The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-12-05
P III.
Comrades.

Comrades. .
"By George, Mistley, this is splendid!
Listen to this from the Cologne paper:
eve learn from our London CORE
:spondent that the Mayor Of Dover, in
his robes of office, awaited, yesterday,
the arrival Of the Calais boat, despite
the heavy rain to which he was fully
exposed on the pier, for the purpose of
an address to Colonel Wright and his
able coadjutor, Mr.. VINEYARD Mistley,
to deliver The translation here Is
somewhat literal. On the arrival of
the boat it was, however, discovered
that Colonel Wright and MI. Mistley
were not on board. They parted from
the Indian passengers at Brindisi, and
no one appears to have learned by
what route they purposed returning to
England. 1t will be remembered that
these gentlemen have been engaged
upon an arduous diplomatic service on
the Indian frontier, and their daring
frmness and resolute defense Of the
acknowledged rights Of the country III
the midst of treacherous friends and
INSCRIPTIONS foes,' ETC."
The speaker, or reader, was q tall,
gray-haired man of military aspect.
His mustache was almost white, and
cut rather close to his lips. His fea-
lures showed signs of having once been
fine, but wrinkles and hardshipS had
changed all that. His nose was long
and aQuiline, a true military feature,
but it was peculiarly thin; and the
skin, though brown, was transparent
and entirely free from that suggestive
ruddiness which is somewhat fire.
quently found upon the features of
elderly military men. BE laid aside
the German newspaper, and looked at
his companion with a twinkle of
amusement in his grey eyes.
mo, no." said the younger man, gay
~. go on-let us have it ALL like
It," and he returned gravely to the dis
cussion Of 4 piece Of chocolate.
"tAnd INSCRIPTIONS foes,' continued
Colonel Wright, reading from the paper
as it lay, INSCRIPTIONS foes'-oh, yes;
here it is-'undoubtedly saved the In
dian Empire endless trouble and strife
upon the frontier, while a graver mis-
hap has perhaps been averted, and the
peace of Europe preserved BY the
prompt and consistent action of these
two soldier-statesmen.'"
VINEYARD Mistley wagged his head
very sapiently, and, addressing him
self to the piece of chocolate in his
hand, he observed:
"Oh, yes! Rather disappointing for
the Mayor of Dover, eh, ~colonel?"
Rather" replied the old soldier,
folding the newspaper.
"You will be pleased to remember
this brilliant idea Of lodging the Mayor
of Dover and the rest Of his kind
.emanated from my fertile brain"
This remark called for no reply, and
for some time the two men were silent,
They were seated opposite to each
other in a irst-class railway carriage,
an airy, broad compartment lined with
brown linen. A fine dust foated in the
air and lay on every available space.
for the train was rushing over the bare
plains Of the Netherlands.
Vineyard Mistley was an eminently
practical young man. He was an
adept at mending his own clothes,
cooking his OWL dinner, and grooming
his own horse. Practical people, how
ever, are not necessarily devoid Of SEN
timent. They hide it-that is all. What
dreaming they may indulge in is done
in private.
His was q striking face, whether in
animation or repose, with dark gray
eyes of singular penetration; eyes that
seldom smiled. despite the readiness Of
the lips, which smiled perhaps too
easily. A great charm about him was
his peculiar indebtedness. Whatever
he did or said was to all appearance
perfectly spontaneous and without
after-thought. Never at a loss in the
most trying emergency, no one ever
saw a look Of embarrassment or self
consciousness on vineyard MlStleyS
face. He al simply without vanity,
and therefore was fortunate enough to
be unaffected by Jealousy.
Colonel Wright was n d~iplomatist in
Il great and important matter, if in
nothing else. He could, with unfailing
discrimination, gather round him the
men he required. At a glance he recog-
Iized the fighting man, a mere thought
less creature Of courage, whose ambi-
ton lay in the two letters "V. c."
whose soft heart was the most vulner-
able portion of his anatomy, his head
being the least so when hard knocks
were flying. The thinker, also, could
the colonel select from the crowded
ranks Of human workers. He had no
need for, and took but small interest
in, the slow and deliberate thinker Of
such material asproduces essay writer's