The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-21
Continued
CHAPTER VIII.

good as being captain. Surely never |
was such handsome fellow as he when |
he donned the uniform of the Apple
gate sharpshooters. And all that splen-
did vitality, that superabundant energy,
was to be devoted to the service OF his
country, with never thought for the
luxurious leisure which had gone before. !
1t placed him on pedestal and Ie16
neither time nor inclination for any
thing but wholesale idolatry of the
hero of the family. /
Miss Monckton voiced the sentlment
of the entire circle when she came into
the room where Marianne was packing
her brothers. travelling bag.
Reginald has given us very bad
time of it lately, but have not haro
feeling against him. You know he may
never come back to u.s. Marianne
flashed an indignant look up at her from
her seat on the floor.
''Monksey, you can say the most ex-
asperating things! Of course Reggie
will come back. It will not be more
than month or two that we will have
to live without him. And as for that
other matter, he has suffered enough
already. I should say we didn't have
any hard feelings. What are lands and
houses at such time as this?'
Miss Monckton elected a sniff of
scorn through her aristocratic nostrils.
'Oh, we'll, there is no use in the
world taking such a very sublimated
view of things as that! l can't, if you
can. Houses, or at least one is really
essential. We will have to live some
where, as we are not all going to be
lieutenants and camp out. Has Regi-
nald told you what we are to do it that
fiend chooses to take possession OF Bel
haven during his absence?'
"Oh, Monksey, don't! I am trying to
forget, and I am SO glad there IS SO
much to do for him"
She bent silently over the open bag
and resumed her work. There were
tears in her eyes. One or two fell upon
the white silk handkerchiefs she was
adding to her soldiers outfit. Miss
Monckton threw small parcel into her
lap.
"Find room for that, my dear. 1t is
a housewife, and I've worked horse
shoes and four leaved clovers all over
it. You know they stand for goo luck,
and Reginald is going into many per-
ilous place.
ssOf course he isl said Max, loung-
ing into the room with the silver row.
eled spurs he had been furnishing for
his brother. ST only wish it was me in
stead of Reggie, that's all. 1t is con-
founded nuisance to be told at every
breath you are too young to go. Here
before we can say Jack Robinson Reggie
is coming home covered with glory
Miss Monckton interrupted him with
grewsome alacrity.
"Or with scars Oh, don't talk to me
about the pomp and circumstance OF
war. 1t is butohery pure and simple,
and if ever the men do let women have
their rights warrant you we can set
tie all the quarrels without cutting each
others threats. It's goddess business
from beginning to end. If had SOM
"Wouldn't he be duffer?" said Max
irreverently.
Marianne interposed in the interest Of
peace:
"Monksey, please, you and Max, stop
fussing about that son of yours. He is a
chronic bone of contention, and I'm sure
between you all something will be left
out of this bag" She puckered her
brow refeotively. 'tLet me see. I've put
his silver boot hooks in one of the pock-
cts of your housewife. ] hope he won't
lose them. They belonged to our dear
papa. A dozen silk handkerchiefs ought
to do him, don't you think?''
ST should think SO. How about a
mosquito bar?'
"Oh, I've got that inP'
'Toilet soap?"
eyes, and shaving SOAP too, but I've
left out his nailbrush, and Reggie is SO
particular about his hands. -
Here Maxwell FLASHED his spurs to-
gether like cymbals and gave vent to a
guffaw that stirred Marianne and Miss
Monckton to wrath.
"Gee, but women folks have funny
notions about soldiersl Boot books and
barsl Shaving soap and nalbrushesl'
zone can be a gentlemap, Max, if he
is going to stand up to be Ghot at, and
know my brother Reginald would
rather die with a clean face than a
bristly one. Because man has been &C.
customed to the elegancies of life is no
reason he should give them all up at
once, nor will he be any the poorer SOL
dier for little decent comfort -
Max struck military attitude and
inflated his lungs:
'Soldiers, attention! Boot hooks to
the 'front.' Shoulder nailbrushes!'
This pleasantly elected sniff OF
scorn from the two women.
'tWho is Reginald going to take with
him?'' Miss Monckton asked, turning
her back on Max
GAS body servant?'
eyes"
'tMammy James Nose, and he is the
proudest darby on the plantation. y
"That's bekase he amt got the sense
he was horned with. -
Nanny Jane advanced this opinion,