Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1901-06-14
AN ADAPTATION OF EXODUS.
BY ewENDoLES ovEHroN.
why There Were Many Plaques In the Captains Quarters.


only to be known as a saint by the
halo above his brow, and the Prince OF
! Darkness himself would be devoid OF
Identity without a pitchfork and
cloven hoof. To such as these the
knigbt-errantry of Drayton and Bart
lett may seem problematical; but a
knight-srrant is one who succors beau
ty In distress, and who rides abroad
redressing human wrongs. Whether
he employs an obnoxious insect rath-
er than a sword, as Drayton did,
or whether he rides a S. G. govern
ment mule, ms 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 il up the line. its long
gray ears waggling evenly and rest
fully, and came to a 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. He
pushed the cap to the back OF his
head as Bartlett came slowly up the
steps.
IL wish you woud get horse" he
complained. "If you could just realize
the figure you cut on that old ele-
phant,"
That's a mule corrected Bartlett
his arm around a pillar and letting
his heels dangle as he perched on the
railing. Its also a very nice mule.
II is no longer a shave-tail, but has
reached years OF discretion. The mo-
ment man or animal docs that. his ap-
preciative country stralghtway 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-
jectedly; I'm miserable enough as il
is"
Thought you looked rather triste.
I'm all sympathy. Go on
Bartlett released his hold upon the
pillar and folded his arms on his breast
in an attiti g combining stern endur-
ance and precarious balance. "The
Colllnses are going to rout the Law
rences out.
Now. the Collinses were the family
Of Captain Collins-wife, mother-in-
law on both sides. and three small
children. They had that morning ar
rived in the post Collins was in com
mand of Troop l., which had been
moved on some weeks before. II he
had been well-disposed his entry
should not have put the whole garri-
son, 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 well 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; aud it the wife and the mother
in-law who are going to have the Law
rences' set or bust"
Throw them few buckets of paint
and calcimine. by way of sop" Dray-
ton ventured to suggest.
Did" said Bartlett. briefly. "of-
fered them half the quartermaster
department, and carpenter. and
blacksmith. and a farrier. too. II they
happened to need one. Told them they
could have any or all of Ine colors of
paint in the rainbow. II they'd just
be good-but those three Graces are
going to have the Lawrences' house"
Drayton opined, with a little of the
placidity. nevertheless, with which we
all bear one another's burdens, that it
was a very great and very profane
shame. There's that poor little wom-
an with those little bits of kids. and
just moved into those quarters, and
got them all fixed up so prettily, and
her garden started, too. Then, those
Collinses; They're mean lot of cat
tie, anyway He made a gesture Of
disgust. which turned the visor around
over his left ear. and was silent for a
minute through sheer wrath
81 told Mrs. Lawrence they would be
serpents on the wood cutters
| hearth"
"Serpents, now?" asked Bartlett;
they we're cattle before; and you
called that''-he pointed over his
shoulder-"an elephant, whereas. in
| point of fact, it's mule"
Il told her." continued Drayton.
unmoved, that it wouldn't pay.
know all about the Collinses-served
with them in Texas. | was sitting on
Mrs. Lawrence's steps-I know that
| usually am. SO you can save yourself
II was sitting on her steps when the
Collins outfit drove up. The ambu-
lance stopped in front Of the c. O.s
house, next door, and Collins jumped
out and went in The rest of them
Just waited. All would have been we'll
| IL Mrs. Lawrence hadn't become
tender-hearted in most unnecessary
way. and hadn't chosen to disregard
any advice" He assumed the look of
prophecy fulfilled. Il told her to sit
still and not get excited and do some
thing rash; gave her the benefit of
my knowledge and experience. But It
wasn't any use. She made me dry up
and hang on to the kids. while she
ran down to the ambulance and invit-
ed the whole caboodle to come in and
rest and refresh themselves. They
came. You can bet your life they
came-or they wouldn't have been the
CollInses. saw Dame C.'s weather
eye taking in the house. l could see
| she liked II, and knew there'd be
trouble. Mrs. Lawrence kept them to
! luncheon--the whole seven Of them.
Asked me, too; but the kids were
raising Cain, and the abode OF peace
was transformed, so lit out"
well. guess she's sorry now-if
that's any comfort to you. For the
Collinses are not only going to have
those quarters, but they're going to
have them quick. Even the C. o. got
at Collins. But it wasn't any use.
My wife likes the quarters says he.
And that's ALL"
They sat In meditation for some
time Then Drayton spoke.
81 like those Quarters too. I'm 90