Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-04-30
An OLD AUT0CRAT.

proud position of absolute monarchy
And what was his nameE Thomas Gre
vecRur
He was an autOCrat-an absolute mon
arch-a martinez of the tlerceSt and most
unreasonable description, ana he com
manded the gallant regiment known as
the Eighth dragons Behind his back
they called him Tommy, Our Old Man,
"Old Fireworks" and the like: but To his
face it was yes. colonel, and no, colonel,
IN the most mcekly mUuthed manner.
Occasionally the youngsters played very
judIciuus prankS on him, that Is TO say.
when Tommy got three sheets in the
wind ne was wont to unbend considerably,
and they therefore had to fall in with his
humor and if he ioked, joke back again;
but il WAS unsatisfactory wurk-So akin to
playing with lighted matches over an open
barrel of gunpowder.
Well. one evening. after an extra big
night, Col CreveCHur retired Ia his rooms,
rather nearer to half-scas-Over than was
usual sen with him, who could stow
/ away a bottle of cOgna" a day with ease
and comfort He was desperately sleepy
almost too sleepy 20 walk al ALL the
night was awfully cold: on the ground
outside the snow lay thick. and the fires
in his rooms burned brilliantly-aS fires
do in frosty weather-CaSting mellow,
pleasant glow over everything. Up 10 the
sitting room fireplace Col. CreveCuur
went. meandering thereto i'll graceful
curves. which - delighted him that he
unburdened his soul by burst of
language, popularity called choice
Italian" And. somehow, his legs seemed
more inclined to continue the graceful
meandrring movements than the rest
of him did. SO he caught Al the chimney
piece To steady himself; liberty which
as il was merely "A sham shelf of wood and
fringe put to hide the hideOuS regulation
finish to the hideOus regulation CRATE
that article promptly resented 10y breaking
down. with all its freight Of letters horse
shoes caudlestIcks, photograph frames,
and odd little Indian ornaments and fig
ures Happily the glass was safely
screwed TO the wall. and the fire happen
ing To flicker up just then into a brilliant
blaze, Col. CreveCpur caught sight of his
own handsome countenanCe and suddenly
became aware that he had been having
too much.
What a demmed red face you'v got,
Crevecuur. my boy" he remarked, con
tidentially, gazing idiotically at the retiec-
tiun of cheeks flushed scarlet, white
mustaches, tiercely waxed. and close
cropped white hair. all rumpled up on end
Been having too muCh-Vcry wrong
shouldn't do lit bad example To set the
young 'uns-gerrabed -gerrabed-sooner
the better"
Now, since a roaring fire was alight in
each of the rooms the use of candle was
entirely superfiuOus; but Col CrevecRur.
being in as great a state of absent minded
ness as was ever Sir Isaac Newton when
h.. made the little hole for the kitten
though. TO be sure. the cause was a very
different one-truubled himself to stoOp
for a 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 hitting
TO a greater nicely than his head was
capable at that moment OF concelvlng or
his fingers of carrying out.
Dem the candlestick," said Col Creve-
cTur, fiinging it across the room.
Still il 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
a big blaze in the fire. but none where he
wanted it. at the end of the candle.
Dem the candle" he exclaimed tossing
il into the fire: then sat himself down to
recover his breath. his eyes closed, and in
two minutes he was off to sleep as sound
as a church.
He must have slept for about couple of
hours; for he awOke, with start, TO find
the fire burned very low in the CRATE, the
room in darkness, and the big clock i'll the
gate tower striking three.
Col CreveCpur sat up in his chair, a.
sober as Judge. Il must have been asleep.
ne muttered; ~gad! how deuced cold it is. ,
As he passed the window TO go to the
next room he drew aside the curtain Ia
look at the night. The square was as
light as day: on the great eXpanse of
newly fallen snow, the moon Shone down
hravely, bringing each sentry box and
each snow capped range of troop-rOoms
into view with the startling distinctness of
a photograph
He only stood there for moment. but
as ll-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
IdNSttl tulChlN TOW anus lIlt lltdltSN NIbbl
room. unChallenged by the sentry i'm
medintely 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
Il didn't hear him. sir" stammered the
unfortunate sentry. in disnay.
"IOu-didn't-he -hear-iAm. in tones OF
the most withering scorn; "and what the
devil did you mean by not hearing him.
sir What are you there for, sir Who i
he? What is he doing out, prowling about
at this time Of night Up to no good, FL
be bound I'll not have men proving
about AT all hours"
The man in plain clothes had quickly
enough vanished at the first sound of the
Colunel's voice, but the old autOcrat was
not going to be done in that fashion. Ii
was Just the time for relieving guard. and.
while he was yet speaking, the corporal OF
the guard made his appearance and per
formed that ceremony.
Put this man under arrest" thundered
the autocrat, and turn the guard out"
So there was Scurry back To the guard
room. a huarSe Guar r-rr-rd tur-r-r-r-r II
out. great scram bling and scuffiing and
catching up of carbines plainly audible
across the silent square; then a tramp Of
spurred heels, as the guard marched down
To the commanding officers quarters.
sound reveille,' shouted the colonel.
Out rang the trumpets, and out came
the regiment, wondering If a big riot was
on, or u monster fire, or maybe AN invasion
But after all, it was but a great tO-dC
about not hing. Who had been out in the
square during the past half hour?
The delinquent stood out instanter Me
sir he announced, without any circumlo
cutiOn whatever.
-Oh, you" with frightful sneer on his
handsome old face; land. pray, what wer,
you doing out Of your quarters at thls
hour"
I'm Mr. Bartholomew servant. sir
the man explained: I've been helping DIR
Scott to put OF dannins on i'm, bat when
he dropped orr TO sleep the doctor said !
might as well go TO bed, as ne could dC
very we'll by hisseh for the rest Of the
zig IT."
Now, as young Bartholomew was suffer
ng from severe attack Of inflammation
# Z q lnulrS tbpra was NOT hin,y fr,r har RI