Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-15
Gales ano SI;cttbcs.
ENSIGN RANSOM.

AN ENGLISH STORY

'.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and the servants withdrawn.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 Ransom
had been as taciturn as Ensign Ransom
had been shy, and he even let the CONVEX
sation flag. and never seemed Ia notice il.
".Colonel,' said the eldest gentleman
of the party. speaking with visible effort,
and giving slight cough to veil his embar-
rassment, Colonel. think we All remcm-
Der another time when we dined together
here
Certainly. | remember it., answered
the Colonel, lifting his gray eyes. with a
cool light in them.
Colonel, we fancy YOU think some of
us did you Injustice then. At least, a
lady saws Won felt so-lady Elizabeth the
good old Generals widow. If what we
are going to do is in any way painful TO
you hope you will pardon rs, for we are
only following her counsel. Colonel.
there was box lost that evening. Here
it is
Eyes, there it was, cleaning once more
in the light which danced gayly upon it. =
The Colonel looked at il calmly. and
asked -
Where was it found|
Ills composure was exceedingly dis
concerning. Another gentleman, feeling
that the first had done his part. now took
up the parable.
alt was found in the very chair on which
YOU are now seated, he said. 'Iou will
remember that the General sat there on
that night. 1t must have found its way
back to the Generals own hand. and in
the interest and excitement of his own
storytelling, he must have intended to
slip it back into his pocket, which, if YOU
reeollect, was the first place where he
sought it. Instead of that it evidently es-
capped 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. Part of it was I'M
sewn, and this box dropped between the
damask and the lining, and remained
there safely and unseen till the chair was
recovered last year
..Gentlemen," said the Colonel, with his
accustomed calmness, though hs lip trem-
bled little cannot wonder if some OF
you thought my conduct suspicious, |
thank you heartily for showing me yonr
brotherly delight that those suspicious We're
unfounded.
AT the bottom of the table sat the spite
full old Major, Che was on half pay now,
and more spiteful than ever,) and he
thought within himself that there was no
knowing whether Ensign Ransom had not
taken some subsequent opportunity Of get
ting rid of his dangerous booty into the
hole in the damask, and that the mystery
could not be cleared up unless the Colonel
had explained why he had dcmurred to the
search. And this spiteful old Major would
have said as much to his next neighbor, if
he himself had not been SO terribly deaf
that he could not regulate his own voice
between confidential whisper and a
mighty shout.
1.-The Colonel sat in silence for some
minutes, and toyed with his wine glass, As
il he quite forgot where he was. Then he
recalled himself with start, and, drawing
something from his own pocket, said quiet
ly: tt... .....
Gentlemen, too have something to
show you.' f4
.All pressed forward as he carefully I'M
folded the soft paper packet and laid some
thing on the table. What was it? What
could II be?
at was the beached skeleton of Il chick
ems wing.
:. Gentlemen he said. in that same
quiet voice, which no longer sounded cold
and stern, but rather full Of strength and
sweetness, when was here before. was
poor fatherless lad. owning nothing in
the world but my poor little pittance OF
pay. | fear was an eyesore to some OF
you. | think you felt that my appearance
did not do justice to the dignity of our reg
iment. | believe | often looked rather
shabby. but really could not help it.
Il had only one relative in the world,
and that was my mothers sister After
my mother died she had been mother to
me, but when our home was finally broken
up, there was nothing for it but She must
be a governess in strangers house And
she did her work courageouslv and cheer
fully enough till her health failed, and no.
body wanted the services of sick woman
"'She had always been good to me
And we two had only each other in The
world. could not help her a she ough
to have been helped, but my pay woult
at least provide her such home and sucl
maintenance as poor working man cal
give q poor working woman.
fo'h my ~ lHi1t WIFI tlt
wife OF the miller's man in the little black
cottage beside the mill She was a Kind.
cleanly woman, though rough and plain in
her ways, and my poor aunt used 10 call
herself very happy there. But She could
not eat the simple food my scanty means
could procure. And the good iandlady
used to break my heart by suggesting that
her appetite might be tempted by chickens
my utmost reach. tr.I..
"'All the day of that memorable din,
ner-party my aunt had been very feeble
and falling When left her really won.
iered whether she would be alive when
saw her again. NY soul revoltcd at the
sight of dainties which were no good Ia
me, and which could not convey to her
who seemed dying for want of them. sud
denly bright idea seized me. took a
letter from my pocket and spread it on