The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-06-03
AN OLD AUTOCRAT.

proud position Of absolute monarchy!
And what was his name? Thomas Gre
vecGur.
He was an autocrat-an absolute mon
arch-a martinez Of the flercest and most
unreasonable description, and he COM
manded the gallant regiment known as
the Eighth dragons. Behind ms pacS
they called him Tommy" "Our Old Man."
sold Fireworks" and the like; but TO ms
face it was Eyes, colonel" and mo, colonel
in the most meekly- -mouthed manner.
Occasionally the youngsters played very
judicious pranks on him; that IS to say,
when Tommy" got three sheets In the
wind he was won't to unbend considerably,
and they therefore had to fall in with ms
humor, and if he joked, joke back, again;
but It was unsatisfactory work-so AKIN 10
playing with lighted matches over IN open
barrel of gunpowder. :.
Well, one evening, after an extra big
night, Col. Creveceur retired to his rooms,
rather nearer to half-seas-over than was
usual even with him. who could stow
away bottle Of cognac day with ease
and comfo.C He was desperately sleepy
almost too sleepy to walk at all; the
night was awfully cold; on the ground
outside the snow lay thick, and the fires
in his rooms burned brilliantly-as tires
do in frosty weather-casting mellow,
pleasant glow over everything. Up to the
sitting-room fireplace Col. Creveceur
went, meandering thereto in graceful
curves, which so delighted him that he
unburdened his soul by d burst or
language, popularity called "cholce
Italian And, somehow, his legs seemed
more inclined to continue the graceful
meandering movements than the rest
of him did, so he caught at the chimney
piece to steady himself; a liberty which
as it was merely sham shelf of;wood and
fringe, put to hide the hideous regulation
finish to the hideous regulation CRATE
that article promptly resented by breaking
down, with all it's freight of letters, horse
shoes, candlesticks, photograph-frames,
and odd little Indian ornaments and hg-
ures Happily the glass was safely
screwed to the wall, and the fire happen
ing to flicker up just then into brilllant
blaze, Col. Crevecoeur caught sight OF his
own handsome countenance, and suddenly
became aware that he had been having
too much.
w udU u 1Co law WV 6OS1
Creveceur, my boy" he remarked, con-
fldentially, gazing idiotically at the retiec-
ton of cheeks flushed scarlet, white
mustaches fiercely waxed, and close
cropped white hair, all rumpled up on end.
@Been having too much-yery wrong
shouldn't do it-bad example to set the
young Observation-Disclosures
the better"
Now, since roaring fire was allght IN
ca ch of the rooms, the use Of O candle was
entirely superfuous; but Col. Creveceur,
being in as great a state Of absent-mlnded-
ness as was ever Sir Isaac Newton when
he made the little hole for the kitten
though, to be sure, the cause was very
different one-troubled himself to stoop
for O candle and stick from among the
debris on the floor. He fished up the stick
first; then the candle. But, alas! the
candle was broken, and, being slightly too
small for the candlestick, required fitting
to q greater nicely than his head was
capable at that moment of conceiving or
his fingers of carrying out.
"Dem the candlestick" said Col. Creve-
ceur, tiinging it across the room.
Still it did not occur to him to betake
himself to bed without any extra light;
stopping, he placed the broken candle be-
tween the bars, with the effect of making
O big blaze in the fire, but none where he
wanted it, at the end Of the candle.
.Dem the candle!" he exclaimed, tossing
it into the fire; then sat himself down to
recover his breath; his eyes closed, and in
tTo minutes he was off to sleep as sound
es church.
he must have slept for about couple of
hours; forhe awoke, with q start, to find
the fire burned very low in the CRATE, the
room in darkness, and the big clock IN the
gate-tower striking three.
Col. Crevecesur sat up In his chair, as
sober as Judge Unjust have been asleep
he muttered; "gad! how deuced cold it is"
AS be passed the window to go to the
next room he drew aside the curtain to
lock at the night. The square was as
light as day; on the great expanse Of
newly-fallen snow, the moon shone down
bravely, bringing each sentry-bo1 and
each snow-capped range Of troop-rooms
into view with the startling distinctness of
q photograph.
He only stood there for moment, but,
as ill-luck would have it, man in plain
clothes came quietly out from between
the chief block of officers quarters and
the commanding officers house, and
passed quickly towards the nearest troop
room, unchallenged by the sentry i'm
mediately below Col. Crevecpur's window.
He did what, of course, any other COM
manding officer in the service would have
done, he flung up his window, and de-
manded angrily the reason of the non
challenge.
II didn't hear him, sir" stammered the
unfortunate sentry, in dismay.
u-didn't-hear-him," in tones of
the most withering scorn; sand what the
devil did you mean by not hearing him,
sir? What are you there for, sir? Who is
he? What is he doing out, prowling about
at tais time of night? Up to no good, I'll
be bound. I'll not have men prowling
abo1t at all hours"
The man in plain clothes had quickly
enough vanished at the first sound of the
colcnel's voice, but the old autocrat was
not going to be done in that fashion. 1t