, young, ardent, and imprudent.

He retired to a private room with the commissioned officers of his
"corps," and left a liberal order at the bar. Healths were drank,
songs sung, patriotic and otherwise, more otherwise than patriotic,
and the "fast and furious" fun was driven into the small hours of the
morning. When the bill was presented, Captain Muggs was without funds;
and his gallant subordinates, on the bare suggestion of a loan,
incontinently vanished. Captain Muggs intimated something about
credit. The landlord shook his head. Captain Muggs was grieved, and
the landlord consulted the flytraps on the ceiling, still extending
his open hand, with the palm upwards, in the direction of the officer.
Finding the publican obdurate, the captain proposed to leave his
uniform and equipments in pawn, and the offer was accepted.

And here let us pause to contemplate the moral greatness of this act.
Those insignia of rank were as dear to Muggs as the apple of his eye.
They were to him what the sceptre and crown were to Napoleon. It was
like tugging at his heartstrings to unfasten the belt and sash, and
lay the sword upon the table. Marsyas suffered not more when Apollo
removed his skin than Muggs did when the landlord stripped off his
coat and epaulets. When the hat and plume were laid upon the altar of
offended Mammon, Muggs uttered a deep groan, and departed in his shirt
sleeves. If we were a great historical painter, we should prefer this
subject to that of Washington resigning his commission as
commander-in-chief of the revolutionary army.

The same integrity distinguished Captain Muggs throughout his life.
When, some years afterwards, he received a letter from a lawyer,
stating that, in case he did not immediately satisfy a certain claim
of five years' standing, legal measures would be adopted to enforce
payment, he remitted the sum in question without a murmur.

Personal courage is not deemed indispensable to great commanders.
Marlborough is said to have trembled on the battle field. It is the
part of the officer to command--of the men to execute. But Muggs was
as valiant as he was wise. On a field day, when a certain turbulent
apple woman persisted in encroaching on the lines, Captain Muggs
charged her in person, unsupported by his troops, upset her apple
stall, and expelled her from the lines. Such achievements are of rare
occurrence.

On every parade day, Muggs was "thar." In every sham fight he was
first and fo