Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-04-04

sort OF man. .f
aThere is certainly something wrong
about him. There is screw loose
about him somewhere" ial
what makes you think SO,
Schmidt ?"
~WeIl, just think: he asked me
awhile ago how my father was coming
on. Did you ever hear anything like
that 7" M hfe
"Why shouldn't he ask you how
your father was coming on? don't
see anything very strange in his asking
you about your father.
Schmidt No. 1 looked at Scholz with
amazemeni.
"Why shouldn't he ask you how
your father is coming ON z repeated
Scholz
Because" replied Schmid No. ], at
is little unusual in sensible person
to ask after the health OF man who
is dead
ADeadl" exclaimed Scholz. Come,
now, don't Joke on that subject. My
dear Schmidt there should be no lev
ity about thing of that kind"
alt don't occur to me as joke but
] can certainly say that my father is
dead. That is mere statement OF
fact"
Lieutenant Scholz 'sarms 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 1t hap
pen ?"
aHis horse fell on him and broke his
n II -.
Lieutenant Sciaeiz looked the picture
of despair, and Schmidt gazed at him
in utter amazement
"My poor, poor friead,'' said Scholz,
taking both of Schmidt's hand and
shak ing them, ''may heaven give you
siren 9Th to bear up under this terrible
affliction," and he wiped a isaanly tear
away, and off heswent with ais head
hanging down. ba4
"Another lunatic," remarked
Schmidt No. I to himself, COR IS ne
drunk. too?. Perhaps it is who azn
loony."
Only a few minutes later the Ser
geant who was drilling the recruits,
not Observing the white-haired Lieu
tenant Schmidt on the parade ground
came up and in roundabout way
asked Schmidt No where his father
was, that officer became Justly exas-
perated.
= 1T is a plot-l damnable plot, and l
will not stand any such trfhing. am
too old an officer to be humbugged IN
that way, and particularly about the
death OF my father. | will go at once
and see Captain Braun about lt Tor
somebody is going TO get hnat ai tins
,toohshness Is kept up" M
Leaving the old officer Schmidt NO.
/ to take care OF himself for the pres
ent, let us see what his son Lieutenant
Schmidt No. 2 is about. He stepped
out of hi1 room dressed in full uni
form and in the best of humor.
A complacent smile was playing
upon his lips. As he sauntered down
the street he met Lieutenant Seholz,
who looked like the picture OF despair.
"Good morning, Sch0lz, how are you
coming on, my boy? Have you got
the tootilache or collie, or has your
sweetheart gone back on y0u, or what
Is the matter with you, anyhow What
makes YOU look SO sorrowful this fine
morning."
Lieutenant Scholz was almost para
lyzed with astonishment at this extra
ordinary conduct of his friend
Look here, Schmidt, do you ilasos'
that l can't understand you, anyhow
"What don't you understand Are
YOU surprised that I wonder at your
Owl-like appearance = as a general
thing YOU are not so solemn. Let's go
and take breakfast together"
Lieutenant Scholz shook his head rs
| if the behavior of his friend was totally
lncomprehensible =. al did not suppose
you could be guilty OF such utter
heartlessness."
@Ileartlessness? What do you mean
| by that p :
We'll, l should think when man
father is dead-
| Schmidt No became as solemn as
:: Judge, and in husky voice, taking
| Scholz by the hands, he sail:
"Uh. | beg your pardon. | did not
know YOUR father was dead. But
| might have guessed it from your sOr-
rowful face. Dear friend, forgive me
and allow me to express my heartfelt
grief at your atflietion.'
This was a little too much Tor
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 un-
der the sod you are joking about ms
DEATH"
aYour grief, Scholz," replied Schmid
"has caused you to confound youl
father with mine"
"How is that ?"
"My dear fried" replied Schmidt
No. 9, "your father is dead, not mime
"Now, this is too much" exclaimed
Scholz, ait is not enough that you dis
grace YOU fathers memory, but yo'
even undertake to joke about mine,
NV father, God be praised, is quit,
healthy. / got letter from him yes
terday, and if he was dead my slste'
would certainly telegraph me"
"Well, then," said Schmidt, "If YOU
father is not dead what are you so s0r
rowful about?"
aAbout the death of your father, a
course"
"My father!" exclaimed Schmidt
"Of course. Didn't his horse fall OF
him and break his neck ?"
Schmidt became as pale as ghost
!, "I didn't know anything about 1t,
, said Schmidt, who told you that p
"You told me SO when | saw you OF
the parade ground half an hour ago:
Schmidt No. 2 looked at Scholz witt
a very anxious expression OF counte
nance.
@Do you know, Scholz, that | believ
: you are not quite right in your uppe
, story at times"
son the contrary, it is you VIII
: have lost your senses. You told CaI
lin Braun the same thing about you
father being dead, less than hall a
hour ago"
sCaptain Braun! Why l have nc
D seen him to-day"
/, "But have seen him. l met hir
: when he came from the parade groun'
and his whole beard was full of tear
| | He said he saw you on the parad
ground and that you told him abot
!, the accident that had happened to you
father"
e 1t was now Schnidt's turn TO &c
n mad.
it Il shall see Captain Braun about tn;
Immediately" said Schmidt No. :, an
IS putting his saber under his arm !
strobe off in the direction OF Captal
Is Braun's quarters. 'Old Captain Brau
is was sitting in his room. iie had M
l. l. -