The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-25
Active Service.


OF Captain and Mrs. Caraway just as Mrs
Caraway was pouring boiling water upon
the Indian tea.
Janet cried the old gentleman, I'm
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 and with his
twelve years of service accomplished, and
his pension attained, the gentle ouled
little man had laid by his uniform and re-
tired into civil life with a glad heart On
his pension and small income enjoyed by
Mrs Caraway, the worthy couple had lived
for many years en- the outskirts of London,
going regularly to church on Sunday and
tending their garden and three Persian
cats during the week. He envied no gen.
eral his fame, never abused the War Of
flee. belonged to no military club. and
looked back on his soldering as the ina
jority of undergraduates look back on their
school days. That he should ever buckle
on his armor again was the last thought
that ever entered the captains placid
mind.
Now, while Mrs. Cafaway dreaded the
breaking up of the home more than any
thing else Captain Caraway, it must be
confessed, viewed the order from the War
Office in other lights as well. To go back
to barracks meant to him a return to bull
lying, or, at any rate, to what schoolboys
call ''ragging." His colonel. a man named
Watt he remembered distinctly as a fine.
dashing major. who loved to make him the
0f NOS " hon ha
had been ragged by the major in those far
away 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 Captain Caraway's
heart. but he kept them from his wife.
Mrs. Caraway was a fine. brstling
woman. Her first grief over. the good
woman insisted on making the old uniform
do, and herself let it out where necessary,
arranging for belts and sashes to hide the
much as possible she said, when her
husband limited that Watt was always very
particular about kit.
Then the day came for Captain Caraway
to depart. As he kissed his wife thoughts
Of all she had been to him. all she had
grown to mean to him. surged tumul-
fuously into his heart.
what shall l do without my pretty
Jane?" he cried.
Take care of yourself" she answered.
land remember to see that your servant
airs your shirts and underclothing. Oh,
George, promise me-" she went on, that
you will change your boots and socks
whenever you have been out in the rain?"
promise he said, little hoarsely.
Then Ii VIII soon be over" said She
cheerfully. land YOU will come back safe
and sound. i wrote last night to the colo
mel. asking him to see that your bed was
aired :
''Jane.' he shrieked in horror.
Dear George. what is it? -
"Ycu don't mean TO say you asked the
colonel to air my bed9"
"Of course l did Now, none of your
ridiculous nonsense about military eti-
quette. l wrote secretly because / knew
you would be sure to raise some trifiing
objection of that kind. Your life. my
dear. is much too precious for me to stand
on ceremony in things Of this kind. Good
oye. George. goodbye: and promise that
you will change your boots
And so he departed from London
II was sunset when he arrived at the
country station and hailed a fly The train
was late. and with a three miles drive
before him he was fearful of arriving late
AVA AAcSS. never u1u mllkSOp 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.-to
air his bed caused the poor fellow Infinite
anguish He pictured to himself the fate
In front OF him. The colonel would meet
him on the steps of the quarters with
carpet slippers and a tumbler of warm
milk. The other men would be grinning
at the colonefs side. and saying over and
over again: Are you quite sure. sir. that
you've aired Captain Caraway's bed2n
And his servant would be in the back
ground witnessing his humiliation The
mess walters would have heard the COL
onel roaring over his wife's fatal letter
that very morning at breakfast, and now
all the men in barracks would be making
merry at his expense. But worse than for
feiting his company's respect was the
prospect of being baited by the young
sprigs of subalterns What would they
say to him? What would they do to him ?
A cold wind blew across the darkening
fields. The suns last beams fiickered be-
hind the chimneys of a manufacturing
town in the distance. Captain Caraway
shivered.
He began to remember different points
in the landscape the trees in the hedges.
the bends of the road A few minutes
more, and the dust stained fly would turn
sharp TO the left. jolt up a narrow lane,
and then-the red brick barracks? He
pulled out his watch and shivered again.
1t was O'Clock; he had fifteen minutes in
which to dress for dinneri
The fly turned the corner crawled slow
~ up the lane, and presently ratified
slowly over cobblestones through the bar
rack gates. The sentry. smooth-faced boy
looked up at the captain, but did not
salute. The barrack square seemed empty.
Outside the officers quarters, dull. cheer
less red brick building, civilian was
1ounging. When the fly stopped he APP
preached and touched his forehead. Cap
tain Csraway?" said he Yes" said our
hero. I'm Private Moore sir. and I'm
told off to be your servant. You've got
ten minutes to dress in. sir"
Captain Caraway followed his servant
meekly up the steps, and climbed with
him the echoing wooden stairs. Full as his
mind was of apprehension, he yet had
room there for thoughts of his home and
the girl he had left behind him. All. how
greatly 10 be desired was that little snug
villa, with its thick carpets, its pretty
curtains. and the three comfortable Per-
sian cats! He looked about him, and his
heart grew sick. Here was his room.
Moore had returned to the fly for his lug
gage. and he stood alone in big bare
hideous apartment: few seedy old wicker
chairs and a dull deal table occupied the