The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-03


"a way. just as Mrs. Caraway was
n pouring boiling water upon the
Indian tea.
"Jane!" cried the old gentleman;
"1m called out! They want me at the
depot"
George! it's impossible! oh, they
can never be so cruel.'
"They want me Immediately" he
made answer. And then his wife burst
into tears.
You see, Captain Caraway was in
the carpet slipper period of life. He
had never been Keen soldier, ana
with his twelve years of service ac-
Complished. and his pension attained,
the gentle-souled little man had lain
by his uniform and retired into civil
life with a glad heart. On his PEN
sion and small income enjoyed by
Mrs. Caraway, the worthy couple had
lived for many years on the outskirts
Of London, going regularly to church
on Sunday and tending their garden
and three Persian cats during the
week. He envied no general his fame.
never abused the war office. belonged
to no military club, and looked back
on his soldering as the majority of
school days. That he should ever
buckle on his armor again was the
last thought that ever entered the cap
tain's placid mind.
Now. while Mrs. Caraway dreaded
the breaking up Of the home more
than anything ese Captain Caraway,
1t must be confessed, viewed the order
from the war office in other lights as
1r ,.1,.
to him a return of bullying, or, at
any rate. to what schoolboys call
"ragging' His colonel, Il man named
Watt, he remembered distinctly as Il
fine, dashing major, who loved to make
him the butt of messroom witticisms.
IT, then, he had been ragged by the
major in those faraway days of his
early manhood, how much more
would he find himself chaffed and
teased now that he was in middle
life and less like soldier than ever?
Thoughts of this kind gnawed at Cap
tain Caraway's heart, but he kept
them from his wife.
Mrs. Caraway was fine, bustling
woman. Her first grief over, the good
woman insisted on making the old uni
form do, and herself let it out where
necessary, arranging for belts and
sashes to hide the trail of her needle.
I'VE must save as much as possible"
she said, when her husband limited
that Watt was always very particu-
lar about kit.
Then the day came for Captain Car
away to depart. AS he kissed his wife
thoughts of all she had been to him,
all she had grown to mean to him.
surged tumutuously into his heart.
What shall do without my pretty
Jane?" he cried.
Take care of yourself" she answer
ed, land remember to see that your
servant airs your shirts and under
clothing. Oh, George. promise me-"
she went on, "that you will change
your boots and socks whenever you
have been out in the rain?"
II promise" he said, ii little hoarse-
ly.
"Then it will soon be over" said
she. cheerfully. 'and you will come
back safe and sound. l wrote last
night to the colonel asking him to
see that your bed was aired
"Jane!" he shrieked in horror.
Dear George. What is it?"'
you don't mean to say you asked
the colonel to air my bed?"
"Of course did. Nov. none of your
ridiculous nonsense about military eti-
quette. I wrote secretly. because l
knew you would be sure to raise some
trifing objection of that kind. Your
life, my dear, is much too precious
for me to stand on ceremony in things
of this kind. Goodbye. George, good
bye, and promise that you will change
your boots
And SO he departed from London.
1t was sunset when he arrived at the
country station and hailed Il fly. The
train was late. and with three miles
drive before him he was fearful of
arriving late for mess. Never did
milksop entering school for the first
time suffer greater tormentS than did
poor Caraway during that drive. The
thought that his wife had asked the
colonel--the colonel!--tn air his bed
caused the poor fellow infinite an
guish. He pictured to himself the ate
in front of him. The colonel would
lASet him on the steps of the quarters
with carpet slippers and Il tumbler
of warm milk The other men would
be grinning at the cOlonel's side. and
saying over and over again: Are you
quite sure. sir that you've aired Cap
tain Caraways bed?" And his SER
want would be in the background wit