New-York tribune., 1903-06-21
THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY REVEL.
Continued from first pnge-

siasu,. STILL 1t puzzles me to guess how she can
describe herself or be described. as a found
| ling"
.'oh. no. sir: she is the matron there
.T see And where is this hospital as you cali
it?'
AT Plymouth Dock"
''Hey?''
at P,vn,outh Dock. A Mr.. scougall keeps 1t
"a sort of clergyman
This is most strange My friend arthur
SON young Archibald Plinlimmon is quarteied
with his regiment there-the North Wflts-and
often pays us visit. poor lad.
Indeed. sir?''
His circumstances are not prosperous
Family troubles-rnoney losses. you understand
and then his father made an fmprudent HiaI-
riage Not that anything can be said against
the Tejcasters-there are few better families
But the lady 1 imagine did not take kindly 10
poverty; never learnt to cut her coat according
to the cloth. Her uncle might have helped her
Sir Charles that is-head of the 1aniy-a
chiIdIess man with plenty of money; Tor some
reason, however, he had opposed her match
with Arthur A sad story And now When
their lad Is grown and the time come for him 10
be a soldier he must start in the ranks But
why in the world If she lives at Plymouth
Dock, has Archibald never mentioned MS aunt
to us?"
This was more than I could tell him. And
Won NAV be sure that the name Leicester made
me want to ask questions. not to answer them
But lust now Isabel came across the lawn pear
ing tray with a plateful of biscuits, decanter
of claret and glass
..Mv dear" asked her father, has our friend
Archibald ever spoken to you Of an aunt Of his
"a Miss Agatha PIinlinmon-residing at
Plymouth Dock?"
NO papa" She turned me, again with
M I'm or IL IN some
i, way I was prosecuting her. and the deeanter
shook and tinkled on the rim of the glass as she
poured out the claret.
The old man lifted the wine. slipped 1T. and
| held IL between his sightless eyes and the sun
| shine
"a sad story" he unused; but after all, the
lad is young and the world young for him Re
| joice In your youth. Mr.. Revel. and honor your
| Creator in the days of 1t. For me. enjoyed it
| by Gods grace, and 1t has not forsaken me; no,
| not when darkness overlook and shut me out Of
| the profession loved. 1 cannot see the color
of this wine nor the face of this my daughter,
nor my garden. yonder. full of flowers
Seasons return. but not to returns
Day, the sweet approach Of even or morn,
| Or sight of verf.al bloom, or summers rose.
Or f1ocks, or herds. or human face divine
Yet memory returns and consoles my blindness
The color of the wine is there, the flowers are
about me- and Isabel am told-resembles her
mother. Yes, and away. the edge Of Spatn
the army served is planting fresh laurels-rny
old regiment too, the Kings own, thougn
James Brooks is by this time scarcely a name in
1t, Here 1 Sit hale IN wind and limb. and old
: age creeps on kindly. telling me that no
man is necessary. And yet If God should come
and lay command on nle-some task that
blind might undertake-I am at Gods ser
vice. I sit with loins girt and my soul. hope.
ebrixr hat 10 10
a clean breast and no baggage Welcome to
Minden Cottager' He drank 10
rs it named from the battle of Minden, sir7"
I asked.
''It is, my lad
Were you there?"
He laughed 81 am not so old all that My
father won his captaincy there in regiment
that rnistook orders, charged three lines Of cav
airy, and broke them one after another. 1t also
broke sound maxim Of by charging flank
ing batteries. The British army has made half
it's reputation by mistaking orders-you will un-
derstand why. If ever you have the honor to be-
long to it Isabel. get me my drum
She fetched it from its corner. with the drum /
sticks hitched the sling her beautiful neck.
frightened the straps carefully. and began to
play soft tattoo
The old man leaned back in his chair, felt IN |
his pocket, and having found silk bandanna |
handkerchief unfolded IL deliberately. cast it |
over his head and composed himself to slumber !
The tattoo on peaceful a brook. Isa- |
bePs arms hung lax and motionless; only her |
hands stirred from the wrists, and so slightly |
or else so rapidly without effort that they too !
scarcely seemed to move. Her eyes were |
averted.
My ear could not separate the short taps !
They ran on and on in a murmur Of bees or |
of leaves rustling together in wood; grew i'm !
perceptibly gentler. and almost imperceptibly |
ceased. Isabel glanced at her father. then at
------- me, and set the drum back in its |
corner. We stole out of the sum
mer-house together, and across to
the orchard.