Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-05-01

actually can't get up a dinner for the in
spector general and his staff and serve the
dinner too"
pan went olashing and gathering
along the kitchen floor. Mrs. Melville
sighed, Melville grew fleroer and Richie
devoted himself to the maokerel. The
shattering Of a china dish broke the still
ness. That's Six" breathed Mrs. Mel
| Ville
This time Melville bit his under lip as
he put his napkin on the table beside his
plate and pushed away his chair.
ooh, Austin, you better not go, " ven
tured his wife mildly.
He made no answer, but strobe to the
door and passed through. Richie resumed
the salt scraping and Mrs. Melville grasped
| both arms of her chair and held her breath
At first there was only the rolling Of
| Melvilles deep voice, then the sound OF
| sudden scufile. Mrs. Melville gave
smothered scream and started up. "Sit
down, " commanded Rtohie, pushing back
his own chair, but keeping his seat Mrs.
Melville sat down. There was only mo-
mentary scraping of boots and Chinese
slippers in the kitchen, then a series OF
thumps down the back steps and the
scratching Of gravel also a low broken
murmur from the yard.
THAT I'll go and see who's underneath"
Mrs Melville did not attempt to move
again, but she watched the second lleuten-
ant anxiously. He strolled to the window
and stood there, one hand in his trousers
pocket, the other stroking his mustachios
"WellY" ventured the young woman
finally.
Richie turned around and came back
to his chair II guess Melville's doing
about what he said he Notwithstanding
Sings head"
Weak cries like those Of q little child
came up from the back yard.
els that Singf" asked the lady OF the
house.
at doesn't sound much like Melville"
At the end of couple Of minutes Mel
Vile went past the window and In at the
side door, and little later he came into
the dining room by the front entrance and
resumed his seat. The shuttle Of Sings
slippers could be heard in the kitchen.
The adjutant, despite his smoothed hair
and newly brushed coat, looked SO ruf1ed
as to temper that his wife wisely refrained
from speech. Richie Wa holder. "Has
the police party got to come around and
pick up the piecesY
"No. l guess he's whole"
sis he little more reasonableY'
"Oh, he's doing the lamb act now"
"Tell us about 1t, Austin, begged Mrs.
} Melville.
81 just told him he'd got to stop his
id nonsense and behave himself. OF
course didn't want to say anything ugly
, to make him madden. He muttered that
he'd CO. or something like that, and he
, flung the dish towel in my face. 1 was a
little riled at that, but don't think I'd
3 have done anything except kick him out
II hadn't remembered the dinner.
g knew he had to be pounded into staying
So pounded That 5 ALL"
5 Mrs. Melville flew into the sitting room
4 a few hours later.
. Austin, he's vamoosed!'
i Melville stood up, put down his news
paper and knocked the ashes from his
S cigar. I'm go get him back, he said.
@ Howl"
"Send detachment out for him ant
+ bring him back"
So Mrs. Melville watched and waited
9 for half an hour and at the end Of tina
time heard the shuttle Of feet and thu
- tramping Of boots ON the porch. SIM
IS glided into the room, followed by his mas
l. ter. There was guard at the door. Her
o he is. Try the force of gentle persuasion
% Matty."
:. Mrs. Melville was a coaxing little body
It she could have moved any one but "a China
d man. Sing remained obdurate. "No," h
10 grunted; "me no come back"
g Just to get dinner, Sing; you can g
afterward."
"NO."
d She looked appealingly at her husband
4 "Then you won't come back and &c
dinner tonight, Singh" asked Melville.
10 "No."
| rI l. - nd m 4
N chopping wood in the sun" 1t was rattle
IN a stretch of official and military authority
" but even the commanding officer, who wa
s. to dine with the general, realized the III
IN gency of the case.
An hour of woodchopping under guar(
re under all the untamed glory Of an Arizon
I'd sun, brought Sing into subsection. h
So appeared, duwncast. perspiring, gaspin
ly and penitent, at the Seor of Melville
H. quarters. "Missa Melville, me wantee sl'
It. Mis- Melville"
or mo; you can't see her. She's lyir
?" down."
Eyes. Me wantee slice Mis- Melvill
" Me tellee Mis- Melville me come back"
ne "She no want you back, Sing"
al ooh, you go tellee."
in can right. l go tellee her. She 1
come think"
On Melville disappeared and brought baC
ng his wife. Her face was contorted into 4
he unrelenting irown.
oh "Well, Singy" she demanded severely.
mis- Melville, me come back"
lie "No. l no want you come back"
tn "Me cookee good dinner. Alice sam
,ie heap good Sun heap hot, mAkee my hei
TN hurt" moaned the child Of the orieI
m "No breakee plates no more"
So. IAN right" she consented reluctant
nd 81 keep you today maybe"
tie
Dr. "Really, Mrs. Melville" said the gr
Eled inspector general as he sat beside
lie brilliant little hostess at the table al
at looked it's length at the goodly array OF }
unbroken dishes, Il can't see what y
al make such fuss about these weste
he stations for. OF course they're little
from the railroad, but you have pref
de good society, you dress-well, exactly
they do in Washington, so far as my hui
culine eyes can tell; you live on the fat
the land, to judge from what see befC
lon me, and you certainly have excellent
nestle service"
Mrs. Melville blessed the happy thong
She which had made her place the general
- that he could not see the guard standi
over the Celestial cook out in the kitch
! as the door swung to and fro. EYES," {
! assented. "Still there are some inconv'
! lences."
UVOu saeun IN have overcome them -