The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-11-02
would have been no mean study for a

would have been no mean study for a
paintef
lie could hardly believe his eyes.
Keenly scrutinizing the younger man,
who did not quail before his gaze, he
said stifiy, after pause of some Sec
onds
II certainly thought. sir, saw you
at the ball in D. street just now v'
"Me, sir?" replied the other, au
daciously. "Why, l am on guard,
sir"
"It is very singular" resumed the
colonel, without relaxing his scrutiny
and slightly raising his voice. 81
could have sworn l saw you there y
Every singular indeed, sir" retorted
the delinquent, gaining boldness from
the very extremity of the strait to
which he found himself reduced;
"since man can't be in two places
at once, and you have found me here.
A case of mistaken identity perhaps,
sir"
The two men stood still eyeing each
other, one keeLly eager to detect, the
other as equally seeking to avoid de
lection. The colonel was completely
baflled. The man was there before
him-that was certain: but how, hay
ing left him, as he felt sure he had
done, among the guests at the ball, he
came to be there now was ineXplica
bic. Not having wings wherewith tc
fly, how on earth had the fellow got
there? Could he have been mistaken,
he wondered for a moment. But no
he knew he had not.
He shifted the form of his interro.
CATION:
"Then you were not at the ball p
he asked, very pointedly.
The young officer was worthy of all
condemnation for having forsaken the
post of duty. But though he had acted
inexcusably, he was still gentleman
and he would not pOllute his lips with
lie. lie hesitated for a reply ther
| barried the question with another.
GLOW could be at the ball when
you find me here, sirY he asked.
Yes, how: that was the mystery, the
simple solution of which was the
furthest in the world from presenting
itself to the coloners brain. He knew
that it was quite impossible for an
other carriage to have arrived before
his own. His coachman had driver
quickly enough to satisfy even his i'm
patience, and he could not have failed
to notice if another vehicle had pre-
ceded or followed his through the de
serted streets. He could not in the
| least understand it.
Silent, but wholly unconvinced, ht
sat down in the hall to think what il
might behoove him to say or do next
whilo the Junior omCer buetlcd about
in restless fashion, setting refresh
mcnts before him and awkwardly en-
deayoring to turn the conversation
into another channel. The colone
answered at random, for his thought.
were perpleXing
MyStified, and righteOusly set OF
cOnvicting the offender as he doubles,
was, he could not help, nevertheless
feeling perception of the comical side
of the question. He felt, too, that
however fully persuaded he might bc
in his own mind of Captain Kendal''
o1fense, it would perhaps be diflicul
matter to prove it, At length hC
cleared his throat portentOusly and re
turned to the charge:
"Look here, Captain Kendall" III
said, in accents Which somehow haC
| taken milder sound from the bent O.
his cOgitatiOns, "its no use beating
about the bush; | would stake my eX
istence that | saw you at the ball. Blu
how you come to be here now is anothe
matter, and I don't pretend to under
stand how you managed it. You hat
better make a clean breast of it, anC
although it would be my duty to tax
proceedings against you-yet if yol
will explain it is possible that l ma.
Just for once, considering the peculia
features of the case, be inclined to TAX
a lenient view of a very grave misde
meanor, sir
Thus encouraged, the culprit, VIII
detected a kindly twinkle in tn
usually stern gray eye which was fiXe
upon him, made full and free cor
fession of his fault and of the cause
which led thereto.
The colonel, though well advance
in the vale of years, had not outlive
the memory of youthful hopes; an
was kindly man, though strict di'
ciplinarian. The young lady, who's
fair image had lured the lover from hi
duty, was rather favorite with hin
and considering, as he had said, til
peculiar features Of the case, he cor
sented to overlook the offense, an
inflicted no worse punishmer
on the delinquent then repriman'
which was received in dutiful silenC
and with all due contrition. 81
months later the colonel made a
eloquent speech at the wedding Of tW
happy young people, on which occasic
Captain Brereton acted as best ma
Then two sweet blue eyes looked pla
fully into his, as the pretty brio
thanked him, in mysterious whispe
for the solitary and memorable occ
sion when he had consented, for on,
in his life, to overlook and cOndone
signal breach of discipline.-I'emp
Bar.
An Extraordinary Man.
In the person of Hoe Bey, Consta
tinople has been entertaining a mo
remarkable visitor. This Circassi;