The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-01-02
THE RIBBON OF HONOR.

The night was very cold, and we had
drawn up around the fire, all open fire
of sea coal, which the size of the room
rendered necessary, even when the fur
mace was, according to Patrick, II" at the
top of his hate"
We were small party, my cousin
and my cousins wife, her sister, Patty
Emerson, dark-eyed, Castilian-look-
ing young woman, whom you were
constantly naming in your Imagination,
Sonora Inez, or Dolores; anything but
the commonplace Patty" to which
she really responded, and Maj. Howith,
all English friend of my Cousins and
charming person, easy, jovial and SYM
pathetic, and with background of per-
sonal history which dated from the
Crmea. .N
With myself we made just five,
group unequal as to whist, but quite
equal to a much livelier pastime-story-
telling. The major, good fellow, had
"opened the ball" with " thrilling
tale or two from his Crimean expert
ences, and then for the first time we
discovered that he was one of those he
roes who had won the Victoria cross.
Patty's eyes glistened.
"Oh, to think" she cried out, &c that
we here in America have gone through
such war, have had such splendid he
roes, aud not national badge or rib
bon of honor TO crown aud specialize
our special heroes!
Ny cousin, who was himself some.
thing of hero in the war, and whom
we all called the colonel, when we did
not more affectionately and irreverently
style him as Z" Cousin Jim," at this
pomt gave utterance to an exclamation
which 1t once aroused our interest.
"W hat is it, Colonel! There's bee
buRzing in your bonnet, that's certain ;
and, as I've told all my stories for TO-
night, you might as we'll open up your
oudg IT," put in Major Howilh. We all
joined in this Invitation or suggestion,
and, aiter minute or two, my cousin s
pleasant voice was telling The story Of
he evening" The Ribbon Of Honor"
F." You remember Melroey" he began
gIancing at US three ladies. I" He was
the brightest, gaycst little fellow, this
Mcroe," addressing himself TO Major
Howiih, the life OF my regiment, ard
ne won his capfaiucy, though he was
put twenty-three years old. The night
before his last battle, recollect, was a
. >peCially merry evening all around, ow.
ing TO Melroe's wit and humorous droll-
, ry. Dalzell, of the fifteenth, aud Mel
) zoe had tent together, and the two
brothers, Cam and Archy Browne, to.
gether with myself, were invited in that
; night to n little supper Of Melroe's Civ.
g ing. rccolect perfectly as Went in
. seeing Melroc bending over the oysters
= which he was cooking upon spiri
, lamp. lie was great al all such thing,
4 md Cam Browne was running him az
l. only Cam Browne could. You've
. missed your vocation, Mel; you should
a have been apprcnticed TO Soyer,' Can
y was sa, ing, You ALWAYS had knacl
!, At that kind of messing; and remem
II ber," turning to the rest of us, W her
a a. he came II little urchin to school; ant
he actually, at that tender age, had fur
u nished himself with suudry tin cup
in and various conveniences for brewin.
y messes; aud lie was forever at it, AS
heard this recalled The first time me
a the youngstcr myself. | was at TN
same school. one of the seniors, and h
y y was a little chap not yet turned into hi
4. teens. very fond of play, very fond O
80 his tin cup business and very ,nuc
u" afraid of ghosts. used 10 meet hir
s, running down the corridors after dark
y. And once remember very well whe
we were all in our rooms and the light
were being put out, how a little whit
ACE looked in and little shaky voic
~ cried. King, will you leud me YOU
ur toothache drops?' | questiored III
T, hoy. 'Got the toothache, Mel?' sNt
he. answered. sbut Mortv has s
x YOU braved the ghosts for Morty
tootbache,' [ retorted yiciously; an
what's more, TO my thinking, the cold
rs / told him | didn't ihink | should cray
5s nut ot INV bed on sueh an errand: TN
aS lack Frnst. the wbitest he ever sa,
% was waiting for him in the entry. ri
10 little chan fiaredI nm like a rocket. L
ar ar vou think ia LET "A chan have the tool
ache for all the ghosts iu the world
'uH he cried ont. passionatelv. winding |
with .Oh, | hale YOU big BOYS: YOU
ali so selfishi" uied to moliiy hi
NV Altering TO light him back, but
snalched The drops and banged Il
door i'm my face: and | heard him ru
= nin0 down the dark corridor, easpi
every inch of the wav for fear of /
Ghosts. and ali for Morty Richmond
Ihis room- mate,s) toothache: and
knnw Of this little mans living ava
III" fnr honrs one night with his own too
ache. which he bore rather than bra
!, .,os % ,he dark corridor | told llis sto
$50 inst ne am tellino il now. 10 ihe (
lows that night i'm the tent. AS we
90 stood and watched Melroe at his 0. ste