San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-03-27

his -StepDrOther ana his mother ana
scratched a few irrepressible lines to
Washington. such as the hero loved TO
get from his boys and valued much
more than the numbering dispatches
marked official The dispatches only
announced facts, good or bad. The
brisk, gallant notes revealed spirits
which black facts could not darken nor
heavy facts depress. 80 long as have
lads like Peter Skerrett,p thought our
George, by the grace Of God Pater Pa
tria, when he received this note, fort
night after that cup-lip-and-slip battle
of Germantown, while have such lads
with me, can leave my red paint in my
saddle bags with my Tuscarora gram
mar"
Now" thought Peter. Il have made
must proceed to change myself into a
redcOat.
He unpacked British sergeant's uni
form, which he had carried, if disguise
should be needed in his late solitary
journey.
There is garment" said he, hold
ing up the coat with an air of respect,
whose pockets have felt the kings
shilling But thy pockets, old buff and
bluer'-he stripped off his own coat
never knew bullion, though often
stuffed with Continental paper at pis'
tareen the pound avoirdupois."
His weather beaten scarlets were
much too small for the tall champion.
By spasm and pause, and spasm again,
however, he managed to squeeze into
them at last
Then he took Mrs. Birdsell's little
equilateral triangle of mirror, three
inches to side, and holding it off at
arms length surveyed himself by sec
tons.
The color don't suit my complexion"
he said, viewing his head and neck.
THE coat will not button over my man
ly chest, and | shall have to make it fast
with a lanyard"-here he took view of
the rib region. The tails are simply
ridiculous She twisted about to bring
the glass to bear upon them. "In short"
and he ran the bit of mirror up and
DOWN. am scarecrow, cap-a-pie.
Liberty herself would not know me.
Pretty costume to go and see lady in!
Confound women! Why will wives
break husbands hearts? Why will girls
grow up beauties and heiresses and be-
come bats for brutes? All, Miss Lucy
Brothertoft! You do not know what an
inglorious rig Peter Skerrett is submit
ting to for your sake. And the worst is
to come. Alas, the worst must Gomez
He hoisted the looking glass and gazed
for moment irresOlutely at his face.
There, in its accustomed place, sat the
mustache, blond in color, heroic in curl,
understanding his firm nose, pointing and
adjoining the handsome visage.
Skerrett gazed. sighed and was silent.
Nerve him, liberty! Steel him, chiv-
airy!
A hard look crept over his counte-
nance.
He clutched short blade, pointless,
but with an edge trenchant as wit
1t was a razor.
Slash! And one wing of the mustache
was swept from the field.
Behold him, trophy in hand and mis-
cradle that he has won it!
Will resolution carry him through a
second assault? Or will he go one sided,
under one nOstril golden wreath, I'M
der the other bristles for a six month?
Slash! The assassination is complete.
1T will take gallons on gallons of
this October to put me in good spirits
again." says the major as he rode away.
The mellow air, all sweetness, all
sparkle and all perfume, flowed up to
his lips generously. He breathed and
breathed and breathed again of that
free tap, and by the time he reached the
rendezvous was buOyant as ever.
The orderly, Brothertoft, was await
ing him and sat patient, but no longer
respondent, looking through bulky
Highlands as if they were the noun
tains of a dream.
Jierck Dewitt and his three We're sky
larking in a pumpkin patch. Twenty
years ago we saw the same three strad-
ding and squirting tOnbstones in the
BrOthertOft manor graveyard, the day
of the last PatrOOn's funeral-the day
when old Van Courtlandt made a Del
phic Apollo of him, and fOretold, amid
general clink of glasses, that marriage
of white promise and black perform
ance.
The child is father of the man. and
the four boys have grown up as THEN
fathers children should.
Jierck Dewitt has already shown him
self, and related why he is not fully up
TO his mark of manliness-
To Be Continued.