The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-12-06
The Colonel's Early Love.

TT WAS just cherub's face under n
i forage cap which met Colonel Cother-
stones angry gaze, as he sat bolt up
right in his chair one Sunday afternoon.
A cherub's face, smooth and fair, which
had as yet not the faintest sign of a
mustache f; face with languishing
azure eye that went straight to Colonel
Cotherstone's heart, in spite of his anger
and the popular belief that he was in
the fortunate possession ofa lump of ada
mant instead of that too frequently in
convenient organ. The scene was the
ColonePs room in the cavalry barracks
at York; the time between three and four
in the afternoon; dramatis persona,
Colonel Edward lie Gendre Cornerstone,
Sergeant Major McAllister, and Private
Edward Jones, F troop. 1t was private
Edward Jones who owned the cherub's
face,the languishing blue eyes, the long
1.-THE limbs, and, alas also bad charac-
ter.
Sergeant Major, you can co." said
Colonel Cornerstone curtly whereupon
that parsonage, having saluted, departed,
feeling pretty sure that Private Jones
was coming in for severe wigging, or,
as he put it, "the Colonel's going to give
it i'm proper"
But Colonel Cornerstone did not i'm
mediately set about the task which he
had imposed upon himself An obstacle
not very often coming between COM
manding officers and their troopers,
presented itself in the shape of that
dainty cherub face, with the fair waving
hair and the languishing azure eyes, SO
like another face that he had known
long ago and loved At last, however,
he forced himself to speak.
''And how long is this state of things
to continue?" he demanded sternly.
Private Jones maintained discrete
silence, but he shifted his long legs ner-
vously and lowered his eyes until the
colonel could no longer see them. Once
their gaze withdrawn from him he was
able to speak fiuently enough. Usually
Colonel Cornerstone did not find himself
at loss for words.
'Now, look here, JONES'" he said
kindly, yet with sufficient firmness to
make his words impressive, 1--WE must
have change. Almost every day /
hear of some fresh misdemeanor, idle
ness, insubordination,w work half done or
left undone altogether, infringement of
rules, absence without leave. What is
the end to beY"
Private Jones shot one swift glance at
his chiefs keen and angry face,
opened his mouth as if to speak, but
ended by remaining silent the colonel,
however continued
''By what chain of circumstances you
came to enlist do not know; but if
you imagined for an instant that your
birth would permit you to ride rough
shod over everything, why, you made a
mistake. Because you are gentleman,
because you can speak half dozen diff
ferent languages, because you have got
through your fortune and made an utter
fool of yourself, you cannot be excused
your duties or have your misdoings pass
ed over without punishment. / dare say
it's hard for you to be restricted, to obey
the non. commissioned officers, to turn
out of your bed at five O'Clock, to live
with men of different rank from your
own; but you should have considered all
that before you brought yourself down
to your present position. With your ad-
vantages of education, you might get
your commission in the course of few
years, and win back the position you
have lost; but whilst your present bad
conduct continues can do nothing for
you. ! cannot pass you over the heads
men who do their duty conscientiously,
men whom can trust. If you do not