A CAST-OFF.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1919, Page 4

A CAST-OFF.

I snuggled into him, turned up the collar, and stared at him where be gapes at the bottom. “A bit shabby,’’ I mused. He exploded at once. “Shabby?” he fumed. ‘So would you be if you were in tho blues as completely as I. Shabby? Have you ever thought how many hundreds of miles you sent me to be dyed?” “Don’t be silly,” I said. “Did you want the war to last for ever ?” He ignored me.

“A good master,” he sighed, “would have left me the stars I so hardly earned” (he earned mark you), “with my handsome leather buttons with rny epaulettes—” “Epaulettes ?” “Shoulder straps then,” he said savagoly, “if you will turn me down.’ ’ “You sound as if I had turned vou up,” I replied drily. “Do you realise,” I proceeded, ‘that had I not altered you from fawn to blue you lvould have hung in my wardrobe for ever, unworn, forgotten, seeing nothing of life? You ought to bo proud—proud. If only you wouldn’t gape so much behind and lengthen out a bit, why, nobody would know that once you Were ‘Warm, British, Officer’s One.” “But T want them to know,” ho answered. “Must I forget the days when you did admire, aye, when a lady’s eyes fol ” “That will do,” I said stiffly. 'I am fallen,” he mused, “to omnibuses instead of taxis, to third class instead of first. A maid’s hand shakes me—and once none but, a soldier’s dared touch me.”

“Cdme, come,” I said, “cheer up. \ “You’ll find plenty of old friends. You I will meet Phillip’s great-coat in the train, and Harry’s leggings, and John’s trench coat. Even your old companion the sleeping bag dosen’t scorn to keep me warm o’nights, and the camp bed is willing to bo lent to a friend. “Why I might have pawned you! Think of it, pawned j r ou—or sold you to a theatrical clothes dealer. Come, we will sally forth—but for goodness’ sake smarten yourself up a bit. Plat-o-o-n! ’Shun! By the loft, quick—MARCH 1” Oh! but you should have seen the way he jumped to it.