Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-02-13

from the outside. And then he turned
and struggled against the strong gal,
I: which blew in from the sea.
"He was quite young, and his face wa
finely cut. and would have been pleasan
but for look of painful sorrow, not un
mixed with bitterness, which seemed
strangely incoDgruous with his year.
and his dress.
"He walked on quite through tn,
town. There were few people taking
exercise for pleasure in that rough
weather, and the crowd of shipping ir
the Downs made the seaward view al
most less lonely than the shore. 1t was
very simple little town, with red tiled
decent dweliing>houses crowded for
ward toward the sea, as if their inmates
wanted to watch the boatmen and fish
ers from as near point as they might
Wherever the houses broke apart one
) caught glimpses of wild, fiat country
dotted here and there with weird trees
in Indian file; and the youth looked
wistfully toward these desert fields, as
If he would fain have struck away across
them, instead of going on, as he did, to-
wards the grim old fort.
"Yet there, it was clear, festivity was
going forward, and friendly voices
greeted him as he passed the grey old
portal. And then, over his stern; sad
face he dropped a mask of gaiety, and
though he relapsedintO silence at times,
he was as polite and conversible as the
best of them.
"There was preparation for dinner
party in the fine stiff old halls, with its
rows of military portraits. and its dingy
blood stained banners. The castle, the
1 barracks and the fort itself had eagerly
furnished guests to welcome the visitor
of the day, grand old general recently
returned from honorable victories in the
south of Europe.
ITO our ideas of to day" said Mrs.
Martin. shaking her dear, white capped
head, there was perhaps great deal in
that dinner table conversation which
off openly dispising our then enemies
the French, or speaking of any foreign
allies much as if they were vermin,
whom it was our good pleasure for the
time being to support and protect. Let
US not be afraid to condemn our honora-
BILE grandfathers in that wherein we
think they were wrong. Only let US
humbly remember that, strive as we
may, we ourselves shall still say and do
many things which, as we believe IN
God and progress, our still more fortu-
nate descendants will characterize as ILL
Judged and perhaps wicked. We can
but do our very best according to the
light which is vouchsafed to the world
in our day.
"After dinner, when ceremony was
fairly thawed. the good old General in
the kindliness and pride of his heart dis
played little box, which had been given
to him by some grandee of Spain !
think it must have been too small for a
snuff box, and was probably one of those
tiny trifies in which fashinnably folks
used to carry comfits and lozenges. AT
any rate, this box was set with diamonds
aud colored gems of rare value, and it
passed from hand to hand, flashing
brightly in the lamp light; while the old
warrior told dread stories of his cam
paigns and Of the daring and honor of
his men.
"But suddenly, at the end of story so
thrilling that all heads had been craned
towards him, while the military SER
wants had thronged the door in rapt at
tention, the simple question was ask
ed
"'Where is the Generals iewelled
box?'
Nobody knew; every body said that
he had silently passed it on to his fell
low.
1.-The General rumaged his own pock-
cts, lest in had found its way back to
him and Ire had half consciously put it
away. No, it was not there, and the
brave old fighting face looked little
blank, and he murmured an excuse
about how its loss would vex Lady
Elizabeth
"'But it cannot be lost, General,
cried the officer in command of the fort.
In this room it was few minutes ago,
and in this room it must be still. No
gentleman to his knowledge, has it in
his possession. Let the servants at the
door come in though, to the best of my
belief, not one of them has approached
the table since the box was brought out.
Let the door be made fast, and let our
search be thorough
"The candles were braniJhed to and
fro under the tables, under the chairs.
round the table drapery. But from no
point flashed out the brilliant beauty OF
the little box.
"'Still it must be here,' insisted the
commaDdant. and surely no gentleman
will think his honor impugned if each
iD turn is asked to empty the contents OF
his pockets on the table. / myself will
".
shall be the last
"Nobody could be expected to demur
at so simple and sensible proposal,
backed as it was by the honest old
officer instantly rattling out some crown
pieces and tobacco pouch, halfpences,
and an old pipe. One after the other
the gentlemen on either side of the table
followed his example, while sharp but
not unfriendly eyes took eagar note OF
strange pieces of personal property, and
of dainty three cOrnered notes, which
might serve in the future as mate rial for
badinage and quizziug.
but one drew back when the com~
mandant made his proposal. The young
man who walked in from the eastern
end of the town dropped suddenly into
his seat, whence he had risen in the Fl rst
eagerness of the search. He passed bis
hand once or twice nervously through
his hair, leaving it wild and struggling.
And then he watched blankly as the
fruitless search drew nearer and nearer
to himself Within five minutes later,
one or two of the officers were whisper
ing to each other that any simpleton
might have seen he did not expect it
could be found.
His turn was the very last. Ensign
Ransom said the commandant steadily.
Ensign Ransom was certainly the first
who had required to be called upon by
name.
"rhe youth arose. And though the
rest of his face was of deadly white
ness, there was spot of burning red on
each cheek.
"'I don't think any gentleman should
be asked to do this he said. Il will
give my word of honor that the box is
not upon my person. did not even keep
it in my hands for moment, I merely
took 1t and passed it on
"'Too high minded even to look at
such gew gaws,' sneered a spiteful old
major, under his breath.
"'What men high in the service and
old enough to be his father have already
done, Ensign Ransom may safely do al
so,' said the Cnmmandant, with sever.
ity which was not unkindly, for young
Ransom looked such a boy among the
crowd of men, mostly stout and middle