New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-11
THE COLONEL'S BOY.

A ,tranger coming upon the colonel as he sat
In the norning room of the club regarding has
ncvsnaner with an angelic smile, would have
sought out another copy Of the paper ana searched
It's columns with pleasant anticipatlons' bu' /
know better knew that tie colonel. though
Lc haa put on his glasses and was pretending 10
Gull the news, realh only doing what verify
believe he did after luncheon ana ailer dlnhef, ana
after he got into bed, ana, lndeed, al every one
of those periods when the old campaigner, with a
care for his digestion and his conscience selects
some soothing matter Tor meditation. Ire WAS WAS
thinking of his boy and went Up 70 MN ana
smacked him on the shoulder WELL colonel
said, hOws Jim :"
Huilo! Why, rs Jolly Joe Bratton!" he re,
Piled dropping his glasses and gripping my hand
iighty-fOr we did not ride and tie AT inkerman
for nothing The very man | wanted to see.
And Jim. colorcl? How is the boy asked
"Oh, Just as ~ as "a MILDLY on shore he
answered, speaking JOLLY, yet, as IL seemed 10
me, with an effort So that wondered whether
there was anything wrong win the poy-a H''ie
bill or two, or some small indiscretion, such as
might we'll he pardoned in as line "A lad as ever
stepped, with q siXmoDths-old commission, new
uniform, and station hity minutes from noId
make any observation, you have llnched, Joe :
Will you take turn ~. A..
ITO be sure" said ION one condition-tha1
YOU let Kitty give you cup OF tea afterwaru.
That is a bargain he answered heartily ana
we won't into the hall. Every one knows ,ne
Junior United" hall. i had reached my hat
down. and was in the act of stepping back from
the rack, when some one coming downstairs ."o
at a time-that is the worst of having any ono
under iIeI rank In q cluD-nt me sidlPN WIN
elbow Perhaps my coat fits a bit tightly rouhd
the waist nowadays, and perhaps not anyway,
particularly object 10 being poked In the BACK
II NAV be n fad OF mine, or II may nOt-ahu l.
turned round sharply, muttering, "Confound-E-
did not say any more, seeing who had done III ;
but my gentleman stammered some coniuSc1
apology and taking from the colonel. VINO haq
politely picked it up, letter, which 1t seemed
bad Knocked out of his hand. he passed INTO the
morning room with red face OiumsN sc0uh-
drel!' said but not so loudly that he could hear
"Uullo.a the colonel exclaimed, standing still
and looking at me with undisgulSed wonder.
"Well?n | said, perhaps rather TESTIFY nat
You are not on good terms with young
am not on any terms at all with him.
The colonel whisted. Indeed !" he said. look
ing down at me with a kind of wlstfulncss ID MS
eyes; Dick is tall. and ! am-well, | was up 10
standard once Il thought-that is, Jim told me
that he was a good deal about your house Joe.
And | rather gathered that he was MAKING up "
ion did, did you?" I grunted. Well. per-
haps he was, and erhaps he wasn't AnYmaH,
she is not for HIM And he woql! nO ron ofH
giving my anger little vent ana leeilhs a1I uc
better for it. He came prosecuting her, II yoa
want to know, and had TO show nm Ine uoC ,to
| think ] never saw man-certainy on one
steps of the Junior United look more pleaSeI
than did the colonel at that moment, "au'
he said, then Jim will have chance l;, Z" c. Tho
Uo, no. ] answered, chuckhng. 30 the
wind sets in that quarter does it, a chance
! should think he would have chance, colonel!
And you do not object
the happest man in the world, DICK. Are we
not the oldest friends? And have only hl'ty
and you have only Jim Why 1t lS-t Is just
lnkerman over again.
Rely it was, and we stumped down the steps
in high delight. Only felt little ANXIOUS about
Kittys answer for though naG tiS SelTI n ,hr
night direction, ! could not be sure Inc gay
young soldier might not have won her hcar1, rs
lie had nine that ] was still more pcaseI
when the colonel informed that he belle ed
Jim intended to put it to the test this very alter
loon. .. .u
"lla ma ha!' he responded. taking my arm
But declired to move. IN tel, you, what,
/ said. it is quarter TO 4; If Jim has not
popped the question by now. Ike is not the man
! think him. Let us 20 home. colonel ana near
lie demurred little. but had him in hanson
in two shakes and we were bowling along Picca-
dlly in half-a-dOzen more. suddenly he Ut
tered an exclamation and, following me dlreclIon
of his hand. was Just in time to catch glimpse
Of Jim's facc-no Other'S-as he shot past US IN a
cab going eastward. 1t LETT us in no doubt. for
the lads checks were flushed and his ewes SHIN
ing and rs he swept by and momcntarily saw
MS. he raised his hat with gesture Of triumph
Cad! exclaimed the colonel. :" I'll bet guinea
he has kissed her Happy dog"
Ira! la. la - answered; Il dare swear we
shall not find Kitty in tears
Ire We're scarcely out Oh my uiou'u
when the cab swerved suddenly 10 one side.
throwing me against my companion. i heard
our driver shout. and caught sight Of a pare
headed man mixed up with the near shaft. The
next moment we gave great lurch and stopped,
and a little crowd came round us. ihe Coiohei
was the first out but Joined him as quickly as
| could "I DO not think he is much hurt, sir,
| heard The policeman say. He is drunk, |
fancy. Come. old chap. pull yourself to2e'her.
he continued giving ssh1 STAKE TO we're sg
porting There, hold up now. Here is your hat.
You are all right"
shabby attire seemed TO lend probability % the
policemans accusation. managed when left 70
himself, to keep his balance-with some waverng.
me me- h U5U@P 'Y isaac ? Where is fsaacPS
He is a bit shaken" said the policeman; view
parts drunk besides. He had better go 70 the
station"
"GreekFtc Soho, number 81, top floor -
yoa s what hs the man added. with drunken hc-
polceman's shoulder" if any gentleman viii take
another gentleman home, | will make him rich
beyond the dreams Of avarice. I'll present him
his weight in gold That will. His weight IN
II think" the colonel began. turning and
His weight in goldn murmured the drunken
aouite so.' ! said; accepting the colonel's ur,;;
right, policeman" And paying our cabman |
hailed a crawling four-wbeelcr. into which the
officer promptly bundled our man. We got in,
and in moment were iolting eastward again at a
snail's pace.
Perhaps we might have sent some ore else
with him." SAID the colonel. looking at me. apol-
ogetically
Not at ALL answered. / have no doubt
that we both had the same feeling. that being
happy ourselves it would not i'll become Us do
good turn TO this poor old wretch. whose shaking
hands and tatteIed clothes showed that he had
almost reached the bottom Of the hill. | have
seen more than one brother officer, once as gallant
a lad as Jim. brought as low. and perhaps. but
for Providence. old Joe Bratton himself. But
there 10 may have been some such thought
this or it may have been extra glass OF sherry
at lunch made us take the man home We did
il: and the Lord Only knows why fellows do
things-good bad.