The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-11-27
/ OUR UNCLE, THE GENERAL
He Was Very Terrible In War, but
!. Easily Disarmed by Woman.


Whenever the widow, Magdalen
Monostary, sent her son, who was
studying law in the residence, his
monthly stipend, she always aecompa-
MED it by a closely written eight page
letter What wonder then that when
the occasion really called for it and the
case was important she should have
sent her elder brother a communities
ton which might easily be mistaken
for volume, nearly every tenth line of
which appealed to him to save the fam
lily honor and that Immediately and
without a moments delay.
s'My strength is exhausted and my
son is obdurate," pleaded she, "and l
do not dare say a word as he imme-
diately throws out hints and makes
threats which makes my blood run
cold and my heart to stand still. | am
anticipating some terrible calamity In
my opinion the best thing to do would
be to talk to the girl herself, only |
could not do it, as l am nothing but
mere woman. With you it is different.
You, being a man, could do it so much
better than 1. The honor of our family
is at stake, and my whole trust and
confidence are anchored on you"
Thus appealed to and the case being
so urgent, the general lost not mo-
ment's time. Having consulted a time
table and sent telegram to his sister
saying, 81 am coming" he left on the
spot. 81 shall hit this idyl right
through the center" muttered he,
twisting the ends of his mustache into
such fierce ends as if he intended to
spear the idyl on their points. The
widow, Magdalen Monostary, could not
do otherwise than meet him at the de-
pot and, falling on his neck, sob her
soul out on his manly bosom. On the
way home she did nothing but lament:
.Only tailor's daughter! Only tai
lors daughter The general made a
deprecatory gesture. "All right my
dear, all right. Console yourself. /
am going to see things"
AS the carriage rolled along the sin
gle street of the little province town
the news that the general had arrived
spread like wildfire, and at the market
square small boy yelled: won't tai
lors get it, though! The general has
arrived" But the prodigal son, ne who
jeopardized the family honor, was no.
where to be found, as he had left the
house early in the morning.
"Never mind" said the general, Il
have come to see to things with regard
to the girl do not need him."
"Shall l accompany you, Belshaz-
carp
mo, indeed. Women invariably spoil
everything. will manage without
you," and straight as ramrod he
started on his errand to the loud clank-
ing of his sword, which struck the side
walk at every step, until he reached
the hut in which the tailor patched
and steamed the pants of the poorer
citizens of the town. He was followed
at respectful distance by small reg
iment of barefooted children. who star
ed in awestruck admiration at his bel
ligerent mustache and gold embroider-
ed collar and who whispered among
themselves. HE is going to the tailor's,
and he will murder Este with that sa-
berw
The general finally noticed the crowd
of little ragamuffins, and their sight
made him furious. He could not very
well dispense them, for a general could
not so far forget his dignity as to no.
tice the children of the rabble, but on
reaching his destination he gave the
door such tremendous pull that the
tailor, who for the last five minutes
had been trying to look dignified, near
ly fell off the table.
! The general remained standing on
the threshold. He looked the tailor up
and down and then down and up and
finally Numbered in his most military
accents, "Are you the boss" If the
tailor had dared to answer truthfully,
he would have answered, mot exact
ly" AS it was, however, he answered
with humility, 81 am, but hope you
will kindly excuse it,
The general looked the frail little
man over once more and thought with
In himself: what an acquisition to
ones family! Something truly to be
proud OFF,
Here the Mrs. who, to do her justice,
had much more presence of mind than
her husband and was much the cooler
Of the two, offered a chair to the gen
eral, saying. Wont you accept sec
ton of our modest little homer
But the general frowned her down
and remained standing. "Thank you"
said he stifay, 81 have no intention of
srurlng down. 1 want to speak to your
daughter"
The girl was probably not unprepar-
ed, for she stepped through a half open
door and said, Here l am, general!'
Then the general did quite uncon-
sciously what so far he had forgotten
TO do. He saluted, at the same time
critically examining, the girl VINO
threatened his family with a misal-
lance.
She was slender, but of majestic
figure. She had an exquisite head OF
soft blond hair and magnificent blue
eyes suspiciously red around the edges,
as if they had shed good many tears.
There was so much dignity about this
young girl, who was a schoolteaeher,
that she seemed entirely out of har-
mony with the surroundings in the IA
theirs hut
The general turned to the tailor and
asked in a considerably milder tone OF
voice, rs this your daughter
But the girl opened the door into the
sitting room and said firmly, Kindly
step this way, general" The next mo-
ment the general saw himself alone
with her in the scrupulously clean sit
ting room. He took a chair, while she
remained leaning against the mantei.
But the general did not remain seated
long. He almost Immediately arose
again. He walked out of one corner
of the room into the other, furiously
twirling his mustache. he looked
right and left and up and down and
then became aware that he did not
know how to begin. Finally the girl
said, 81 thought you wanted to speak
to meT
! The general struck a martial atti-
tude, grabbed his sword and suffered,
eyes, yes, but perhaps you have al
ready guessed what have come for?'
! II think have" faltered the girl.