Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-11-13

turned and said:
@Why, major, / am astpnished,
sirl Mr.. Rucker, what do you mean,
sir, by speaking to Major Stuffy in
this way, sir? An old mar md val
ued officer of your reginci,t, too,
sirl / will not ALLOW such things IN
my garrison, sirr'
@But, general, / did not intend to
hurt the majors feelings. ] guess
/ don't know much about kites any
way, boys, so You take it ont behind
the barracks and fly it to suit your
selves" said Toney in I hopeless
kind of way.
'1t viii not 60 up ualess you
change the bride, - sueeestcd BY
the major" " said the general.
"And split the tail and mot it, as
the general explained, boys" said
the major.
Toney left the two old veterans,
and as he entered the bachelors
quarters he was muttering maledic-
tons on the "old buffers who had
spoiled all his plans.
The sudden disappearance of To-
ney and the boys left the two old
gentlemen alone on the parade, and
the whole garrison was enjoying
their dilemma. The general hem
med and hawed moment and said !:
sBy the way. major. about that
horse order, you know these young
lfeutenants have an idea that they
can use ambulances and government
animals whenever they choose, and
I am determined TO teach them a
lesson. OF course / did not intend
the order to hold in yourcase. Some
consideration must be shown to long
and valuable service, sir, and / want
you to understand this matter"
Major Stuffy extended his hand
warmly to the general and said:
81 am glad you mentioned it, gen.
eral, but of course ] understood the
matter perfectly. These young snips
are too presumptuous anyway and
think they are entitled to all the
consideration due old officers"
One of these "young snips" was
struggling to pay up the bills con-
tracted when his daughter was mar
ried and another was incessantly
engaged in short division In the eff
fort to provide for the wants of his
four boys.
The two veterans strolled away
together in the direction of the club
room, followed hv sevsral officers
from the row who were interested
in the reconciliation. As the major
threw open the door and followed
the general in he smiled benignant-
ly on the old habitues and said,
"Come, gentlemen, join us in bot
tie of wine." OF course the invita-
tion was accepted, for since the ma
jor had quit going on little "frolics, .
as he called them, in Difference to
the temperance ideas of the young
snips, all recognized this as some
special occasion. The major busted
himself seeing that Clubs" neg
lected no one and talked in the most
amiable way about the magnificent
weather and fine post the general
had built up.
'sThis reminds me of old days in
Texas, gentlemen, when the dra-
goons"- he was saying when his
Loyal Legion button fell of and
rolled into a convenient knothole
under the billiard table. Before he
recovered from his efforts to secure
the rolling button the general, with
the air of Sir Roger de Coverley, re-
moved his own little emblem and
said:
'Major, let me present you with
this as a memento Of this most
pleasant occasion"
While the major was still over
come by this graceful move the gen.
eral wished them all pleasant time
and escaped to his quarters. The
news spread around that the major
was having a birthday, and even
Toney Rucker put away his wrath
when the orderly came to ask his
presence at the clubroom.
"Tubs" was kept busy during the
afternoon attending to the spiritual
needs of the ever increasing party
for with each new arrival the major
would say: "What fine gentleman
the general is! It was the neatest
thing you ever saw, sirl Why, he
actually took his button from his
own breast and presented it to me
by gad, and we viii drink to his
health, gentlemenp
That evening as the major and
Toney, arm in arm, wended then
why way to their quarters they
passed young Dawdle on the wall
with the captains wife's sister max.
ing hay while the field was clear.
One Mans Reasoning.
The reasons why a man should