The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-03-23


ing swapping point. had been think |
ing of it all day. That evening John !
Leighton and / were working under
the orderly fly at the records were
posting Waugh and Murrays "fnals'
in the clothing and descriptive books. !
Waugh was a corporal and Murray our
blacksmith, who had been killed the
week before on the day we pushed the
! Ap0ches off the divide. We were
crowding them to closely in the lower
pass, when Il few bucks slipped off into
the canon and nipped our pack train
in rear. We had to quit pressing in
front to save our train. 1t was q
/ clever bit Of work, and five bucks did
it, killing two men for MS, losing us
our game just as we were bagging it.
Leighton was company clerk,
talented, handsome fellow had served
out in India. He had cheering
freshness and facility of expression,
and spoke with the quick, falling in
Election and directness of the English
in speech one 50 quickly learns to love.
He was mechanically ruling double
red-lines in book where q life's nc
count of services had been credited
and closed, much us bank book is
ruled when statement is rendered
from n balance struck. The words
Oiled" or deserted placed in red
ink in the space below showed the
cause of closing for service abruptly
terminated. The usual remark was
discharged by expiration term of
service" in black ink.
Sergeant, and whose will be the
next bloody 'D'?' asked Leighton,
without ring of feeling.
"There'll be plenty of EN-, if this
blooming heat continues and we re-
main in this camp, replied.
We were working at this official
funeral in the sultry summer night by
the unsteady light of lantern candles,
and were not feeling impressed or
reverent. Leighton was in his under
shirt, open at his handsome brown
throat. AS he leaned over the books
at work, locket from his bosom fell
the slack Of its gold chain and struck
the desk.
| noticed ii, and he took it off,
handing it so me with indifference. He
had opened the locket, revealing the
portrait, which was that of fresh
young girl, one of those sweet Eng
fish faces, whose charm is complexion
and expression of confidence complete
The eyes arrested you-pathetic, soft
brown eyes, so tender they seemed tore
proach, and, as you changed your point
of view Of the miniature, followed you
with their full, warm light. | have
seen such aAectionate light only in the
brown eyes of faithful dogs watching
, those they love.
Seeing my more than casual notice
2 of the portrait, Leighton added; Its
an old story; not worth the telling; l
l don't know why ] keep it.
2 He spoke with the same absent in
terest we were feeling over this work
, for the dead 1t struck me as peculiar
that in romance accomplished there
should be no trace either Of bitterness
] or remorse, only weary Indifference.
e | was so quickly fascinated by the face
% that Leighton's manner annoyed me,
] and did not ask for the story. Pos.
4 sibly overhead makes men irritable,
for somehow | resented this careless
p fellow wearing about him a face like
70 that, with less interest than he wore
g his spurs did not then notice the
resemblance of the face to Leighton S.
p | stopped abruptly and thought o.
} desertion, changing the conversation
+ to this, the subject Of my days mus
e ing.
leighton, something's got to bc
p done to relieve the pressure. know
e the lieutenant would like to do SO. H,
e feels the pulse of this camp and know
e the symptoms. But what can he do?-
.. his orders to remain here are impera
l. tive, and he can't pass us across tn
e line. -
g Hunting leave, laughed Leighton
r "Hunting leave, then, let it be,
y replied, with no questions asked a
g to our game or preserve, though cal
y tell what yours will be, you younl
imp! Tomorrow make out hunting
d pass for six" Leighton was humminl
II catchy service ballad that had az
e peared in London music halls the yea
e before, and did not reply.
II Next morning, | presented with tn
If report four-days' hunting pass for 81
= men. The lieutenant dipped his pc
lie in the ink and held it in contemplate
a for moment above the place for sig
II nature, looking thoughtfully acros
If the level plain. Then, with quick dc
Of cision: 81 wish, sergeant, you an
lg Leighton would take hunting pass
Id and let no complications arise. H
a signed the pass, adding our names t
ot the text.