The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-24

Z d demented ones, were. not employed
running errands they were mutely turning
the spit, confidently expecting something
toothsome for their services. Charley
writhed with expectation. as he grew hun
CRY, but instead OF profanipg his stomach
with ordinary food he frightened his belt
and motioned to Spence to do likewise.
! cord almighty, l amt deefp' mumbled
old Spence, chewing his quid like any
other ruminant animal, after Charley had
shouted himself hoarse in his ear and
taken u reef in his belt for him; ''you
needn't holler g. loud"
AS the afternoon advanced the cold mod
Grated a shade and the scurrying wind
blew thick with snowlakes. The ground
grew white, the distance was blotted out at
a hundred yards, and the devil was TO paw 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:t
Corporal of the guard, post No. 2, horse
looseE,r
By tattoo the snow had turned to rain
and thehorse guard to q believing maniac.
ALI bat the duty men were snug under
canvas, listening to the bowling of the
wind and the beating of the rain.
In the quartermaster's log cabin every-
thing was ready for the feast but the pres
ence of the host and his companion in
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 shou!dered and red faced.
sandy of hair and beard, with an appetite
whetted by a day in the saddle and a sniff
of Virginia tidewater, sat On a hay bale
in the chimney corner drying his boots at
the fire and consulting his watch with a
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 a 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 its way under the caves, and a 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 Il stick.
There's der stuff" Soralized Snoopy,
"what 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"
IT'S 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. Its
almighty tough on the little beggar, and
on Teddy Gregan too. We must save en-
& 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
cry of the absent ones. Charley Fitch was
writhing and grimacing at the turkey
from his post on an oat sack, and old
Spence was loosening his belt alongside
Charley, seated on a 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 co,ored
buffers, bis eyes elevated to the crossed
guns on the quartermaster's cap.
Notwithstanding the storm an occasional
rock clattered against the logs as a pleas,
| ant reminder that the men outside were
aware of the progress of the festivities
within. These little attentions were Pc
c~uliarly irritating to the Quartermaster in
his extra dignifed 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 spoons!" swore he,
dropping the carving knife and leaping
over the hay bale as a clod of unusual
weight struck the canvas roof above his
head. by the great horned spoons, eff I
can 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 if an angry
quartermaster was a wooden idol, and at
the same instant a surprisingly active hu-
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.