Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-07-11


CHAPTER XIII.-(ContiuuedJ
"Is he one Of the distresses you have
suffered from, and would rather now be
free from?" one asks. in a general kind Of
way.
Certainly not, liked him very well,
liked him very well, indeed. But II he
comes back now, it will be with a differ
ence. Things have got altered somehow
the same boat that used to lose itself in
the middle Of the Thames. with every
body trying different kinds Of poles.
Doesn't 1t feel long time since then7
! believe it was the tunnels did it."
Did what?'
why, since we came through those
tunnels we seem to have come into an
other world altogether. Everything is
different-the landscape is different"
Are the people different?"
Il don't know" she says. refectively;
"but l seem to feel different kind Of
atmosphere around us somehow. Don't
you think il will sound odd to hear Mr..
Duncombe. If he comes back. talking
about theaters and comedies and maga-
zine articles?"
been going on in town. what new books
are being talked about. and new playsY'
Miss Peggy lifts her eyes for a mo-
ment.
Don't you think" she says. with q
little hesitation, that he is Interested in
rather small things? To write a comic
piece for a theater-that isn't a great am
bitiOn, is itf"
1T is a harmless one, surely"
"Oh. yes. You laugh at the moment
and forget. But these are not the things
that remain in the mind Sometimes
almost wish that Col. Cameron had not
repeated that ballad Of Gordon of Brack-
la il l happen to lie awake at night it
comes into my head. ! seem to hear the
very tones he used. and it makes me
shiver. it is SO terrible a story. l wish
dared ask Col. Cameron to write out that
ballad for me-"
Dare! That is an odd kind of word.
Why, he'll be delighted"
will you ask him for met"
Certainly not. Ask him for yourself.
Do you think he will biteY'
s"And why is he called cOlOnelY' she
demands, with unreasoning petulance
why isn't he major, or captain, or
general wouldn't mind what il was.
but colonel?"
.'YOu are little too familiar with the
title on your side of the water"
And you know. how that is Z" she says.
instantly. No. you don't. II can see you
DON'T. Well. will tell you. You're al
ways calling me school girl, but there
are lots of things can teach you"
No doubt"
..The reason we have SO many colonels
fn America" she remarks, with an oracu-
lar air. sis simply this. that at the end
ofyour war all the survivors were raised
to that rank. That was what a grateful
country did. That is what l call true
gratitude. What they did with people
above that rank don't know, but all the
rest were made cOlOnels. What do you
do at the end of one of your wars?'
I'VE haven't time to do anything be-
fore another has begun"
Then your soldiers get plenty of
chances. Say, do you think l could get
a copy Of Men Of the Times over there
in Tewkesbury?" asks this persistent
questiOner.
You would be more likely to get it in
Gloucester"
rs it an expensive bookT
81 don't know; perhaps eight or ten
shillings. But II you mean buying it. 1t
is bulky thing to carry about"
Il could cut out the pages l want. l
should like to see all that Col. Cameron
has done-a list of the engagements he
has been in: because-because naturally
it is interesting, when you are meeting
anyone from day to day-well. you want
to know all about him..
And who told you that Sir Even Gam
eron was in Men OF the Timer"
Your wife. / was asking her what
battles he had been in. and she said
ought to look there"
.Whv NOT ask himself2"
'Oh, l couldn't, couldn't do that" she
exclaimed; and then she suddenly ceased,
for at this moment the door was opened.
and there was the tall, sandy-haired col
onel himself, looking very smart and
fresh. and with a cheerful ''Good-morn-
ingw on his lips. Nor was Miss feggy
much confused; NO, she frankly gave him
her hand. and there was q smile on her
face as she returned his greeting and In
auired il he had heard any udinGs OF
breakfast.
We passed most of that morning IN
Tewkesbury. having got ashore and clam
bered nm the steep, ruddy, slippery bank'
and thence made our way into the town:
We crossed the Avon, not running REQ
with blood, as the chrOniclers say II oid
after the memorable battle Of some -FOUR
hundreds years ago. but running yellow ID
spate. with the recent heavy rains.
We found the Severn a busy river, ana
we had quite sufficient occupation In get
ting our awkward vessel past the sue
cessiye strings Of barges that were being
brought up by steam power against tue
flood. we having to keep outside OF tneH'
and get our tow rope over their SMOKE
stacks somehow or anyhow. But WIN
Nurdoch at the bow and Captain Coium-
bus on the bank. we succeeded In get
ring nv without any serious misnap. ~
,his fashion we swung along by Chase'y
Rve. and Deerhurst, and Turiey' sno
tbsn We halted for luncheon az nav
Rridpe. there being q certain Wnite A'ou ~"
in the neighborhood, where Captain "
Inmhus proposed to bait our gallant steev'
"yVelI I" said Mrs. Threepenny-Dit, pun,
inc in her camp stool to the taDie VIII
much complacency, I'VE have sUr
in afety. thank goodness. But IN tl.u -.
Tr, not responsible. When the Wo.s. s.:
comes to worst, I mean to simply sit sen.
and h. drowned. We ought 10 ne.s =
Gioucester tonight whether MS. D
connie Is coming. am sure we owe
ere,t deal to him for ell the trouble ne
took about this boat. He was most IN
defatieable. you would have thougnt ns
w.. manning the whole expedition io'
.Yes. madame" one said to her. yco
,ht N he most grateful to him. Ht
.iI very well for you now; here you .N
&, 6ne summer weather-WinooWs ope"