Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-22

think Of your checking him. As what our
fellows Il think OF your checking
Urguhart D you sees
Tommy did see and was comforted on
that point. but he was still terribly dis
dressed in riind at what he had done
II don't know what | can do ne ~
peated. for cbout the twentieth time
'oh. think III send in my papers a
once won't Join at all
You Young dufIer" laughed beautiful
jim. what rot YOU talk Why. man
alive, If you re going to sneak away from
every mistake you make by making .
clear bolt Of it, how do you ever intend
TO make a decent soldier, or anything
elsel''
But what must do!
Live it down. of course. You'll get
chaffed about il forever. but you must
make up your mind 10 bear it; and, after
all. there was not another man at the
table, not even including old Jane him
self. who would have dared TO do it ~
''Jane4" repeated Tommy, taking q
rather brighter tone. and who is Jane!
oh. we call the colonel Jane re-
piled Jim. with laugh
Il see Well. do you think I'd better
just 20 away and come TO join as if moth
ing had happened"
"Of course | do Why but there
he turned his head as some one knocked
al the door. Come in, he roared, and
then the door opened. and the officer com
handing the regiment, that Is. Col
Barnes. entered.
He entered with a cordiai. Oh Beres-
ford, wanted you to- when his eyes
fell on young Tommy and he broke of
with something very nearly approaching
to glare.
Tommy got of his coat and said, Good
morning. sir in his most modest tones
and mind you, when Tommy was modest
he looked as if the proverbial butter
would not melt in his mouth
OH good morning. good morning. ro-
turned the colonel, i'll series OF shorts.
and in tone which conveyed 10 Tommy
thGt. II anything. Beresford had under
stated rather than overstated the enor-
nifty Of his offense
He felt that his time was conc, that il
he did not speak then he would tie, as it
were. socially damned in the Blankshire
regiment forever but it was not without
an immense effort that he broke the icc
within which Col Barnes had frozen him
self He looked at the big. fierce, red
faced. burly man, with his naughty red
nose and his long, bristling mustaehe.
each end of which was waxed-soaped, If
the truth be told-to formidable spike.
and his heart, yes even hi. brazen heart,
failed him Still he felt that delay was
dangerous. and at last he spokel And if
only his sister Nancy could have heard
the last Of the proud race of Earles eat
ing humble pie with that shrinking air,
she would have declared that her dear
boys degradation could go no further
and sink no lower
Ii you please, sir he began, Il am
afraid then he stopped short, awed
into silence by the astonished stare with
which the colonel was regarding him.
"N'ell?' said the colonel in q loud voice;
it was SRK big well" and Tommy felt
more shaking about the legs. and if the
truth be old more inclined to cry than he
had felt for many and many year.
However, he had TO so on. We'll, sir, "
he said very humbly. lin afraid l
made an awful ass of myself last night.
Him" remarked the colonel dryly;
land when did you make that discovery"
Well. sir. returned Tommy apologet-
ically, "Beresford here tells me was aw
fully drunk, and-and-lm sure did not
drink much, sir. but" a happy inspirs-
ton suddenly occurring to him, you see.
sir, I'm beastly young yet and my head
gets knocked over in next to no tine.