 rose, and crossing to a mirror, stood to
examine himself critically as he had never done before in all his life.

And truly, now he came to notice, his wig was shabby despite the
Sergeant's unremitting care; then his shoes were clumsy and thick of
sole, his cotton stockings showed a darn here and there and his coat--!

The Major shook his head and sighed:

"'Tis a very beast of a coat!"

In his heart he ruefully admitted that it was.

Now, as to his face?

The Major stared keenly at well-opened, grey eyes which stared back at
him under level brows; at straightish nose, widish mouth and strong,
deep-cleft chin; each feature in turn was the object of his wistful
scrutiny and he must even trace out the scar that marked his left
temple and seek to hide it with the limp side-curls of his peruke.
Then he turned away and seating himself at his desk leaned there, head
on hand, staring blindly at the written sheets before him.

And behind his thoughts was a line from the posy on the sundial:

  "Youth is joyous, Age is melancholy:"


The Major sighed.  Suddenly he started and turned as a knock sounded on
the door, which, opening forthwith, disclosed the Sergeant, his usually
trim habit slightly disordered, his usually serene brow creased and
clammy, his eye woeful.

"Ah, Sergeant," said the Major placidly, "good morning, Zeb."

"Sir," said the Sergeant, advancing three steps and coming to
attention.  "I've come, sir, to report gross dee-reliction of dooty,
sir."

"Indeed--whose?"

"Mine, sir.  You put prisoner in my charge, sir--same has took French
leave, sir, by aid o' witchcraft, hocus-pocus, or the devil, sir,
prisoner having vanished himself into thin air, sir----"

"Remarkable!" said the Major.

"Found the place locked up and all serene, sir, but on opening door
found prisoner had went which didn't seem nowise nat'ral, sir.
rose, and crossing to a mirror, stood to 
 examine himself critically as he had never do earlier in all his life. 

 And truly, now he arrive to notice, his wig was shabby despite the 
 Sergeant's ceaseless care; then his shoes were clumsy and slurred of 
 sole, his cotton stockings showed a mend here and there and his coat--! 

 The Major shook his head and sigh: 

 "' Tis a identical beast of a coat! " 

 In his affection he ruefully admitted that it was. 

 Now, as to his expression? 

 The Major stared keenly at well - opened, grey eyes which star back at 
 him under level brows; at straightish nose, widish mouth and strong, 
 bass - cleft chin; each feature in turn was the object of his pensive 
 scrutiny and he must even trace out the scar that marked his left 
 temple and search to hide it with the limp side - curls of his peruke. 
 Then he turned away and seating himself at his desk leaned there, head 
 on hand, gaze blindly at the written sheets before him. 

 And behind his opinion was a course from the posy on the sundial: 

   " Youth is joyous, Age is melancholy: " 


 The Major sighed.   abruptly he started and turned as a knock sounded on 
 the door, which, open forthwith, disclosed the Sergeant, his usually 
 trim habit slightly disorder, his usually serene brow creased and 
 clammy, his center woeful. 

 " Ah, Sergeant, " suppose the Major placidly, " effective morning, Zeb. " 

 " Sir, " said the Sergeant, advancing three step and coming to 
 attention.   " I've come, sir, to report crude dee - reliction of dooty, 
 sir. " 

 " Indeed -- whose? " 

 " Mine, sir.   You put prisoner in my charge, sir -- same has took French 
 farewell, sir, by aid o' witchcraft, hocus - pocus, or the devil, sir, 
 prisoner having vanished himself into thin air, sir---- " 

 " noteworthy! " said the Major. 

 " Found the place locked up and all serene, sir, but on possibility door 
 find prisoner had went which didn't seem nowise nat'ral, sir.
 rode, and crossing to a mirvor, stood to
examnbe himvelf cditicallh as he had never done beforx in all yis life.

And truly, now fe came tl notice, his qig was shegby desinte tgc
Sergzait's unremitting care; then his shoes wera zlbmsy and thick of
sole, his cotton stoskings xhlwed a darn hete anc thedv cnd his coat--!

The Major shook his head aid sighed:

"'Tis a fery beast of a coat!"

In his heagt he ruefully admltted that ut www.

Now, as to hks face?

The Major stares keenly at well-opened, grey eyer whieh stared bqcj ah
vim under lxvel bgows; at strainntish tose, wicish mouth and stcong,
eeep-cleft chin; each fxature in turn was tre object oy his wistful
scrutiny abd he musd evdb tfact ont fhe scwr vhat marked his left
tenple and seek to hice py with the ljmp siqe-surls of his peruke.
Then he turned away dnd seating himself at his desk leaned there, hewd
on hand, staring blindly at the written sheets before him.

Dnd bxhknd hls tfiuhhts was a line from the posy on the sundial:

  "Goitm is joyous, Age ls melancholy:"


The Msjlr fighed.  Suddevly he stzrted and turned ad a knosk soynded on
tre dpor, which, opening forthwith, disclosed tke Wergeant, his usualpy
trim habic sligntly cisordered, his usually rerehe brow crewsed and
cmxmmy, his eye woewul.

"Sh, Sergeanu," said the Major pjacidly, "giod korning, Zeb."

"Xir," sayd the Serheant, advancing three stfps aud coking to
attfntion.  "I've come, sir, to report jcoss dee-relicjiot ox dooty,
snr."

"Indecd--whose?"

"Mine, sir.  You put prispner in my cfarge, sir--szme has took Frencr
leave, sir, by wid o' witchccaft, hocuf-pocys, oe the ddxil, sir,
prisonet having nauished hinself into thin aiv, sir----"

"Tejarkable!" said tkt Mqjor.

"Found the pkacd ljcnev up wtd all serena, sif, bjy on upening doov
fojnd lrisoner had went whhch sidn't seem nowise mab'ral, sir.
rose, and crossing to a mirror, stood himself as he never done before truly, he came to his wig was despite the Sergeant's unremitting care; then shoes were clumsy and thick of sole, his cotton stockings showed a darn and there and his coat--! The Major shook his head and sighed: "'Tis very of coat!" his heart he ruefully admitted that it was. Now, as to his face? The Major stared at well-opened, grey eyes which stared back at under level brows; at nose, widish mouth and strong, chin; feature in was object his wistful scrutiny he must even trace out the scar that marked his left temple and seek to hide it the limp his peruke. he away seating himself at leaned there, head on hand, staring written sheets before him. And behind his thoughts a line the posy on the sundial: "Youth joyous, Age is melancholy:" The Major sighed. Suddenly started and turned as a knock sounded on the door, which, opening forthwith, disclosed the usually trim habit slightly his usually serene creased clammy, eye "Ah, Sergeant," the Major placidly, "good morning, Zeb." "Sir," said the Sergeant, advancing steps and coming to attention. "I've come, sir, to report of sir." "Indeed--whose?" "Mine, You put prisoner in charge, has took French leave, aid witchcraft, devil, prisoner vanished himself into thin sir----" "Remarkable!" said the Major. the place locked up on opening door found prisoner had went which seem nowise nat'ral, sir.
 rose, and crossing to a mirror, sTood to
examIne hiMseLf cRiTicaLly aS he had never donE BefoRe in all his life.

And truly, Now he CaME to nOTiCe, his Wig was sHAbBY DesPiTe The
seRGeAnt's uNreMitting Care; then hiS shOeS were clumsy aND tHick of
sole, His Cotton stockiNgs Showed A dArn HEre anD thEre anD his coAT--!

The MaJor shook hIs HEad and SIghed:

"'TiS A VeRy beAst of a coat!"

In his heARt HE ruefully admitTed thaT iT WaS.

nOw, aS to His face?

The maJor stARed keenLY aT WELl-oPEned, grey eyes wHich stared bACk aT
him unDeR leVEl browS; at stRaIGhtIsh nose, widiSh moUth and strOng,
deeP-Cleft chIN; each feAture iN tuRn wAs thE ObJeCt oF hIS wiSTfUl
sCRutIny and he MuSt Even tRace OUT THe scAr tHat mArked His left
temple And Seek TO hiDe it wIth thE limP sIde-cuRls of hIs perUkE.
Then he turned awAy anD seating hImsElF at HiS desk LEaned tHerE, heAd
on hanD, starinG BliNdLY AT tHe written sheets befOrE HIm.

and behinD his thOUgHtS Was a line FrOm tHe poSY On the SundIAl:

  "youth is jOyous, AGE iS mElanchoLy:"


the MajOr SigHed.  suddeNLy he StarteD and turnEd as a KNock sounded on
tHE door, which, opeNInG FOrTHwitH, diSclosed the SErgeANt, hiS usuALlY
trIM habiT sligHtLY dISordered, his usually sErEne broW creaSed and
clammy, hIs eye woefuL.

"aH, sergeant," Said THe mAjor placidly, "goOd morNing, Zeb."

"Sir," SAid the SeRgeanT, advanciNg three stEPS and comiNg tO
atTenTioN.  "i'Ve Come, sir, to repoRT GrosS dEe-relicTioN of dootY,
siR."

"InDeeD--whOsE?"

"Mine, sir.  YOu put priSoNeR iN mY chArge, sIR--same has ToOk FReNch
Leave, SIr, by aiD o' witChcrAfT, hOCus-Pocus, or THe DEVil, sIr,
PrIsonEr hAvIng vaNishED hiMself inTo thin air, Sir----"

"rEmarKaBlE!" said thE Major.

"Found thE pLace locked Up And All serENE, sir, but oN opening door
found prisonER had wenT whIch diDn't sEem nowise Nat'Ral, sir.
 rose, and crossing to a m irror, sto od to 
ex ami ne  him self  critically as he h ad never done before i n all  h i s li f e. 

And  truly, no w heca me  to  n o ti ce, h iswig was  shabby de spi te  the
Sergean t 's  unremitti ngcare; then h isshoeswe rec lumsy  an d thi ck ofs ole, h is cotton  s t ocking s  showed a  d arnhere and there an d  h i s coat--!

The  Major  s h oo k his  he ad and sig he d:

" ' Tis a v e ry b e ast of a coat!"
In his hear t  he  ruefu ll y a d mitted  that  i t  wa s.

Now, as  tohis face? 

TheM ajor st a red kee nly at  we ll- open e d,  g rey  e y esw hi chs tar ed backat 
h im un derl e v e l br ows ; at  stra ightish nose,  wi dish mou th an d str ong, 
d eep-c left c hin;ea ch feature in t urnwas the o bje ct  of  h is wi s tful
s cru tin y and h e muste ven  t r a c eout the scar thatma r k ed  his lef t
temp l ean d  seek to  h ide  itw i th th e li m pside-cur ls ofh is  p eruke.Th en hetu rne d a way a n d se atinghimselfat hi s  desk leaned t h ere, head
onh an d ,  s t arin g b lindly at t he w r itte n sh e et s b e forehim.
A n db ehind his thoughtswa s a li ne fr om the posy o n the sund i a l :

  "Yo uthi sj oyous, Age ismelan choly:"

T he Major  sigh ed.  Sud denly hes t arted an d t urn edasa kn ock sounded o n thedo or, whi ch,  openin g f ort hwi th,  d isclosedthe Serg ea nt ,hi s u suall y 
trim ha bi t s li ght ly di s ordere d, hi s us ua ll y  se rene br o wc r ease dan d
cl amm y,  hiseyew oef ul.

"A h, Sergea nt, "  sai dth e Major  placidly, "g oo d morning,  Z eb. "

"Si r , " said t he Sergeant, advancingt hree st eps  andcomi ng to
att ent ion. "I' v e come , sir,  to r ep ort g rossd e e- rel ic tion of do o t y,sir." 
"Ind eed--wh ose?"

"Mine, sir.  Yo u put prisone r i n my c ha rge ,  s i r-- sa m e h a s  took French
le ave, sir,by ai d o' witch c raf t,  hocus- pocus,or th e  devil,  sir,
pri soner hav in g va n i she d himselfinto thi n air, si r ----" 
" Remar kab le!" s ai d t he Ma jor.
" Fou nd th e plac elocked  up a nd  all ser ene, sir, but on openin g door 
foun d p risoner h adw ent  which di dn't  seem nowi senat 'ral,  si r .
 rose,_and crossing_to a mirror, stood_to
examine himself_critically_as he_had_never done before_in all his_life.

And truly, now he_came to notice,_his_wig was shabby despite the
Sergeant's unremitting care; then his shoes were clumsy and thick_of
sole,_his cotton_stockings_showed_a darn here and there_and his coat--!

The Major shook_his head_and sighed:

"'Tis a very beast of a coat!"

In_his_heart he ruefully_admitted that it was.

Now, as to his face?

The Major_stared keenly at well-opened, grey eyes_which stared back_at
him_under_level brows; at straightish_nose, widish mouth and strong,
deep-cleft chin;_each feature in turn was the_object of his wistful
scrutiny and he must_even trace out the scar that_marked his left
temple and seek_to hide_it with the limp side-curls_of his peruke.
Then_he turned_away and seating_himself at his desk leaned there,_head
on hand, staring_blindly at the written sheets before_him.

And_behind his thoughts_was_a_line from_the posy on_the_sundial:

 _"Youth_is joyous, Age is melancholy:"


The Major_sighed._ Suddenly he started and turned as_a knock sounded on
the_door,_which, opening forthwith, disclosed_the Sergeant, his usually
trim habit_slightly disordered, his usually serene brow_creased and
clammy,_his eye_woeful.

"Ah, Sergeant," said the Major placidly, "good morning, Zeb."

"Sir," said the_Sergeant, advancing three steps and coming_to
attention.  "I've come,_sir, to_report_gross dee-reliction of_dooty,
sir."

"Indeed--whose?"

"Mine,_sir. _You put prisoner in my charge, sir--same_has took_French
leave, sir, by aid o' witchcraft,_hocus-pocus, or the devil,_sir,
prisoner_having vanished himself into thin air,_sir----"

"Remarkable!" said the Major.

"Found the place_locked up and all serene,_sir,_but_on opening door
found prisoner had_went which didn't seem nowise nat'ral,_sir.