Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-07-31
AN ADAPTATION OF EXODUS
Why There Were Many Plaques in the Captains Quarters
Bartlett did not understand
By .GwENDoLEN ovERroN.

Well-See here. He etOoksnlSeleeS
down from the rail, in his earnestDess.
and Strengthened his cap. like
this. You and l have got one sroola
each in this house, haven't we; same
as the most Of the other bachesors.@
Such was the case. And we're en-
titled to two rooms each, aren't we?S
Bartlett agreed that they were E And
we've been keeping these ones because
we've been too lazy and good natured
to ask for more, haven't we? Well we
won't be lazy and good natured any
more. If the CoIlinses move into the
Lawrences' set, I'll vacate my room
turn it over to you-and III apply for
the upstairs floor of the .Lawrences
house. Oh! entitled to- IL AL AL
right" he chuckled. II know my
rights as citizen of these United
States and as a first-lieutenant of
cavalry. The Collinses, the ] whole
sweet seven of EN-, may have the low
er floor. It's all they can claim under
law. That's fou. rooms, including the
kitchen. l dare say they won't mind
living like that any way. They're
pigs"
pigs, too?" asked Bartlettl,
Drayton went on unfolding his, plan.
Once have that top floor, you watch
the interest in life I'll provide for
them. III make their days pleasant
and their nights-particularly their
nights-beautiful I'll have suppers
up their every evening, and ID songs
and dances until reveille, if I Have to
hypothecate to pay my commissary
bill, and if my health breaks down.
You watch!" He stood up and began
to button his blouse. $50 you are
warned. If the Collinses move IN, such
is my devotion to them that I'ltmove
in, too. And I'll put in my formal ap-
plication for those two rooms No
other two in the post will suit, other,
you understand"
And it all came about exactly Us he
said. There was a hegira of Law
rences and an ingress of Collhses,
and great was the latter's wrath when
they found Drayton taking possession
of the upper floor. They protested to
everybody in general, and to the com-
mandant and the quartermaster in
particular. And the commandant md
the Quartermaster said they were
sorry, but that Drayton was certainly
within his rights. He had applied for
the quarters in virtue Of the general
turning-out that D troop was causing
ing the post, and he was entitled to
occupy them. There was nothing mGe
to be said
81 can't pretend to be sorry for thea,
exactly" Mrs. Lawrence confided e
Drayton, when he advised her 81 i
try to settle in her new quarters ' z
.elaborately; I'm only hui : Is
sssffd sff and asssssz Il
and my garden But Pm sc:'v -.
you. 1 think those children ar :
very imps of evil"
.Drayton nodded. ''There are othe.s
he said.
1t was emigmatical, but Mrs. Law
renee looked doubtful and ready to be
hurt. "You don't mean miner" she
said.
mo, my dear lady," Bartlett reas-
sured her, "he doesn't mean yours.
He thinks yours are all that tender
infancy should be. don't know what
he does mean, however. And prob
ably he doesn't know himself"
Don't -" queried Drayton, enigmat
ical still. Don't just?"
Perhaps" said Bartlett, "you mean
Jimmy O'Brien. l saw you hobnol-
bing with him today. Would it lie
Jimmy now?"
Drayton would not commit him
self. But is was Jimmy and one othe,
nevertheless. Drayton had come upon
him when he was playing duck-on-l-
rock all by himself, near the sutleFs
store. The duck was beer bottle, snd
Jimmy vas pitching stones at it, with
Indifferent aim. The father of Jimmy
was first-sergeant of Drayton's troop,
and SO the lieutenant felt they had
enough in common to warrant a! con-
versation.
1t began by suggestion as to a
better way to throw a stone, and 1t
ended with bargain struck. Then"
said Drayton, 'if promise to pay you
two bits for every centipede, four bits
for every tarantula, ten cents oTevery
lizard, a nickel for every toad and
cent for every big spider, you will
catch all you can and bottle them for
me?"
Jimmy nodded solemnly.
And you won't say anything about
it to any one?" A quarter was pressed
into a chapped and grimy hand.
Nit" said Jimmy, the instinct of
a political race to the fore. There was
another race instinct strong in Jimmy,
too. 1t was that of the contractor.
. The very next morning before guard;
mounting, he clambered up the stair
way to Drayton's rooms. Drayton was
only just dressing. He had kept late
hours. Bartlett had helped him, and
until Q o'clock they had alternated
pacing heavily to and fro with drop
ping weighty bodies on the floor.
The Collinses were kept awake.
Its a question of endurance, be-
cause we are two" said Drayton; "but
l expect we can hold out"
He inspected Jimmy's first catch.
There was a centipede, two lizards and
three toads. Jimmy's pockets bulged
with bottles. There were also five
large and unpleasant spiders.
Good boy" said Drayton, and paid
as per schedule.
Mrs Colline and the mother-in-law's
nerves were not calmed, any way, by
the wakeful night 1t was the harder
for them when they found three large
toads in their rooms that day. To
have a toad hop at you from dark
corner is not nice. 1t is still less to
step on one and crush it. 1t gives a