Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-04-12
MYSTERIOUS EYES.

Colonel JagsOn gave his friends
and cronies a terrible shock last
week. The colonel had celebrated
the dying of the OH year in true
JAgsOuian style AMI started for
home when the infant 1898 was
only three hours old, carrying a
LOAD that was heavy even for so
expprt a vehicle as the JagsOn
anatomy. Tnen the surprise came.
When the old boy appeared later in
the day and took bis usual seat
alongside the old guard, a tumbler
of straight" was at once brought.
All the others raised their glasses,
murmured Happy New Year p"
sinking The last syllable into The
glasses as they qusfed the rare
old brew, and then looked at
Jagson. There sat the veteran,
but bis hand had not touched the
glass. Silently be reached forth,
and taking a tumbler full of water
he slowly drank. Consideration
but feebly expressed the feelings
of the old guard. j ,gsOn drinking
water, and that, too, on New Years
day! What had happened?
Eager lnqpIrles brought no salts
faction to anxious frien DIS.
"No; r,e not sworn off," said
JagsOn.
"Never gong to drink any
moreir asked the old guard III
chorus.
IL may" replied the hero OF
many tussle with old red eye.
"Sickw again came from the
chorus.
':NO,' came from between the
cOlOnel's tightly compressed lips,
aud with a curt Good dayw he
strobe m,jesticaIly from the cafe
This action brought dlsmay. The
old guar d., ranks were already de
pleted. Only four now rendevOuse
daily, and TagsOn's decision meant
more to the survivors than cal
we'll be understood BY outsiders.
Nev ertheless, despite all the
efforts OF entrealy and SOllcitOus in
quiry, the colonel remained a tOta
abstainer. He came daily to join
his comrades, to gossip ind SWAP
stories, but never once did lie be
tray, 10y word or sign, the reasoT
that led bin to ALLURE the wine
when 1t was red or the bowl whel
i was flowing.
Thus Affairs ran on. The OlC
Guard was troubled, and COlOne
Jagson looked worried and acteC
| ke aman Overburdened with sci
lJus thought aud a deep financial
disorder TIE fear that Colonel Jag
son was caught in The fuancls
ringency induced General 81 k
Uptake his vile into lis confidence
With that tact aud intuition tba
are wOman's chief charm she wen
at once to call on Mrs. JAgsOn, an'
with the usual result-she got lh
root of the trouble IN short order
Mrs. JagsOn was positively radiant
The colonel was always sober, tb
household allowance had been in
creased, The table bore more del
cacies Of the season, her wafdrOb
and bOUDets were new, and Mrs.
JagsOn began to think that th
declining years OF her marie
state would be happier than th
earlier period.
"And how did it all come aboui3
quoth Mrs. Soake. Now, Mrs
lagoon kuew that Mrs. SOake ha
suffered from the same rivalry ths
she berself had endured, and ths
soft pity 10 which femininity is 6
prone swept over her, aud sh
gave the cause OF the refOrmatiO
away to her friend.
"YOu know, my dear Mrs. SOaks
began Mrs. JagsOu, "the cOlOD'
came home just before daylight o
New Years morning and was nc
quite himself. Toe convivIsllt
hal prov,d too much for b
equilibrium, but after much fun
ling he got the door opened csu
up stairs as softly sscivcumstanc'
would permit. Contrary to N
usual custom, / had put the ligl
liz bis IOOm entirely oat. He seen