ADMONITION 12 



o 



brother, that he had not given up much of his time to the 

 perusal of that holy book. The younger one sat silent 

 and demure, seemingly impressed with the importance of 

 the subject, as he was seriously attentive to his brother's 

 admonitions. 



When he had concluded, my friend sat some little time 

 cogitating on the discourse he had just heard, when the 

 parson rallied him, hoping he would not take what he had 

 said unkind, or even deem it ill-timed. 



" Not at all, brother," he said, " not at all. I was only 

 thinkinfr, when David went partrido;e-shootina\ whether 

 he had pointers or setters, and whether he used the 

 detonaters, or common flint and steel." 



The other, drawing himself up, said, — 



" I did not expect, sir, you would have made a mock of 

 what I have said." 



" Neither do I, sir," retorted the brother ; " I merely 

 put a plain question, and you would oblige me by giving 

 me as plain an answer." 



" I was not aware, George," observed the parson, alter- 

 ing his tone, " that David ever went partridge-shooting." 



"Then turn to your Bible, brother, and in the twenty- 

 sixth chapter of the first Book of Samuel, and the 

 twentieth verse, you will find that he did." 



The evidence was conclusive in more ways than one, 

 and the subject was seldom, if ever, renewed. 



The manners of the soldier were the least j^olished of 

 the three, but at the same time always unassuming and 

 agreeable. Jovial either at the mess or the social 

 board, his conversation, when on field-sports, or anything 

 relating thereto, was highly entertaining. 



