The Portland daily press., 1892-12-24


toothsome for their services, Charley
writhed with expectation as he grew hum
CRY, but instead of profaning his stomach
with ordinary food he frightened his belt
and motioned to Spence to do likewise
cord almighty, l amt def" mumbled
old Spence, chewing his quid like any
other ruminant animal, after Charley had
shouted himself boarse in his ear and
taken reef in his belt for him; you
needn't hoIler s. loud.'
AS the afternoon advanced the cold mod
Grated shade and the seurrying wind
blew thick with snowfakes The ground
grew white, the distance was blotted out at
hundred yards, and the devil was to pay at
the picket rope Out of the blizzard came
the sound of kicks and oaths and every
five minutes the monotonous cry of the
guard;
Corporal of the guard, post No. 9, horse
loosep'
BY tattoo the snow had turned to rain
and the horse guard to q believing maniac.
All but the duty men were snug under
canvas, listening to the bowling of the
wind and the beauing of the rain.
In the quartermaster's log cabin every
thing was ready for the feast but the pres
misfortune The table itself was the bed
of Unc' Moses mule wagon, supported on
cracker boxes and lighted by candles set
up in their own grease. The quarter
master, broad shouldered and red faced,
sandy of hair and beard, with an appetite
whetted by day in the saddle and sniff
of Virginia tidewater, sat on hay bale
in the chimney corner drying his boots at
|, ol,, III,
frown.
keys turkey, with trussed drumsticks,
was already smoking on the table, and
Bugler Ohld was experimenting Unc'
Nose in the placing of sacks and boxes for
seats. Snoopy Schley was brewing five
quart cups of coffee on the Goals, and the
demented ones were tightening their belts
on heap of grain sacks overlooking the
scene.
Outside the bare trees groaned and dashed
each other in the wind, and the rain
crashed on the canvas overhead and
fought it's way under the caves, and few
kissing drops came in at the chimney and
spat on the Goals.
Snoopy Schley lifted the bag which con-
tanned the plum pudding out of the camp
kettle suspended on a stick.
1aCIC 0Ci SGuu, OnOOpy,
.swhat der blokes frum der Mint Jersey
got pulled fur jayhawkin. Honesty is der
best policy, an | hope der miller won't be
hard on de Mint"
Its doggon hard on Ike" cried the
quartermaster, Shaping his leg as viciously
as if he was getting his big red fist in on
ribs of the infantry guard at the mill. tits
almighty tough on the little beggar, and
Nod Va 3a,,,
big hunk o. the turkey and the puddin,
if we have to keep it a week. An here
goes, boys, for the dinner"
With that the quartermaster got him
self behind the hay bale and rolled it to
the head OF the table. The buglers scram-
bled into their places on the left of the
quartermaster, and opposite to them were
two unoccupied seats sacred to the mem
DRY of the absent ones. Charley Fitch was
writing and grimacing at the turkey
from his post on an cat sack, and old
Spence was loosening his belt alongside i
Charley, seated on fifty pound box of
hard bread.
The swart face of Unc' Nose shone like
the tin plates as he handed up the coffee
and stationed himself behind the buglers
IN the attitude Of the SWEETEST of colored
buffers, his eyes elevated to the crossed
guns on the quartermaster's cap.
Notwithstanding the storm an occasional
rock cattered against the logs as pleas
ant reminder that the men outside were
aware of the progress of the festivities
within These little attentions were Pc
culiarly irritating to the quartermaster in
his extra digniied position as host, and
with each blow on the timber his mus
tache bristled, and the crossed guns flashed
In the candle light, and the shadows grew
darker under the visor of his cap.
''By the great horned spoonsH' swore he,
dropping the carving knife and leaping
over the hay bale AS clod of unusual
weight struck the canvas roof above his
head. by the great horned spoons, eff
ran lay my hands on one O. them sons o
ther mothers o. drivers I'll break every
bone in his body"
AS he threw open the door the rain and
wind dashed in his face as ii an angry
uuartermaster was wooden idol, and at
the same instant surprisingly active hui
man being, as wet as a sponge, shot be-
tween his official legs, which had the eff
feet of landing the quartermaster. on his
hands and knees in the mud.
ssLind a hand" cried the first sponge,
addressing itself to the second sponge,
which now stood over Sandy. LIND
hand to his reverence, the quartermashter
sargint av Battery Q, and hip him in out
O. the wit. An good avenin to the rest av
yez My name is Gragan, an the divil fly
away wild the mill. Come in and ate yer
dinner Oike. Phwat's the matther wild
yez?"
Old Sandy @. M. laughed until the tears
stood in his eyes while Snoopy was plying
the newcomers with hot punch, and then
he seized Ratchet and broke open case
of new uniforms. In ten minutes the two
water logged culprits were seated at
table in a jacket and a pair of trousers.
charging on the turkey and burying their
noses in the coffee cans.
'sBe the hand av me mither," cried Tedd
as he polished off his first plate, Sits divil
a nout'ful Olive had to ate all day but
wind"
sThat's the truth" said Ike between
mouthfuls, sand the fust time l ever
knowed Teddy to go back on his rations."
.sHow did we get away is ut?" cried
Teddy, swelling with Indignation. ''That's
a foine question to be akin shtarvin mon.
Git out wild yez, and lave us to the mate
and the drink Well foind an Elegant
aI.on+ oo,a ooot from ba iytr