Teddy's Button by Amy Le Feuvre

Uplifted and Cast Down
It was a bright, cheery gathering a few hours later. Mr. Upton had
thrown his whole heart into the scheme, and had been round with his
tickets to a few outlying inns, where more of the men were billeted, so
that there were altogether over forty redcoats assembled. Mrs. John and
two other neighbors were in charge of the tea and coffee, and Teddy and
Nancy, with one or two other children, as a special favor, were allowed
to help to wait on the guests. The tables were decorated with flowers;
meat-pies, cold beef and ham sandwiches disappeared in a marvelous
manner, and the cakes and bread-and-butter with watercress were
equally appreciated. Towards the end of the meal several ladies came
forward and sang, and one or two part-songs were also given by some
of the guests staying at the Hall.
'Now,' said Colonel Graham in his brisk, hearty tones, 'before we
have a few words from Mr. Upton, I should like to tell you how glad I am
to see the redcoats about me once more. I know your regiment well, for
my own, the 10th Hussars, lay with it in Colchester ten years ago. I am
sure you have all enjoyed your tea, but perhaps you do not know who
was the instigator of the whole thing. We must thank Mr. Upton for his
untiring zeal and energy in making arrangements; we must thank the
ladies for trying to make the evening pleasant by their songs; but we
must thank a little man here, I am given to understand, for the proposal
in the first instance.'
And to Teddy's intense surprise the colonel swung him up on the
impromptu platform, to receive a deafening round of applause.
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