| Show 44 4 4 by CHARLES CASSADY copyright 1002 by dally story pub co paul and philip payson were cousins as dissimilar in character as they were alike in appearance in coloring and physique they were al most identical it was only when side by side that the d fforence between them became noti ceab e apart it would have taken the cloe t scrutiny to tell wh ch n as which save for the strict clerical grab of th one and the ultra fashionable habiliments of the other the th reg was the only tie they had in to both be ing on colonel How gatea taff the one was as chaplain and the other as paymaster paul was rector of a west end church and among his small flici was A re southcote a aloit girl ot sterling qualities the only daughter of a wealthy paul h d always admired this beautiful crea re at a distance but now chui h aorl brought them frequently together and paul s attentions grew mote and more pro bounced until on a glor 01 s june night a year later he plead for and ob talked her hand during the month following their engagement the maryland brigade n as ordered into camp near frederick upon arriving at the grounds it was found that an in ent n imber of tents had been provided for the staff and the rev pa hop ng to exert a beneficial influent over hs wayward cousin insisted upon philip sharing his tent philip showed himself respectfully indifferent to the interest displayed in his spiritual welfare and purs led his old course with unswerving though polite persistency pail pa il soon became convinced stat as an instrument for cousin s salvation he was a dis mal failure after a futile struggle he sorrowfully resigned himself to defeat and then they got along swimmingly late in the afternoon on the day be tore camp was struck rev paul went to his tent to exchange hia white duck uniform for the warmer blue one in the uncertain twilight he inadvertent ly put on his coloin s blouke and sal lied forth to dine with a parishioner pari shoner who had rented a country residence near by fifteen minutes later cap tain payson perspiring and dusty from regimental parade came in and throwing off his hot dress coat and heavy boots hastily letre shed himself with a sponge bath and slipped on his fatigue uniform lot waiting for mess he hurried to the station in or der to reach frederick in time for an engagement blissfully ignorant that on each shoulder reposed an ered shepherds crook the insignia of an army chaplain arriving in the city captain payson repaired to a hotel and ordered sup per his friends disappointing him he walked to the club bop ing to meet them there he sauntered through the various rooms w phout meeting any one he knew winding up at the bar where he called tor whisky tossing it down in the most approved style while several officers from an other regiment by the officers seema hagaly amused over something phiip heard their suppressed laughter attl dreaming that he was the v caim and heartily tired of his own society he approached them gentlemen nill you not join me my name is he said adress ing them and reaching into hia blouse he passed a card to each rev paul payson chaplain th I 1 M N G balts md now gentlemen what will you haiek he added after warmly shak ing hands all around that in some way he was a source of merriment became apparent but the discomfiting thought soon gave place to more congenial ones under the cheerful influence of convivial corn panion ship I 1 there Is no fun in a three handed game said capt sauer impatiently I 1 wish we could get some one to take audrey s place confound h I 1 will help you out it you will allow me payson rejoined but er your calling will scarcely er permit that said lieutenant he called for wh southcote Bouth cote glancing keenly at the hep ards crooks calling what has that to do with tt I 1 m no rel bious prude replied the surprised officer the three eyed him a moment in astonishment but made no audible comment abe chaplain hav ng passed the evening with friends little eased in military technically allt es returned with out being apprised of his irregularity in uniform well boys this beata my record 1 capt sauer with a larh after leaving philip at his tent nev pay ion I 1 the individual I 1 ever ran across in the preaching line why tie out drank out sore and out played us from the very start and tear knows we are no infants the discussion following wa any 1 but complimentary to the chap lain of the th nor did its at their mess tend to help matters un fortunately the etory did not reau rea u colonel howgate he would have sifted the affair at once and beyond a good joke on the it would have u no baither alpon arriving leoine southcote lost no time mentioning his sister about the rev payson he suspected that alice cared for the new pastor but when she blushingly acknowledged her engagement be was dismayed the same evening paul received the following rote mr paul your behavior during camp la known to me and as a matter of course our engagement Is at an end al ce southcote the ring Is enclosed the distracted lover read and re read this several times naturally be could not realize what had occasioned ob what a joke such an action on her part that there was a horrible mistake where he was confident but his pride forbade him asking for an t on two days later on howard street captain payson accidentally bert southcote who failed to recognize him I 1 say there don t you intend to hake hands with a fellows payson called perhaps a nip of Wang emana whisky will aid your memory con linued phil as he literally pushed the perplexed southcote into a convenient restaurant when do you and your friends want revenge for the drubbing I 1 gave you the other nighta ah I 1 see ou remember now then you are the reverend paul payson after all bert replied stern 1 reverend fiddlesticks what are you talking about did my saintly conduct at tha club give you that Impression 7 1 answered laughingly most decidedly not but the form you wore and the cards you handed around certainly stated that tact and his temper rising he add ed and for two pins I 1 d wipe up the floor with you you are laboring under some de lusion said payson calmly and be tor you try to use me for a floor I 1 wish to state that I 1 am philip pay son captain and paymaster of the th and a lawyer by prole islon I 1 have had the pleasure ot meeting you but once and outside of winning a few dollars from you can t imagine what you have against me it what you say Is true and his unenviable position began to dawn upon him why did you wear a chap lain s bloused and moreover why did you give me this carda captain payson looked at the bit ol 01 pasteboard doubtfully then at the speaker and after puzzling a moment burst out laughing oh what a joke how the boys will roar when they hear of this I 1 see it all I 1 must have worn my cousin s coat you know we tented together that accounts tor my strange reception that night lieutenant southcote did not laugh far from it he waited until phil calmed down somewhat I 1 tall to see anything to laugh at whether iou purposely masqueraded 01 not makes but little difference by that nights work you have done houi cousin and my sister who was his betrothed probably an irreparable in jury I 1 expect you as a man to help me right this wrong phils face gre grea a serious and he put down his glass untouched I 1 will do so most willingly he said gravely if you will give me your word ol 01 honor that I 1 really wore a chaplains blouse that night for believe me I 1 was unconscious of it paul mut necessarily have worn mine tor he bl dressed and left camp before I 1 re t arned from parade yet strange to say he has never referred to it that same night a rejected rin played a leading part |
