The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-05-20


Have you had your letter?' the
major asked with interest, rolling a
cigarette between his fingers The
German was expecting his quarterly
remittance from his friends at home,
and they were both anxiously await
ing 1t
Won Banner shook his head.
Bad luck to theml they should
nave sent a wake ago. You should
do what Jimmy TOwger did. You
didn't know fowler of the Sappers?
When he and 1 was soldering m
canada he was vexed at the allow
anoe which he had from old Sir Oil
yer, his uncle, not turning up at the
nght time. Cad, Toby he says to
me- III warm the old rascal up So
he sits down and writes a letter to
MS uncle in which he told him his un-
pusiness-like ways would be the ruin
OF them and more to the same effect.
when Sir oliver got the letter he was
In such a state of rage that while he
was debating codicil to his will he
tumbed off the chair in a fit, and
Jimmy came In for clean seven thous-
and a year"
Dat was more dan he deserved"
the German remarked. But you -
now do you stand for money!"
Major Clutterbuck took ten sover-
eigns out of his pocket and placed
them on the table "You know me
law" he said. Il never OH any con-
slderation break into these You can't
sit down to play cards for high stakes
with less in your purse, and If 1
was to change one, by George they'd
all go like 'whiff O. smoke. Tie
Lord knows when I'd get a start again
then. Bar this money I've hardly a
penny"
Nor me-" said Won Banner, des-
pondently, slapping his pockets.
Never mind, me boy! What's in
the common purse, l wonder?" He
looked up at little leather bag which
hung from a brass nail on the wall.
In flush times they were wont to
deposit small sums in this, on which
they might fall back in their hours Of
need.
Not much, fear" the other said,
shaking his head.
We'll now, let's have something
to pull us together on dull day like
this. Suppose we send out for a
botte Of sparkling, eh?"
mot enough money" the other OBJ
jected.
Well well, let's have something
cheaper. Baeune, now; Beaune's a
good comforting sort of drink. What
dye say to splitting bottle of
Beaune and paying for it from the
common purse
mot enough money" the other
persisted doggedly.
well, claret be it, sighed the ma
| jOr. Maybe it's better in this sort
of weather. Let us send Susan out
for bottle Of cTaret?"
The German took down the little
leather bag and turned it upside down.
A threepenny-piece and a penny roll
ed out. Oats ALL" he said. mot
| enough for claret"
But there is for beer," cried this
major. radiantly. TITS just the same
! for quart of fourpenny l remem.
| Der old Glider, when he was our chiei
in India, used to say that man who
got beyond enjoying beer and a clay
! pipe at pinch was either an ass oil
! coXcomb. He smoked a clay at q
mess table himself. Draper, who com.
manded the division, told him it was
unsoldierlike. "Unsoldierlike be damn
! ed he said. Cad, they nearly court
martialed the old man for it. H,
/ got the v. c. at the Quarries and
| was killed at the Redan,"
A slatternly shipshod girl answered
the bell, and having received he,
orders and the united available funds
of the two comrades, speedily return.
ed with a brace Of frothing pint
pots. The major ruminated silently
over his cigarette for some time,
! on some unpleasant subject, appar.
emily for his face was stern and
his brows knitted. At last he broke
out with an oath:
"By George! Baumser, can't
stand that young fellow Girdlestore
I'll have to chuck him up. He's suCt
cold blooded. finty hearted, calc,l,
lating sort of a chap that" TIE
remainder Of the majors sentence
was lost in the beer flagon.
What for did you make him you
friend them?"
WELL" the old soldier confesse 1
cit seems to me that If he wanted tc
fool his money away at cards or an!
/ other devilment, Tobias Clutterbucl
might as we'll have the hanSling Of II
can't go short Tried 1t once, and
by George! If my demned man-ser-
want didn't steal that very waistcoat
and sell 1t for six and six-pense.
You're not going, are your"
"Yes; I'm due in the City. The
governor leaves at four, Goodbye;
shall see you tonight?"
Gard room as per usual" quoth
the clean shaven warrior. He looked
after the retreating figure Of his late
companion with anything but pleas
ant expression upon his face. The
young man happened to glance around
as he was half way down the street
on which the major smiled after him
paternally, and gave a merry flourish
with his stick.
| AS the old soldier stood on the