The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-05-28

| MS DG3GS an yGtlI0Q nave S4-
perienced. Poor old Braun must
have softening of the brain, or else
he has taken to drinking"
Just then Lieut.. Scholz, another
officer belonging to the same bate
~, came around the corner.
GOOD morning, Schmidt"
Good morning, Scholz. By the
way, Scholz." said Schmidt No. 1,
''did you meet Captain Braun just
now?'
Il did"
S'Did you observe anything pecu-
liar about him?'
yes, he looked as if he had been
crying"
Il thought so. Either the old
man has lost his mind or else he
has taken to drinking"
Il can't believe that. He is not
that sort Of = man"
There is certainly something
wrong about him. There is a screw
loose about him somewhere"
"What makes you think SO,
Sehmidt?'
''WeIl, just think; he asked me
awhile ago how my father was CON-
4ng on. Did you ever hear anything
like thatP'
"Why shouldn't he ask you how
your father was coming on? / don t
see anything very strange in his
asking about your father"
Schmidt No. l looked at Scholz
with amazement.
why shouldn't he ask you how
your father is coming on?' repeated
Scholz.
Because" replied Schmidt No.
l, sit is little unusual in a sensi-
bic person to ask after the health Of
a man who is dead"
Dead - exclaimed Scholz. "Come
now, don't joke on that subject. My
dear Schmidt there should be no
leVity about a thing of that kind"
1T don't occur to me as joke,
but can certainly say that my ia
Their is dead. That is a mere state5
ment Of fact"
Lieut.. Schools arms dropped by
his side and he became as pale as
did the sympathetic Braun.
@Then it is true-really true; but
tell me for Gods sake, how did it
happenP'
His horse fell on him and broke
his neck. l thought you knew it. "
Lieut.. Scholz looked the picture
of despair and Schmidt gazed at
him in utter amazement.
MY poor, poor friend" said
Scholz, taking both of Schmidt's
hands and shaking them, ''may
heaven give you strength to bear
up under this terrible afliction,"
and he wiped a manly tear away,
and off he went with his head hang
ing down.
another lunatic," SAID Schmidt
No. l to himself, cor is he drunk
too? Perhaps it is I who am loony.'
Only a few minutes later the
Sergeant who was drilling the re-
cruits, not observing the white hair
ed Lieut.. Schmidt on the parade
ground came up and in a rounda
bout way asked Schmidt No. l
where his father was, that officer be-
came justly exasperated.
cit is a plot-a damnabie plot,
and l will not stand any such trif-
ling. I am too old an officer to be
humbugged in that way, and par
ticularly about the death Of my fa-
ther. L viii go at once and see
Capt. Braun about it, for somebody
is going to get hurt if this foolish
moss a. k@nh nn."
Leaving the old officer Sch2eidt
No. 1 to take care of himself for the
present, let us see what his son
Lieut.. Schmidt No. is shout. He
stepped out of his room dressed in
full uniform and in the best Of hu
nor.
A complicant smile was playing
upon his lips. As he sauntered
down the street he met Lieut. Scholz
who looked like the picture of de
spair.
Good morning, Scholz, how are
you coming on, my boy? Have
NOu SOb bLC OOObAaOlC VI COlLNs vi
has your sweetheart gone back on
you, or what is the matter with you
anyhow? What makes you look so
sorrowful this fine morning.
Lieut.. Scholz was almost para
lyzed with establishment at this
extraordinary conduct of his friend.
Look here, Schmidt, do you
know that can't understand you,
anyhow"
'What don't you understand?
Are you surprised that wonder at
your owI-like appearance-as gen
eral thing you are not so solemn.
Let's 60 and take breakfast to-
gether."
Lieut.. Scholz shook his head as
if the behavior of his friend was
totally incomprehensible. Il did
not suppose you could be guilty of
such utter heartlessness."
"Heartlessness? What do you
mean by thatY'
"Well, 1 should think when a
mans father is dead"
Schmidt No. became as solemn
as a Judge and In a husky voice,
taking Scholz by the hands, he
said:
ooh, 1 beg your pardon. did
not know your father was dead. |
But l might have guessed 1t from
your sorrowful face. Dear friend,
forgive me, and allow me to express
my heartfelt grief atyour aftiiction."
This was q little too much for
Scholz.
''Now Schmidt he SAID angrily, |
'you quit your nonsense. You
should be ashamed of yourself to
show such levity. Before your poor
father is under the Sod you are jok-
ing about his death. >"
''Your grief, Scholz," replied !
Schmidt, "has caused you to con
found your father with mine"
"How is that?'
'My dear friend, replied Schmidt
No. >, "your father is dead, not