The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-08-16

ran uOWn 10 the ambulance ana Invite
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. ] could see
she liked It, and / knew thered 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 I lit out"
well, ! guess she's sorry now-lf
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 G. o. got
at Collins. But it wasn't any use.
My wife likes tAe quarters, says he.
And that's all"
They sat in meditation for some
time Then Drayton spoke.
Il like those quarters, too. I'm go.
ing to have some Of them myself" he
said.
Bartlett did not understand, and
Drayton undertook to explain.
"Well-see here" He took his feet
down from the rail, in his earnestness.
and Strengthened his cap ITS like
this You and have got one room
each in this house, haven't we, same
as the most of the. other bachelors"
Such was the case. And we're en-
titled to two rooms each, aren't we2"
Bartlett agreed that they were 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 Collinses move into the
Lawrences' set, I'll vacate my room
turn it over to you-and I'll apply for
the upstairs floor Of the Lawrences
house Oh! I'm entitled to it, all
right" he chuckled Il 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 four rooms, including the
kitchen. l dare say they won't mind
living like that any way. They're
pigs"
Pigs, too?" asked Bartlett.
Drayton went on unfolding his plan.
"Once | have that top floor, you watch
the interest in life I'll provide for
them. I'll make their days pleasant
and their nights-particularl their
nights-beautiful. I'll have suppers
up their every evening, and do songs
and dances until reveille, if l 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'll move
in, too. And I'll put in my formal ap-
plication for those two rooms. No
other two in the post will suit, either,
you understand"
And it all came about exactly as he
said. There was a hegira of Law
rences and an ingress of Collinses,
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 and
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 more
to be said.
~ can't pretend to be sorry for them,
exactly" Mrs. Lawrence confded to
Drayton when he advised her not to
try to settle in her new quarters very
deliberately; I'm only human, after
all, and my house did look so sweet,
and my garden. But I'm sorry for
you. l think those children are the
very imps of evil"
Drayton nodded There are Others
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 II" queried Drayton, enigmat
ical still Don't | just?"
,sPerharNs y said RartInft ,un11 NEAR