tists
whom he favored with his custom and his criticism. He would wear three
or four times a new coat just received from that metropolis, and spend
not a little time, when not on duty or in uniform, in studying
critically its cut and fit in the various mirrors that hung about his
bachelor den, gayly humming some operatic air as he conducted the
survey, and generally winding up with a wholesale denunciation of the
cutter and an order to Ananias to go over and get some other fellow's
coat, that he might try the effect of that. These were liberties he took
only with his chums and intimates, to be sure, but they were liberties
all the same, and it was delicious to hear the laugh with which he
would tell how Pierce had to dress in uniform when he went up to the
opera Thursday night, or how, after he had worn Ferry's stylish morning
suit to make a round of calls in town and that young gentleman later on
went up to see a pretty girl in whom he felt a growing interest, her
hateful little sister had come in and commented on his "borrowing Mr.
Waring's clothes." No man in the battery would ever think of refusing
Sam the use of anything he possessed, and there were half a dozen young
fellows in the infantry who were just as ready to pay tribute to his
whims. Nor was it among the men alone that he found such indulgence.
Mrs. Cram had not known him a fortnight when, with twinkling eyes and a
betraying twitch about the corners of his mouth, he appeared one morning
to say he had invited some friends down to luncheon at the officers'
mess and the mess had no suitable china, therefore he would thank her to
send over hers, also some table-cloths and napkins, and forks and
spoons. When the Forty-Sixth Infantry were on their way to Texas and the
officers' families were entertained over-night at the barracks and his
rooms were to be occupied by the wife, sister, and daughters of Captain
Craney, Waring sent the battery team and spring wagon to town with a
note to Mrs. Converse, of the staff, telling her the ladies had said so
much about the lovely way her spare rooms were furnished that he had
decided to draw on her for wash-bowls, pitchers, mosquito-frames, nets
and coverlets, blankets, pillows, slips, shams, and anything else she
might think of. And Mrs. Converse loaded up the wagon accordingly. This
was the more remarkable in her case because she was one of the women
with whom he had never yet danced, which was tantamount to saying that
in