The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-01-09

ton, who could not recognize this wa
Robbins. When he pushed his buhoon
cry too far the Major would rise, bow
and leave the room. Then the rest OF u
fell upon, sat upon, and tattened GU
: Robbins.
The Major dined daily with Miss Jonei
at the lodging house. We never knew o
lwhat that weekday dinner consisted, Blu
we believe 1t was made out OF the remains
OF the great Sunday feast. After chicken
Sunday the fare must have been poor
After beef and mutton Sundays, the meal
no doubt was minced, and oyerlaid with
blanket OF potato as cottage pudding
much potato and little mtnce; or was
served rs haricot with carrot and large
sippcts OF toast; or was lost In batter and
called toad-in-a.hole; or buried In boiled
dough. We did not know. we only
guessed. No information could be ex.
tracted from the Major when We inquired
after the "cold remains or the veneer
! able relics" or "Duke Humphreys din
ner." He would answer gently, without q
smile, II assare you Miss Jones and l have
Jared sumptuously." The old man prac:
tised the severest economy. He denied
himsplf everything he could; he
drank only water at dinner and supper.
Each OF us:had his separate jug; one bad
stont, another pale ale, another bitter ale 7;
Robbins drank brandy aud water; the old
lady Marsala. Ale meitnt to the Major four
pence day, or two.and-fourpence a
week, that is, over six pounds per annum,
and the Six pounds was needed for neceS-
saries. His boots were to him q constant
source OF uneasiness, care and alarm.
Boots come expensive and go quickly.
The same pair was soled and re-soled, till
the crease over the toe on the outside
roughened, then parted. Still they en-
cased his feet. A little blackened grease
filed the split, some sticking.plaster dis
guised 1t and was polished over; but these
we're expedients postponing the evil day,
nothing more. That the Major pinched
and screwed to raise the money for q new
pair we all know, and We all noticed the
tenderness with which the new boots
were regarded, how they were spared
work, kept indoors when the streets were
muddy and the rain fell.
The long slender fngers-they were
nearly transparent-were wonderfully
skiliul with the needle. The Major re.
paired his own garments; we believed
| that he mended his own stockings. The
maid told US his darning was beautiful.
One day that Robbins stayed at home
with cold, no heard the Major ask the
maid.of-all- very kindly TO let him
have hot tiatiron in bis room. Next
Sunday he appeared in brilliant-well,
clothes, and we found he had turned an
old pair himself, We noticed that they
bulged in, instead OF out, ct the knee for
some weeks, till they accommodated them
selves to their altered situation.
II Major Cornelius was self,denying in
the matter OF drink and clothing, il was
not that he could not appreciate generous
liquor, and was not particular about dress.
On the contrary, he was good judge Of
wines, and lie was fastidious about gar.
ments. I am sure that nothing CALLED
his self.esteem more than to have to dress
shabbily. He did as much OF his own
washing as he well could with q can oil
boiling water in his own basin, Washing
Is q heavy item in expenditure in Lon
don. believe that some OF the Majors
garments were so thin, threadbare and
patched that lie was ashamed to send
them tn the wash, lest they should be
commented on, and that therefore he did
his best with them ut home. His bed
room was high up, in the attic. He paid
less than we, and was therefore obliged to
put up with inferior accommodations. In
winter he suffered much, / fear from want
OF Gre. The parlor fire was not lighted
till p. NJ, so that it was beginning reluc-
family 10 burn up when the clerks
returned from their Offices. In his own
room under the states 1t was cold; never
theless he sat there when the bed was
made, that is, from about noon to four.
Before that he remained in the parlor,
watching the expiring OF the little fire lit
for show, not warmth, during breakfast.
Only in the coolest weather would he de-
scend to the kitchen for few moments
to stand by the stove and warm his hands,
whilst Miss Jones, "dish.shovelled," hid
In the pantry. II the day were frosty he
walked out, TO put his blood In circulation,
and then his cheeks warmed into color
a bright color in his clear skin like the
roses in a child. That old cat with the
teeth and the false front and the dirty
collar rented the first floor, and had her
own sitting-room, and a fire there; but
from motives OF delicacy, no doubt and
for fear Of establishing a precedent, never
invited the Major to 1t.
Hewas SO modest that II was only
casually we learned that he had once
moved in the best circles, and had &C.
quaintances high in military positions and
titled. He visited and was visited by
none OF them. Since that affair Of his
brother he had Withdrawn himself from
his fellows; he shrank from meeting
those who kneY the circumstances, and
he suspected more OF being aware OF them
THAN really did know. He was very
proud-not naughty, understandable
with sense OF his honor and breeding
which made him reserved, One luxury
he would not give up, tholuxury Of giving
gratitutties TO all who served him. | be.
lieve that the half-crowns as "vales" to
the footman who took his greatcoat, hat
and gloves had much to do with his re-
fusing the invitations he at one time re-
ceived weekly from old brother officers
and friends. lie could not be mean, and
TO avoid the wound to his self-respect OF
seeming mean lie would not go to his
fellows. At last invitations, always de-.
clincd, ceased to come in,
The winter OF 1852 was cold. On No.
yember IS the Duke OF Wellington was
buried in St, Pauls Cathedral with great
display Of military pomp. Our old friend
was one OF the veterans who walked in
the procession. That winter saw the fall
OF the Conservative Ministry under Lord
Derby, aud the fall Of something much
more important-at least, to us, 10 Miss
Jones's establishment-the falling to
pieces o. the Majors grestcoat, We had
followed the progress Of decay In that
with interest, and we had wondered what
the Major would do when 1t was worn
opt the winter. 1t did not; it fell to
pieces with the Derby Ministry,
| The old mans face grew longs he fell
into depression; no joke stirred him, no
nnws intnnestal him. Il Mas ohYions 10