI,~ luiug" cried the young
| Ensign pl-sioutt, ly, aud D. looked wildly
round the group as if Aa sought for one fnce
that would comprehend aud compassionate
| his misery. The face which looked tn kind
est was that Of the old General himself, part
| ly because it was not his hospitality which
was outraged, partly because his genial ma
! ture was terribly shocked at finding anything
OF his the cause Of such wretche1 act Of
! di-houor
IF the General will come with me TO the
aute-room,' SAID the young man, 1 will con-
vince him that have not touched his box.
! But this public exposure / will not submit to I;
our consent was not asked. and
Certainly not" Ont upon you" Gen
| cral, you must not think Of indulgng his in
solent request were the only sentences audi
! ble in the general hubbuh that arose ON every
side
But the General rose. 'Geutlemeu,' he
| said quietly 4 have never yet refused to lis
ten 70 an enemy, petition. If You can salts
| fy me, sir perhaps your comrades will take
my word for you
There was n murmur Of very reluctant ac-
| quiesceuce, as the Ensign bowed and waited
respectfully to follow the General to the ante
chamber They had not disappeared behind
! the heavy curtains before all sorts of sur
misses were whispered round the table,
! guesscs and hints so wild aud so sinister as to
| do credit neither to the heads nor the hearts
which originated them. The General and
| the Ensign staid longer time in the ante
/ IN search l.t
| Ensgn's pockets twice and thrice over. Not
a sound could be heard. If any conversation
was going forward, it must have been in Il
| very low voice The two gentlemen We're
away for nearly half an hour. All the militia
ry servants had been subjected to the Com
! mandauts rigid scrutiny, and then dismissed
| II might be as well that none but the gentle
men Of the regiment should know exactly
what the end was. The delay grew first awk-
ward aud then awful Even the whispers
and rumors tagged into an mten; and excited
watching
''At last the General and the Ensign came
out The Eusign's face WAS still very pale (;
what flush remained upon it had now mount
ed to the eyes The old General was blowing
| his nose.
Ensign Ransom has thoroughly satisfied
me, he said in his most genial voice. Never
mind my box II has vanished by one of
! those mysterious accidents which will happen
sometimes 1t will be found some day. And,
now, gentlemen, perhaps, as we have been
thus broken up, We shall not settle down
again very comfortably tonight. hope We
shall see you all at the Castle before Lady
Elizabeth aud leave for London
General said the Commandant, drawing
him a little to one side, may l say that l sim
cerely trust your great generosity has not led
you to
% Sir cried the old General can you i'm
agine that any mistaken idea of Kindness
would cause me to make you companion of
thieves Gentlemen he went on, seeing
that the company were not unaware of his
little by-play, 4 pledge you my word that
am 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 En-
signs arm and marched him from the ban
queting-room, while every one sat dumb
founded, till the spiteful Major remarked that
| wonders would never cease.