New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-02-26

was not only invited to the Castle with
the other officers, buts was also asked
there by himself and actually was Be-
Geved to have taken tea with the Cen
cral and Lady Elizabeth ii their deep
est retirement. For tho General sake
rather than his own, his brother OH.
GERS continued on courteous terms
with him; and he had always been 50
shy, and held himself so a1oof, that
perhaps he did not discover there was
but little c0rdiality in their courtcsy,
And presently he exchanged into an.
other regiment, which went on foreign
service.
:. He was away for several years,
and in the fortunes Of war he got rap.
idly promoted 90 that when he Re.
turned home, though he was still
young, he was no longer poor no
body. When he landed IN his own
country he found q letter awaiting him.
written by one who had sat near him
at that memorable dinner party, and
who was now residing in the old Castle
where the General and Lady Elizabeth
had then been guests. This letter
pressed him in the Warmest terms to
spend some Of his earliest days in En-
gland at this very Castle, and SO give
many old friends who were in the
neighborhood an opportunity of meet
ing and congratulating him. Ensign
Ransom, now Col. Ransom, smiled q
little strangely when he read this in
vitation, but he wrote very polite re-
ply and accepted it. &
Once more he sat in the stately old
banqueting-room 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 its changes, familiar to him.
All of the guests at the former dinner
were not there. Many of those, in
deed, he well knew. were sleeping on
battle-tields far away. But nobody was
at this dinner who had not been at that
other enc.
"Once more the dishes were re-
moved, and the servants withdrawn.
The guest Of this evening was no won.
derful story teller, like the good old
General, who had now passed to his
rest. Col. Ransom was taciturn as En-
sign Ransom had been shy, and he even
let the conversation flag, and never
seemed to notice it.
Colonel" said the eldest gentle
man OF the party, speaking with visible
effort, and giving slight cough to
veil his embarrassment, Colonel, /
think we all remember another time
when we dined together here.'
Certainly, / remember it, an
swered the Colonel, lifting his gray
eyes, with 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 pain
full to you I hope you will pardon us,
for we are only following her counsel.
Colonel, there was a box lost that even
ing. Here it is
Where was it foundp'
His c0mposure was exceedingly
disconcerting. Another gentleman,
feeling that the first had done his part,
now took up the parable.
So 1t was found in the very chair on
which you are seated, Colonel he
said. You will remember that the
General sat there on that night. It
must have found its way back into the
Generals own hand, and in the inter-
est and excitement of his own story
telling, he must have intended to slip
it back into his pocket, which, if you
recollect, was the first place where he
sought it. Instead of that it evidently
escaped the proper orifce, and dropped
into the covering of the chair; that
covering was very thick and heavy,
and hung in lappets about his legs.
Fart OF it was unsewn, and this box
dropped between the damask and the
lining, and remained there safely and
unseen, ii the chair was recovered
last year.
Gentlemen said the Colonel,
with his accustomed calmness, though
his lip trembled q little. Il cannot
wonder if some of you thought my con.
duct suspicious. I thank you heartily
for showing mo your brothcrly delight
that those suspicious were unfounded.'
AT the bottom Of the table sat the
spiteful old Major Che was on half pay
now, and more spiteful than every, and
he thought within himself that there
was no knowing whether Ensign Ran
son had not taken some subsequent OPP
portunity Of getting rid Of his danger
Gus booty into the hole in the damask,
and that the mystery could not be called
cleared up unless the Colonel had ex-
planned why he had demurred to the