Year: 1879

And this spiteful old major would have
said as much to his neAt neighbor, If he
himself bad not been 50 terrible deaf that
he could not regulate his own voice be-
tween a confidentlaf whisper and
mighty shout.


The colonel sab IN silence for some
minutes. Then he recalled himself with
a start, and drawing something from his
pocket, said quietly:


Gentlemen, 1, too, have something
to show YOU"


All pressed forward as he carefully
unfolded the soft paper packet and laid
something ON the table. What was it
What could IL bep


1t was a bleached skeleton of a chick
ems wing.


Gentlemen" he said in that same
quiet voice, which no longer sounded
cold and stern, but rather full of strength
and sweetness" when was here before,
l was poor, fatherless lad, owning
nothing in the world but my poor little
pittanee of pay I fear was an eyesore
to some of you. | think you felt my
appearance did not do justice to the dig
nifty of our regiment. 1 believe often
looked rather shabby, but really could
not help it.


~ had only one relation in the world,
and that was my mothers sister. After
my mother died she had been as moth
er to me, but when our home was final
ly broken up, there was nothing for 1t
but she must be governess in stran-
gers house. And she did her work
courageously and cheerfully enough, till
her health failed, and nobody wanted
the service of q sick woman.


''She had always been good to me,
and we two had only each other in the
world. 1 could not help her as she
ought to have been helped, but my pay
would at least provide her such main
tenance as a poor workingman can give
to poor working woman.
II took my aunt to lodge with the
wife of the miller's man, in the little
black cottage beside the mill. She was
very kind, cleanly woman, though
rough and plain in her ways: and my
poor aunt used to call herself very happy
there. But she could not eat the simple
food my scanty means could procure.
And the good landlady used to break my





might be tempted by chicken or game,
or such luxuries beyond my utmost
/ reach.


''All the day of that memorable din
ner-party my aunt had been very feeble
and failing. When left her 1 really
wondered whether she would be alive
when / saw her again. My soul revolt
ed at the sight of dainties that were no
good to me, and which / could not con-
vey to her who seemed dying for want
of them. Suddenly bright idea seized
me. L took a letter from my pocket
and spread 1t on my napkin, and then,
by an adroit movement, transferred a
wing off chicken from my plate TO the
paper, and thence smuggled it to my
pocket"


The listening guests began to look at
each other with enlightened eyes. The
spiteful old major felt that very full
explanation was being given-and he
was glad he was deaf, and need not
hear it.


"Gentlemen you can all imagine my
feelings when such unlooked-for circum-
stances threatened to expose my poor
plan. Gentlemen, there are some of you
who were, like myself, young then !;
whom it would have been as hard to
meet, after such discovery, as it would
have been had / really stolen the
jewels"


Heaven forgive US, Ransom; but /
can't say you are wrong" said one
brave gentleman, who had been a FASH
ionable dandy in those days, but who
has wife and six children now.


Gentleman, / did not fear the old
man, honOred and enriched by a grate-
full country. The men who had fought
the best battles of life have q pitiful
respect for the poor and friendless. To
him could lay bare my poor little
secret. But my place then was among
the young, who, having never conquer
ed, always despised the defeated-the
vain giddy youths, extravagant with
their fathers money, and


''Oh, come, Ransom" cried one officer,
''it Is your turn now, with vengeance.
Please to remember that tonight we are
the abject and defeated-and be merci-
full"


The Colonel laughed. And they
could not tell wether II was good faith
or subtitle irony that lie fejOined, "You
are right" and then went on:


''In the little room yonder, told my
sad story to that good man who Is gone.
And folded up my queer treasure again
for could not leave it behind to bear
witness; and, besides, having paid such
q terrible price for it. And she ate 1t for
her supper that very night; and next
morning, almost as soon as it was light.
there was the general hammering at the
cottage door with basket of fowls and
fruit carried in his own hand. And,
then and there, l took this little chicken
bone, and vowed that would keep 1t
till the snuff box be found, and myself
was such man among men that none