"It so happened that the morning after this announcement appeared in the order-book, an old lieutenant, who might have been the major's grandfather, and whom we used to call "The General," on account of his age and gray hairs, was the officer on duty. To the sergeant of the guard "the General" gave the necessary orders, with strict injunctions to have them obeyed to the letter. "Shortly after tattoo, sundry ladies, as usual, presented themselves at the barrack-gate, and were, of course, refused admission; when, to the surprise of the sentinel on duty, the major's lady and sister-in-law made their appearance, and walked boldly to the wicket, with the intention of entering as usual. To their utter astonishment, the sentry refused them permission to pass. The sergeant was called, but that worthy was quite as much of a precisian as the ladies, and his conscience would not permit him to let them in. "'Do you know who we are, sir?' asked the major's lady, with much asperity of voice and manner. "'Oh, sartingly; I knows your ladyships wery well.' "'And pray, what do you mean, sir, by this insolence?' "'I means no imperance whatsomdever, marm; but my orders is partickler, to let no female ladies into this here barracks a'ter tattoo, upon no account whatever; and I means for to obey my orders without no mistake.' "'Then you have the effrontery, do you, to refuse admittance to the lady of your commanding officer?' screamed the Honorable Mrs. Snooks. "'And her sister!' joined in the second lady. "'Most sartingly, marm,' replied the non-commissioned officer, with profound gravity: 'I knows my duty, marm.' "'Good gracious, what assurance!' exclaimed both ladies in a breath. "'No insurance at all, marm: if your ladyships was princesses, you couldn't come in after tattoo; my orders is partikler!' "'Don't you know, stupid, that these orders can not be intended to apply to _us_?' "'I doesn't know nuffin about _that_, my lady: all I know is, that orders is _orders_, and must be obeyed.' "'Impudence!' "'Imperance or no imperance, I must do my duty; and I can tell your ladyships if my superior officers was for to give me orders not to let in the major himself, I would be obligated for to keep him off at the p'int of the bay'net!' "The officer of the guard was sent for, and the officer of the guard sent for the orderly-book, which, by the light of the guard-room lantern, was exhibited to the ladies by 'the General,' in justification of his apparent rudeness." It might, doubtless, have been added, that the effect of such a lesson upon the major, was of a salutary nature; for the chalice was commended to his own lips, which he had prepared for others, in downright earnest. * * * * * These lines, from the pen of a Southern poet, are very tender and touching. They were printed some ten years since: