The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-05-05


the teacher than the minister. They might
be tolerant of ministerial irregularities,
since they were proof against them. Net so
their plastic children. who took tone and
color from their teacher.
While he was teacher Capt. Pilkington
had carefully cOnf0rmed to their ideas of
what teacher should BE, even renouncing
his cigar and his whist, to which he was
much attached.
All cards were 'the devils picture
books to the good people ON Bean Bios
som Creek, and a man could not touch
them without being defled. No matter
how innocent the game he began playing,
he was at once on the slippery slopes that
led to damnatiOn, and his progress toward
the worst depths was as certain as that Of
the man who took a glass of whisky.
Its one of the devils cunningest
snares," they would say. ito get a man to
play cards for fun. That's the way he
makes his victim familiar with the evil
things, persuades him that they are harm
less, fatters his pride by letting him learn
to play well, and then the next stage of
becoming a hardened gambler is only a
step. Cards are and can't be anything else
| than fngerpo to hell.''
While schOOl-teacher on Bean Blossom
Creek. Capt. Pilkington had dutifully
walked in the straight and narrow way. A
growing fOndness for Maria had helped
sweeten his path of unbending propriety
Entrance into the army had brought
about a relaxation into his natural self. He
resumed smoking cigars, and was easily
the best whist-player in the brigade.
His regiment had been so actively en-
ployed until very recently that he had had
very little opportunity of hearing from
that he should have been Informed of Ma
ria's marriage, since his home was in an
other part of the State
The sight of her brought up all his old
feeling, and as he invited her and Anna bel
the thought flashed into his mind that
| there were many things in his tent that it
would be just as well that they should not
see.
Therefore. leaving 81 to bring her and
Annabel up the path, Capt. Pilkington
hurried on ahead, to put his house in order.
Time had been hanging little heavy on
the hands of the officers Of the regiment
lately, and the Colonel's roomy marquee,
which the Captain occupied during his
superior's absence, was a comfortable
place in which to gather, discuss the pres
emit situation and prospects, plan out the
future, and pass the hours in social amuse-
ments. They had all been in that even
ing. and had left plenty Of evidence of
their presence. AS the Captain threw back
stale tobacco smoke strong enough to de-
stroy the insect life in a boarding house
bedroom. He called to his sleepy servant !:
Here, Pausanius (he had renamed the
negro Pausanius because he was liable to
stop at any time, and in the midst of any
thing, and 80 to Sleep, Pausanius Pau
gambian, and put this tent to rights. Get
move on you, you sub-animate tar-bar-
rel. Throw those flaps clear back and tie
them. Then take the broom and sweep
this smoke out"
Sweep de smoke out?" calculated Pau
sanius, Just waking up enough to be OBJ
jective. Smoke amt no trash an leaves
dat you kin sweep out. Hits steam"
Don, talk back. you perambulating,
pampered putrescence," said the Captain.
irritably Selling the broomstick and rap
ping Pausanius with the handle, to wake
back at both ends"
The Captain took the broom and waved
it back and forth through the air, to send
currents Of smoke out through the opened
flaps. Then he grabbed up all the cards
in sight and chucked them, with a box of
cigars end several pocket TASKS brought
up for filling into the Colonel's regimental
desk, the cover Of which he slapped shut,
and locked, an he supposed. The empty
glasses he hastily gathered up and handed
to Pausanius. with orders to carry them
back into the mess-tent and wash them
out Then he turned his attention to
stumps which seemed to be everywhere.
Maria and Annabel had stopped some
minutes to help man who had been hurt
10 the wreck, and this gave tho Captain
the time hs desired. He stopped, with
streaks of Precipitation running down his
face, and remarked.
There, I guess that'n do, but It's been
awful hard work to got It done in time
The fellows make tits place look like
..Tsn Nights in : Bag.Room" every time
they come q haCA and II Maria had seen
It - they lsfk 4 my eaks would have
been ~ dough fes . fact. came into the
army - Get her 90 much a. for any other
reason, Cor she had often said that no man