The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-06-06
|; An Adaptation Of Exodus.
~ OwENDOLEN OveRToN.

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no a certain sort of mind saint
is only to be known as a saint
M the halo above his brow. and the
prince Of Darkness himself would be
devoid of identity without u pitchfork
nd a cloven hoof. To such as these
,he knight-errantry Of Drayton aud
BARTLETT may seem problematical; but
A., knight-errant is one who succors
mauty in distress. and who rides
abroad redressiny human wrongs,
Whether he employs an obnoxious in.
sect rather than q sword, as Dray.
ton did, or whether he rides an S. C.
government mule. rs Bartlett was
wont 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, its
long gray ears waggling evenly and
rstfully, and came to halt in front
If the set of quarters where Drayton
and he roomsd. 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. He
pushed the cap to the back Of his
head as Bartlett came slowly up the
steps.
IL wish you would get horse" he
complained. "If you could just real
ize the figure you cut on that old ele.
phant!"
"That's a mule" corrected Bartlett,
Ms arm around pillar and letting
his heels dangle, as he perched on the
railing. "It's also very nice mule.
II is no longer a shave-tail, but has
reached years Of discretion. The mo-
ment man or animal does that, his ap-
preciative country straightway has
him inspected and condemned. Horses
may do for some, but not for one who
has the duties of post quartermaster
TO perform. And, besides, believe
In the Infantry and scorn horse"
"The scorn," observed Drayton, "of
the fox for the grapes"
"Don't rub it in,' said Bartlett, de.
fctedly; 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
hse put the whole garrison. below
bis rank, in the throes of fear of Q
progressive "turning-out." For there
were empty quarters into which he
might have moved exactly as well a.
not, and no one have been any the
worse of.
"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 calciminc, by way of sop"
Drayton ventured TO suggest.
Did" said Bartlett, briefly. "Of-
fered them half the quartermaster's
department, and carpenter, and q
blacksmith. and farricr. too, il they
happened to need one. Told them
they could have any or all Of the col.
ors OF paint in the rainbow, II they'd
Just be good-but those three graces
are going to have the Lswrences
house."
Drayton opined. with . little Of tho
placidity. nevertheless, with which
We all bear one another's burdens,
mat 1t was . very great and very pro-
fame shame. "There's tha* poor lit
Tie woman with those two little bits
OF kids. and Just moved into those
quarters, and get them all fixed up 10
prettily. and her garden started. too.
Then, those Collinsesl They're a
mean lot Of cattle. anyway" He
made gesture Of disgust, which
'urned the visor around over his left
ear' and was silent for o minute
'hrough sheer wrath.
I told Mrs. Lawrence they would
hearth"
.serpents, now?" asked Bartlett;
'ney were cattle before; and you
called that"-he pointed over his
'noulder-"an elephant, whereas, in
point Of fact. It's q mule"
l told her." continued Drayton.
unmoved. "that it wouldn't pay. !
Aaow all about the Collinses-served
WITH them in Texas. was sitting on
mrs Lawrence's steps-I know that
yvsuaily am, so you can save yourself
was sitting on her steps when the
collins outfit drove up. Tho ambu.
snce stopped in front Of the C. O.i
uouse' next door, and Collins Jumped
sut and went in. The rest Of them