Part 10 (1/2)

THE MAJOR OBEYS ORDERS.

”He's going fast.” So the nurse whispered to Miss Stannard, as with Mr.

Dilke and Old G. A. R., she came in that December afternoon. As the three neared the little bed, shut off by the screens from the rest of the ward, they found the Angel already there in the arms of a tall, dark gentleman, while by Joey's pillow knelt a slender lady with s.h.i.+ning hair and grave, sweet eyes like the Angel's.

The Major tried to smile a welcome. ”They've come--ter--carry--Angel home, they have,” he whispered, ”her dad--an' her--mammy.”

The white hand of the Angel's ”Mammy,” took Joey's softly and her eyes were full of tears. ”Joey is going home too,” she said.

The Major's eyes wandered questioningly ”The big--Angel's--come to get th' little Angel--but--my Mammy--ain't come--to get me?”

”She has not come, Joey dear,” the soft voice explained, ”because she is waiting for you. Joey is going to her.”

The little voice was very weak now,--very wistful. ”Goin'--now?” asked the Major.

”Yes, Joey.”

His whisper could hardly be understood when after a long pause, he spoke again. ”I--want--th' Cap'n--ter--gimme--th'--order,--'cause-- I--b'long--ter--th' Reg'ment.”

”What order, Major?” came from the Captain huskily.

”Old--G.--A.--R.--he knows--” the Major's voice could just be caught now.

Old G. A. R. who had given the order to those little feet so many times, knew and understood, and his big voice rolled out with suspicious unsteadiness now,--”Attention--Company!--Forward--” then the old soldier's voice broke as the little eyelids fluttered. Old G. A. R.

could not go on.

”--March!” came softly from Van Alstine Dilke, and with a ghost of his old, roguish smile the Major's eyes closed, as he obeyed orders.

CHAPTER XI.

TELLS OF THE TENEMENT'S CHRISTMAS.

The Angel had but a week in which to prepare Christmas for the Tenement, but with the help of her marshaled forces she did it. With such a company of grateful a.s.sistants as her Father, her Mother, and the pretty young Aunt or ”Tante” as the Angel called her, all things seemed possible.

A Christmas Tree it was decreed by her small ladys.h.i.+p her Tenement should have, and Mrs. O'Malligan's first floor front, failing entirely in height or breadth to accommodate it, Mr. Dilke came forward and offered Miss Angelique the Armory in the name of the Fourth Regiment.

And such a Tree! How it towered to the oaken roof and lost itself among the beams, and laden, festooned, and decorated, how proudly it spread its great branches out to the balconies!

Mrs. O'Malligan, alone, of all the Tenement, was let into the secret, and when it was finally disclosed, how the hearts of the favored fluttered as the Angel delivered her invitations,--every lady, every lady's husband, and every son and daughter of the Tenement being bidden to come. Not to steal in at the back door, as if the Armory was ashamed of its guests, but to walk proudly around the square and enter boldly in at the front doors of the building. All of which tended to raise the self-respect of the Tenement, whose spirits went up very high indeed.

And on that eventful Christmas Day, when the guests who were bidden had arrived, it was discovered that the object most desired of each good lady's heart, was to be found on, or around the base of that Tree.

Perhaps if Mrs. O'Malligan had explained the meanings of the many mysterious conferences that had taken place lately in her first floor front, the ladies might better have understood.

There was a pretty carpet, as well as lace curtains, long the desire of little Mrs. Tomlins' ambition, the set of ”chiny” dishes dear to another good lady, a dress for this one, a bonnet, a nice rocking chair for that,--with new hats, pipes and tobacco around for the men,--and in addition for Mr. Tomlin, an entire suit of clothes and an overcoat, did that wonderful Tree shed upon his proud shoulders.