Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-12-18

The Ribbon OF Honor.

The ulght was very cold. abd We had
drawn up arornd the fire-sn open fire OF
sea coal. which the size of the room rem
dered necessary, even when The furnace
was. according TO Patrick, at the top OF
Its hate" We were small pa1y-my
cousin. and INV cousins wife. her sister,
Patty Emerson dark-eyei Castilisn-
looking girl, whom you were constantly
naming, In your Imagination, Sonora In.z.
or Dolores; anything but the common
place Patty" TO which she really re-
spouded-and Major uo~ith, an English
friend of nv cousins and 4 charming per-
sou. easy, joylal and sympathetic. and with
a background OF personal history which
dated from the Crimea
WIKI myself We made jus, five a group
unequal as to whist, but quite equal TO
much l.yelicr psslimc-siory telling. The
Msjor, good fellow. had opened the ball"
with thrilling tale" or two from his
Crimean experiences. Aud then for the first
time We discovered that he was one oi
those heroes who bad won the Victoria
cross. Pauy's eyes gistened.
"oh. to ihihk, she cried out, .'thst we
here In America have gone through such 4
war. have had such splendid heroes. and
not nAtionsl badge or 4 ribbon Of honor
- crown aud specialize our special he
ro-s -
Ny cousiu-who was himself something
OF hero In the ws,, and whom We all
called the Colonel when We did not more
ai'eciionAtely aud irrevereutly style his
Cousin Jim at thi. poin, gave utiersnce
10 an exclsmation which II once aroused
our interest.
What Is IL. Colonel. There's a bee bux-
xug in your bonnet, that's certain; xnd. IS
I've told all my stories for tonight, you
might as well open your budget" put In
Major Howlih. We all Joined in this invI-
ta,lOn or suggestion, aud. amer a minute
or two. my cousins pleasant voice was
telling the story of the evening-the story
Of The Ribbon OF Honor"
You remember Melroei" he began.
glanciug At Us three ladies. lie was the
brightest, gayesi little fellow. this Melroe,"
addressing himself to Major Howith. "the
lie OF my regiment. and he VOC his cap-
iaincy, though he was hut tweniy-ihree
years old. The night before hi. last bat
tie. | recollcct, was = specially merry even
Ing sll round. owing 10 M-lroe's wit and
humorou. drollery. Dalzell OF the Fiji
teenih and Nelroe had teEi together, and
fioyle and the Two brothers. Archy aud
Cam Browne, together with myself. were
invited In that might TO . little supper OF
Mers giving ! recollect perfectly, as
went in, seeing Melroe bending over the
oysters which he was cooking upon n spirit
lamp. He was great a. all those things,
and Cam Browne was running him as only
Cam Browne could. You've missed your
vocation. Mel; you should have been ap-
prenticed 10 Soyer, Cam was saying. You
always had "A knaek nj that kind OF mess
Ing; and ! remember. turning 10 the rest
~. ssf
school, and he actually. stthst tender age,
had furnished himself with sundry tin
cups and various conveniences for brew
ing messes. and be was forever At it, As
| heard this recalled the first time met
the yolngster myself. was at the same
school, one OF the seniors. and he was
little chap not yet turned Into his teens.
very fond OF play. very fond OF his tin-cup
business, and very much afraid Of ghosts.
used to meet him runnlIg down the cor
ridors after dark. And ouce l remember
very veil when we were oil In our rooms
and the lighfs were being put out. how
little wlite face looked In and little shaky
voice cried. .Kisg. viii you lend me your
toothsche dropsr ! questioned the boy,
Got the toothache Melr No. he an
swered, but Morty has. so you braved
the ghosts for Morty's toothache, l re-
NlClOuell Whot uoSCs " ~
thinking, the cold I told him / didn't
think I should crawl out Of my warm bed
on snch au errand: that Jack Frost. The
very wiiitest ghost ever saw, was waiting
for hi % 10 that entry. The little chap fared
up like a rocket. DO you think I'd let .
chap have n too,hache for all the ghosts in
the wOridT' he cried out, passionately.
wiading up with. oh, hate you big boys;
you are all so selfish.'' l tried tO mollily
him by offering TO light him back, but he
spatched the drops and banged the door 10
my face; aud heard him running down
the dark corridor, gssping every Inch VI
the way for fear Of the ghosts. and all for
Morty RichmOnd's (his rOOm-mate) tooth
ache aud know Of this little mans lying
awake tor hours with his own tOothache.
which he bore rather than brave the dark
corridor! told this story, just - | am
telling it now, TO the fellows that blight In
the tent, as we all stood and watched Mel
roe st his oysters. l had special reason
for telling il. knew very we'll that not
man In all the regiment was 80 little under
stood as Holland MelrOe-perhaps SO little
appreciated. His estimate there that oight,
with those who liked him heartily too, was
of gay, good-humOred fellow. uho took
his soldiers life - easily as was consis-
tent with q good deal Of laziness and lit-
tie shrinking from any active service.
felt sure that I read him bettsr shan this,
aid that beneath this exterior Of laziness
and shrinking there lay noble qualities Of
coarage and vslor. As finished my story
that nie kt Dslssn called out, You ought
to have had medal for overcoming your
dragon Mel Or Gordon blsu.' Cam
Browne suggested. From that they all
fell to talking Of the foreign system of
badges and neJals Of honor, sud one of
the young uen pulled out ef bis pocket. II
recOllect, CoenAX 4agdsiRe. and read to
US ThackeravsA RsuadAbous paper "On
Ribbons h asal saonlse up Of the
talk was in great axfeeuent with Thaok-
>.>w and tho ~anaph1 fnneiuaiOu thai 0e