The Irvington Stories

ir," replied Jes- sup, without raising his eyes from the musket- barrel which he was busily polishing?"that's Captain George, sir, a drumming on the fence with a couple of bones." " Bring him in here," said Officer Stearns. Jessup went out, whistling, and soon came back, leading a bright-looking lad of about fourteen years, who bowed and blushed as he entered. (Parted Friends. See p. "Here's Captain George, Sir." "Glad to see you, Captain," said Officer Stearns. " Who taught you to drum in that stylej" "Nobody, Sir," replied George, flushing' between the fear that he was going to be court-martialled, and the consciousness that he was a free, American citizen, with a right to drum on gate-posts when he pleased. "Well," ventured Jessup, "I've heard of Nobody doin' most every thing, but I never did hear of hisgivin' drummin' lessons afore !" " Silence, Sir," shouted Lieutenant Stearns, who was always waging an undignified war with his subordinate. Jessup chuckled under his breath, and rubbed the tarnished barrel harder than ever. "Were you ever drummer to a regiment, George ?" pursued the Lieutenant. "Yes, Sir?no, Sir?that is?I've generally done the drumming for my own company, because the boy that owns the drum don't know how. I have a company, Sir, of about twenty boys, here in the village, that I've been drilling since March?" "He! he!" laughed Jessup, cautiously;"good month to drill in?March?he ! he !" (A fierce look from the L...