Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-05-30
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: An Adaptation Of Exodus. !
BY 0wENDOLEN OvERTON.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


and a cloven hoof. 70 such as these
the knight-errantry Of Drayton and
Bartlett may seem problematical; but
a knight-errant is one who succors
beauty in distress, and who rides
abroad redressing human wrongs,
Whether he employs an obnoxious in
sect rather than a sword, as Dray-
ton dbl, or whether he rides an 5. u
government mule, as Bartlett was
won't to do, is neither here nor there.
Bartlett was riding the aforesaid
mule shortly after the time my story
begins. He rode it up the line, It's
long gray ears waggling evenly and
restfully, and came to halt in front
of the set of quarters where Drayton
and he roomed. Drayton was sitting
on the porch, his feet on the railing,
his chair tipped back, and the visor OF
his cap pulled down on his nose. lie
pushed the cap to the back of his
head as Bartlett came slowly up the
steps.
81 wish you would get horse" he
complained. eff you could just real
ize the figure you cut on that old ele-
phant!"
CHATS a mule" corrected Bartlett,
his arm around pillar and letting
his heels dangle, as he perched on the
railing. "It's also a very nice mule.
It is no longer a shave-tail, but has
reached years Of discretion. The mo-
rnent man or animal does that, his APP
preciative country straightway has
him inspected and condemned. Horses
NAV do for some, but not for one who
has the duties of post quartermaster
10 perform. And, besides, l believe
in the infantry and scorn a horse"
"The scorn," observed DraytOn, "of
the fox for the grapes"
Don't rub it in,' said Bartlett, de-
iectedly; I'm miserable enough as it
is"
Thought you looked rather triste.
I'm all sympathy. Go on"
Bartlett released his hold upon the
pillar and folded his arm on his
breast in an attitude combining stern
endurance and precariOus balance
'The Collinses are going to route the
Lawrences out"
Now, the COllinses were the family
of Capt. COllins-wife, mother-in-law
on both sides, and three small chill
dren. They had that morning arrived
in the post. Collins was in command
of troop L, which had been moved on
some weeks before. If he had been
well-disposed his entry should not
have put the whole garrison, below
his rank, in the throes of fear of a
progressive "turning-out." For there
were empty quarters into which he
might have moved exactly as we'll as
not, and no one have been any the
worse off.
But Collins won't see it that way,
Bartlett went on. "He ranks Law
renee, and his wife ranks him, you
bet: and it's the wife and the mother
in-law who are going to have the
Lawrences' set or bust"
"Throw them q few buckets Of
paint and calcimine, by way of sop,
Drayton ventured TO suggest.
Did" said Bartlett, briefly. "Of
fered them half the quartermaster''
department, and a carpenter, and
blacksmith, and farrier, too, if they
happened to need one. Told then
they could have any or all of the col
ors of paint in the rainbow, if they'C
lust be goOd-but those three grace'
are going to have the Lawrences
house"
Drayton opine6 with little of thu
placidity, nevertheless, with which
we all bear one another's burdens
that it was a very great and very pro
fame shame. "Theres that poor lit
tie woman with those two little bit
of kids, and just moved into thos
quarters, and got them all fixed up s.
prettily, and her garden started, toe
Then, those Collinses! They're
mean lot of cattle, anyway" II
made gesture of disgust, whic
turned the visor around over his lef
ear. and was silent for a minut
through sheer wrath.
81 told Mrs. Lawrence they woul
be serpents-on-the wood-cutters
hearth"
"Serpents, now?" asked Bartlett
"they were cattle before; and 20
! called that"-he pointed over hi
shoulder-"an elephant, whereas, !
point of fact, it's mule"
81 told her." continued Drayto1
unmoved, "that it wouldn't pay.
know all about the Collinses-serve
with them in Texas. 1 was sitting o
Mrs. Lawrence's steps-I know that
usually am, so you can save yourself
I was sitting on her steps when tf
Collins outfit drove up. The amb'
lance stopped in front of the c. o.
house. next door, and Collins jumpe
out and went in. The rest of the
lust waited. All would have been we
!. if Mrs. Lawrence hadn't become tel
] der-hearted in a most unnecessal
I way, and hadn't chosen to disregal
anv advice" He assumed the look
prophecy fulfilled. 81 told her to
r still and not get excited and do som
IS thing rash; gave her the benefit
1t nv knowledge and experience. b
it wasn't any use. She made me d
= up and hang ON to the kids, while s
ran down to the ambulance and j
is vited the whole caboodle to come
J. and rest and refresh themselves. Th
81 came. You can bet your life tn
came-or they wouldn't have been t
-, Collinses. 1 saw Dame C.'s wealth
4. eve taking in the house. L could
az she liked it. and l knew there'd
trouble. Mrs. Lawrence kept them
W luncheon-the whole seven OF the
re Asked me, too; but the kids were IA
ne ING Cain, and the abode OF peace
" transformed, so 1 lit out"
"Well, I guess she's sorry now
that's any comfort to you. For t
e. Collinses are not only going to ha
e. those quarters, but they're going