The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-10

to remain late. -
Il have enlisted for the campaign"
said he, and I shall stay while
hear of one foe to be in the field"
Never had known him to look
better, and the old-time Difference
wherewith he would be about Peg so
that all might see his regard for her
was like a page from chivalry.
And now 1 must tell a tale on NV
self, and show how this was to twist
into a happy hour for me and I he
harrassed by no sordid hatefulness of
those jewels. I had, for my shame be
il told, gone to my place in the line OF
calling folk with a reluctance that
bound my breast like a rope. I could
scarcely breathe for it. The file moved
slowly, but I held my head high, and.
being tall man, looked easily over
Peg and did not once rest my ewes
upon her. 1 would escape the canker
Of those barbarous rubies and dia-
monds.
1t was the tones Of a woman, who
had Peg by her hand, to rivet my in
terest.
why! where now be those diamonds
I heard so much about?" The voice
was of the empty tin-pan kind that
tells of society and mighty little else.
the story false?"
Then I heard Peg in cold retort to
our she-savage and her coarse greed
to look on diamonds.
why. believe I have few hands,
full somewhere about the house, said
Peg. "If it be those you are come
to see, 1 shall have pleasure in di-
recting you to my maid"
Now when quite close bent nv slow
I'M
Stood lamp of beauty! And never
the sign of your diamonds or rubies
about her-nothing of ornament save
a rose my Jim had brought, and the
little coral of my mothers which Peg
took from the cabinet on that sum
mer day. AS she offered me her hand.
she lifted up her face to mine. She
gave me no word but the red blood
showed in her cheek a match for my
coral. Then her eyes fell; and next,
with a heart full of foolishness of a.
joy that was like a mystery, I passed
on to walk the air and join the Gem
eral.
Our victory was measureless," de-
clared the General, in the stiff man.
ner of him who makes report, when
late that night he and / were about
our inevitable pipes in his room. The
General would discuss Pegs reception,
"Sir, it was absolute triumph. Do
you know how Pegs function COM
pared with those of the enemy? GUAM
tity and quality were her words you
remember that. Do you know on those
two points, how our affair compared
with those of Ingham and Berrien and
Branch? You do not? Sir, you sur
prise me, and you to be a soldier whom
1 myself taught! Why! how are you
to know when we win or lose if you
keep no account of the fight? Guam
tity and quality, mark you! that is
the test" The General was in tower
ing spirit and as exalted of brow as
one might wish to see. 1t was like
the real war to him. NOW" he went
on, 81 was of a mind to know results;
I took measures for a count of noses,
and a list of your folk who called at
those four cabinet houses to-day. Sir,
it may please you to hear that on
both proposals of quality and quanti-
ty' Peg and you and 1 overpowered
those Redsticks as ten would over
power one"
The General smoked on in silent sat-
isfaction; said nothing, my mind be-
ing wholly taken with my coral on
Pegs bosom, and never mark of dia-
mond or ruby for a blemish to the
rich beauty of her neck and face and
about her shoulders.
Peg is a grand girl" unused the
General. ut is pity, too; she should
have been a man and a soldier. And
then the pure taste of her! You have
heard of a peck, more or less, of dia-
monds which Eaton brought on from
the North? 1 looked to see them
wreathed about Pegs neck or arms or
fingers or wherever heaven meant they
should go. And, mind you! not a trace
of them. Why says our Peg, when
I would question her, they were of
such wondrous richness I thought it
shame to wear them in my own draw
ing room-and me no more than girl
and set them against older, better
folk who would be my guests. 1t
would have been to over-crow them,
and as thought I sought to pamper
vanity at their cost. Wherefore, in
compliment, 1 would not wear them,
but put them all aside. Now, this bit
of coral is better, since more modest.
1t was from a sweetheart, and is the
one thing / love best of all the world
Was there not fineness for your" de-
manded the General. "Was there not
magnanimity? What other woman
would between the poles could have
withstood her hands from those gems?
Or who, from mere kindness and to
spare the women about her their own
envy would have thrust them away to
don that coral trlfe in their stead? A
tavern's daughter, forsooth! Why,
such a spirit would give grace be-
yond her title to a duchess! 1 know
of nothing more good or noble to tell
the silken nature of our little Peg"
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