Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-23

the top of the stone steps three new comers'
| The first was a tall and handsome brunette,
| elegantly dressed, certainly not over rs, and
| wearing the unmistakable air of favorite.
She was followed by Colonel Tecumseh
King, familiarity known to the old guests at
the fort as the Fire King, mainly on ac-
count, no doubt, of the pyroteehnlcai quail
ty of his elocution; and by dandy darkey,
| who kept in Miss Preston's train and
answered to the name Of Flick.
The moment Colonel King stepped upon
| the parapet he took full breath, and, turn
ing round, remarked, in a fne oratorical
manner: "This is the airiest place on the
station; everybody comes here who loves the
| sea"
To which Miss Preston, without a
moments hesitation, and with delightful
| fippancy replied: $50 should think, by
the number of sailors I find here; they prefer
| it to the sea itself"
At this sort OF work Oakland was evident
| ly not to be outdone. so he bowed and said:
''To those who know both assure you the
sea is the least dangerous"
Whereupon the Preston, putting pair OF
| glasses to her handsome black eyes, and
| looking straight at the Flutterlip, remarked:
"Why, there doesn't appear to be anything
very dangerous here"
Dangerous ?" cried the explosive Colo
| mel, as he waved his arm. Dangerous,
bah, why even the dogs of war take their
teeth out when they come here"
"Some Of the dogs are so old they drop
out before they get here, replied Miss Pres
ton with laugh.
Lieutenant Harold turned away, "Infa-
nous r. he said between his teeth, and just
then gun was heard.
whats that?" asked the Preston with
unconcern, as she dropped into camp chair
and gave her skirts a swish.
''That's the new commandant putting his
teeth in, suppose" replied Harold.
"Who's he going to bite, wonder?"
"Bite p cried the ebullient Colonel,
s'bite, nonsense, he's barking, barking up
the wrong tree In the name of General
Jackson and John G. Calhoun, bite what 2"
As he was looking at Lieutenant Harold
with glittering eve that bulged with inter-
rogations, that officer felt called upon to re-
mark that he had said nothing about biting
81 should think not, should hope not,
continued the Colonel. "Biting means CO.
ercion. and coercion means nothing more
or less than an exploded Bunker-Hill-un-
derground railroad New England-witch-
burning piece Of infatuation, sir, BY gad."
A general laugh interrupted this perora-
ton. When the hilarity -subsided he fin
ished the oration: ga Southern man, sir, is
never coerced by anything then see
ing Flutterlip looking at him with amaze
ment, he added-"but beauty" and then
took a camp stool beside her.
1t was Just like Oakland to say without
any definite purpose: But my dear
Colonel, the new Commandant is celebrated
for being patriot" md the Preston, lol-
ling back in her chair and lifting her
glasses slowly looked at Oakland and ad-
dressing the Colonel: "Why so he is.
What is patriotism, Colonel?"
Patriotism" said the Colonel promptly,
"why, patriotism, il we've got to take the
definition of crew Of psalm-singIng, dough-
nut-eating, Notwithstanding abolition IA
natics, is making other people think as you
do at the point OF the bayonet."
The glasses turned slowly around in the
direction OF Harold, 'That isn't your def
milton, Lieutenant is it?"
"No, not exactly. Patriotism, as I was
taught. is nothing more than keeping your
oath and doing your duty. It's very COM
mon virtue"
'And only paraded by very common
people?" with just the slightest shade of in
terrogation.
Perhaps 50, for the common people have
the most at stake in the matter"