The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-04-19

thing happened last night? was actually
mistaken for leading public man here.''
| Leading public men here" said Hon.
Frank, ''must look doosed stupid.'
/ but seriously. Frank. was, and I'm most
anxious-curiOus, mean-to know if there
be really any likeness. Now, would you
mind taking good look at me, and telling
me whom you think I'm lke!'
Hon. Frank looked at Captain baltimore
as he was requested, but in a very languiG
sort of way. Suddenly he opened his eyes
as if d little startled.
by GeOrger' he exclaimed, ''you are like
one of them though. 1t never struck NE be-
| fore''
''Who is it Frank7" asked Captain DaIli-
more, with slight tremor in his voice.
why, Fitzpatrick, to be sure" answered
Hon Frank, unhesitatingly. .sIt's those
| blessed whiskers, think You've got 'em
dccked exactly as he has''
With sad heart Captain baltimore left
his friends quarters and went to his own.
He bitterly felt that his last faint hope was
gone and his much-loved and much-admired
whlskers must also SO. He went to his
dressing-room and gael gloomily into the
mirror and caressed again and again the
dear bristles, as he used to Go in happier
times. Alas, they were doomedi Ii he had
been braver man he might have clung to
them, but he was timid and would rather
part even with them than with his life.
He took up his razor to remove them, but
his heart failed him, and he put OFF the
dreaded moment yet little while. He had
laid down the fatal instrument and walked
about the room depressed and miserable,
hour after hour. The shades of evening were
beginning to fall, when a desperate resolve
entered his mind. He determined, as last
hope, to go out to the barracks to walk
about the streets until mess hour, and see
if any one noticed him, or by any word or
sign showed that ho was taken for Mr.. Kill
patrick.
With trembling heart he left the bar
racks and hurried along the river quay. He
was approaching the we tern wing of the
Four Courts, when ruffianly fellow who was
standing at the end of one of the lanes which
ran up north from the Liffey, cried out at
him: bad luck to ye for murtherin' vii
lain!
With a wild start Captain baltimore turned
round and faced the rough.
'Hi!' yelled the scoundrel up the lane.
''Hi, come down wild We. Shure, here's Kill
lin Fitzpatrick, the coercionist? Come and
We'll bate him.
Captain baltimore did not stay to explain
nor stop to be ''bate" With lightning speed
he turned in his course, and, darting off to-
ward the royal barracks, soon reached the
friendly shelter of their walls.
Flushed, breathless and panic-stricken, he
hurried up to his dressing groom, and, seizing
his razor, cleared his face Of his whiskers
befol it had regained its color. Then he
paused and gazed at himself in the glass. He
was no longer the same man; much of his
glory had departed; but, under the circum-
stances, he did not regret it. He felt sorry,
but satisfied.
As he gazed sadly at his image in the
glass, it occurred to him that he would have
to give his brother officers some explanation
OF his accession to their wishes. 1t would
not do to tell them the real story; for a
soldier to shave through fear would, he
felt, be disgraceful. What, then, should he
say? He set about inventing plausible
tale, and only settled upon it when the din
ner hour arrived.
Hurriedly finishing his toilet he went to
the mess-room. He was little late in ar
irving, and when, blushing and hesitating
he entered, all the other officers We're there
The moment his face was seen roar Of
laughter went up from the table. Roar
after roar followed, while Captain baltimore
stood speechless, crimson to the hair. At
last it became sufficiently quiet to permit of
his speaking.
''rm glad" he said. with a sickly smile,
''that my act has met with your approval"
Another burst of merriment was the an
swer. When it calm ed down Captain DALI
more heard Major Berkeley's voice.
Colonel" he said, as he wiped the tears
out of his eyes, ''O'Sherry has won.'
Eyes, yes, and gloriously," replied the
Colonel, still laughing; ''he has done in
three days what the whole regiment failed
to do in twice as many years"
A horrible thought flashed upon Captain
Dallimore's brain. Hurrying up to Lieuten-
ant Terrington he whispered to him:
Tell me- Frank, what does all this mean!"
'Why, man." answered the Hon. Frank,
still shaking with laughter, ''why, man.
don't you see? You're no more like Kill
patrick than you are like the Prince of
Was. It's all trick Of O'Sherry's. He
bet the Colonel pony that if we'd assist
him he'd make you shave inside week, and
That's the way he did it''