The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-29

III not nat level OIL Tree LTduS. LhhS
he trusts to break down Clay and Ad-
ans. who are welded to protection.
Verify, a most noble, most delicate
bit of chicane" Here the General
brooded for a long space. Il might
admire it," he went on, may, might
even aid it on its housekeeping way,
were 1t not that he includes in his in
trigue the destruction of a girl, 1t is
like a play Major, and we must foil
the villain and save our beautiful Peg.
Her name shall not be blown upon,
though all the presidencies for ten
centuries to come depend upon 1t! Peg
came spotless among US; and from
among us, spotless she shall depart;
and that in the teeth of all the Cal
houns that ever came out of Caro-
lima"
The General smashed his clay pipe
at this crisis, and by that token
knew the thing to be already done. 1t
was a way he had, this pipe
of signing his bonds.
Peg lived catty-cornered across the
Presidents Square, and ran in and out
of the White House like one of the in
mates. She liked the flowers, and she
liked the pictures, and was never tired
of gazing at the latter and smelling to
the former. She was so much sun
shine about the mansion, not the light
est nor yet the least gloomy house in
nature, but quite the contrary.
One day a little scene occurred about
which nothing of import clambered.
and yet 1 would give it here; for it
pleases me when now I'm fallen in the
vale of years, and the General and
Peg and those others who were my
friends are dead and gone from out
nv hands to remember such frail mat
ters for their sweetness rather than
their consequence; and truth to say,
they stay by me, too, with gentle clear
ness when events that We're of mo-
ment are clean faded from my mind.
Peg, then, was dragging me about
by the hand-for she was as much the
romp as any child-and we journeyed
from room to room, and from picture
to picture. We were standing in front
of that portrait of Washington which
Dolly Madison once slashed from its
frame to save from vandal British.
Come" said Peg, Juggling at my
wrist with the two hands of her, 'Im
weary of these. Doubtless he was a
wondrous fine gentlemen" pointing to
the painted figure of our first Presi-
dent-"and lived we'll aware of it, him
self, as one may know by the salts
| fed smirk of him. But show me some
other picture, one more beautiful and
| less grand-and not so satisfied with it
self, and respectable. All the folk I
hate are respectable, and l begin to
| loathe the world"
Il can snow you the most Dedutl-
| full picture in the world" l retorted;
and, whirling her by the shoulders, 1
stood her before a mirror.
| Peg looked upon her kindly reflection
| for long in silence; then her eyes filled
UP.
at isn't your compliments I cry for"
said Peg, breaking into a catchy laugh;
but your tone is SO queer with the
sheer kindness of it, that 1 am taken
| by the heart. You dear, true friend;
you at least think good of little Peg"
And with that she came quite close,
and turned her face in wistful yet
trusting fashion up to mine.
An hour later-and it was growth of
this-I did a folish action and yet
no harm turned of it, but only bet
| ter friendship between myself and the
| coxcomb Pigeon 1t fell forth
when Peg was gone home, and L alone
near the north door of the big East
| Room, and none save myself in the
| broad expanse of that mighty apart
ment. My soul was somewhat in arms
| over Peg, for the wintry moan in her
| tones when she spoke of my faith in
| her goodness was still working on me,
| and l would have bartered ten years
of my life to have had set before me
/ some specific male of my species who
| should avow himself Pegs evil-think-
| err My vengeance was starving and
wolfsh, and / would have fed it with
him.
| While in this vein of fret and tumult,
caught the voice of Jim in the hall
way outside the door.
do l know d Marse Major?" / heard
Jim say, apparently in answer to the
question; docs Jim know 'Marse Ma
| jor? Well, Jim been all through him
| with a lantern. You-all may tell them
Gambler-gentlemen somethin' new
about ace of clubs; an mebby you
| Nngf IiOo Of az ivos he IT,
heerd about corn whisky; but L don't
allow thar's anythin' mo- for Jim to
| learn about d'Marse ajor. Cause why;
cause he's Jim's Marse Major, an I
| jes' nacherally raise him, l does, from
a colt"
When ! stepped into the vestibule to
| answer to my own name, and put a
stop to the eXtravagances of Jim, 1
saw, to my establishment, that the call
| er was no less q parsonage than Pig
| eon-breast. Without pausing to hear
his mission, I took him by the arm
and led him out upon the lawn.
Once there, however, 1 was sore put
! to it to show reason for my conduct,
of the rather extraordinary character
| of which one caught some CLINT in the
expression of amazement that made
| wide the eyes of Pigeon breast and all
but set his mouth ajar.
| Now the truth was, that anonymous
letter to Peg, and which was locked
| in my desk. had ever stuck in my craw.
1 said it was woman's hand of writ
| ing, but l was by no means sure
| Knowing hardly a bakers dozen of
| folk in town, there were not many for
| my thoughts to run upon in this scurvy
! business; and l had had it now and
| then on my mind-the more since Pig
| eon-breast had broken into the trouble
| at an early hour as the open ill-wisher
! of Peg-to call this fine gentleman's
! attention to the missive with a view
| to asking him was he it's architect. In
my present frame of hunger to lay
! hands on a flesh and blood enemy of
| Peg's-one of my own rude sex-and
l suppose because Pigeon-breast was a
| foppish creature of scents and ribbons
who might lean to feminine methods
| of attack, 7 put the question to him,
Fairly I blurted it out, and l fear
with nothing of flneness or diplo-
| macy.
"Me?" cried the outraged Pigeon
breast in a shrill treble through a sense
! of injustice; 'me?" he cried again,
starting back a pace, perhaps from
| savageries which looked out upon him
| from my eye, never! On my soul! to
think of such a thing! Me write an
anonymous letter! Why, sir" and poor
| Pigeon-breast chirped forth the words
! like mouse that has been wronged.
why, sir, should a man say so, I'd
have him to the field, sir, and cut his
| throat"
I MI