The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-11


former were defeated with great slaugh-
ter, and driven 10 seek the shelter OF
Toulter's plantation until forced to
capitulate.
When the vicar learnt the news, he
feared that he had let loose n firebrand
among his peaceful villagers; but there
was nothing more TO be done except
cntreat the captain to tone down his
martial zeal.
"rhe Citadel" as the captain had
named his cottage, was semi-detachcd
dwelling divided by a long iron rail
from Miss Priscilla Grcene's. Miss Pris-
ella, sweet-tempered, middle-aged
spinster, with beautiful and benevo-
lent face, had been little overwhelmed
at the thought of having such a noisy
ncighbor as the captain; but he, on the
very first day of taking possession, had
accosted her with such exereme cour-
tesy that she soon began to feel new
interest in existence.
you must permit me, my dear
madam" he said, "to constitute myself
the nominal master of the garrison. As
your earthworlSs Gt afterwards dawned
upon the wondering Miss Priscilla that
"Old Nasty Particular" alluded to the
moss-covercd bank at the bottom of
both gardens) make one line with my
own, il will be to our mutual advantage
to organize some simple system OF de-
fence. Thus, il L see any of the maraud-
ing village boys stealing your fruit
will force them back to their main line;
end if you should see them in my garden
and warn me, should esteem ii great
favor"
Miss Priscilla had replied that moth
ing would give her greater pleasure;
and the friendship SO auspiciously com
menced was still further cemented by
an invitation TO the captain to partalxe
of a "disif of tea" with her and the
wears wife.
The captain, who had received the
missive from the hands of pretty little
Thyrza, Miss Priscilla's maid, regarded
that damsel with marked approval.
There was a suggestion of lavender
about Thyrza's white cap and apron
which strongly appealed to the cap
tain's sense of the poetic. He concluded
that SO neat a maid could only be the
result of patient training on the part
of her mistress, thus making most
egregious mistake, for Thyrza's neat
nesr was mainly due to an innate CO.
quetry, Miss Priscilla having most be-
-plilGeFiHg habit of never remembering,
where she had put anything.
But the manner in which the captain
gained Miss Priscilla's perpetual graf
itude yet remains TO be told.
In an ill-advixed moment, some four
years ago. Miss Priscilla had COM
menced to keep fowls. Being too gentle
to kill them, every year she had given
away the chickens to friends, and now
the original old rooster, the head and
front of the family, had become so
fierce and pugnGcious that she was
afraid to approach the henhouse at iil.
"Gen. Crook" for 70 this ungainly
Cochin China bird was called in the
pedigree which he had brought with
him from the poultry show, had knaci-
of vacating his own premises whenever
he felt particularly vindictiye, in order
10 sail over into the garden, catch Miss
Priscilla's gown In his beak, and be
dragged across the lawn until either
her gown gave way OF the general lost
his breath. Miss Priscilla patiently en-
idnred this indignity, and never went
into the garden without providing her
self with an already open umbrella.
with which TO battle the generals
charge. As his invariablc method was
to spread his wings wide out, put his
head low down, and rush Mt the open
umbrella with the speed of an arrow
from the bow, the generals first charge
frequently carried his head and neck
through the alpaca into the framework.
Miss Priscilla would then abandon the
umbrella and seek refuge in flight, leav-
ing the general to extricate himself as
best he could, and crow derisively from
the middle of her fnvorite flower bed,
as if challenging the whole worle TO
mortal combat.
Now the captain was a careful Oh
server of men and things, and, as time
hung somewhat heavily on his hand.',
the one desire of his life grew into an
overwhelming passion for the subjuga'
ton of the general, who, In addition to
his many other misdccds, had lately
developed habit of Growing at one in
the morning, and maliciously keeping
or until eight. AS the generals voice,
though raucous and rou possessed
n peculiar carrying power, the captain
had IN additional motive for avenging
his sleepless nights. On the occasion OF
the tea party he gathered that Miss
Priscilla and the wears wife were ready
10 adopt any plan which might involve
the moral conquest of the general with
out inflicting serious bodily damage or
depreciating his market value. With
the wisdom of an experienced cam
paigner, the captain cogducted n recon
Nuisance in force on the henhouse, and
found that the general always roasted
in one particular corner. in which there
was just room enough for him to flap
his wings whilst Growing. During the
generals customary hunt on the lawn
one afternoon the captain hurriedly
=. n .