Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-08-21
features made upa physique rarely excel

The young officer stood for some time qul
etly contemplating the-to him-strange con
duct Of the soldier. He could not accoun
tor such inconsistency. The pOssessor OF 81
beautiful and afectionate wife-one VIII
had left the protection of a fathers roof t.
follow her husband across the ocean, ant
there share the hardships and privatons of 1
soldiers fe-to be apparently forgotten il
one night for a wicked wanton, (fOr such tn,
smiling girl seemed to him in his irritation,
was quite beyond even his ideas of man
faithlessnass. With rapid steps he approach
ed the circle of dancers, and tapped DAILY or
the shoulder, saying briefly, alone, sir !"-
The soldier looked red and confused, as he
caught the eye of the officer but dropping
with evident reluctance the arm of his com.
panion he turned to follow him to the garris-
on. Captain Hammond, though feeling Sc
cretly uneasy to find DAILY so different man
from what he had supposed him to be, for
bore to make any remarks, but resolved it
should be the last time he would ever 60 with
him to any questionable place of amusement.
a singular contradiction of the human heart
is here exhibited, and its fearful weakness
fully exposed.
Less than year before, DAILY had married
young and beautiful countrywoman. in the
north of Ireland and the loving wife soon
after, against the wishes of her family, had
followed him to America. He had gained
the consent of her parents to their marriage
only by promising to remain with them on
their comfortable farm as their daughter was
an only child but, unfortunately for all, a
few weeks after the nuptials, DAILY inherited a
small sum of money from distant relative.
With its possession, contentment vanished,
labor became irksOme to him, and the whole
| household was rendered miserable by his pee
vishness and discomfort. No arrangement
that could be made would suit him, for he
had already resolved to cross the ocean. A
few days after his arrival in New York, how
ever, he was robbed of every dollar he posses
sed, and he sought in vain for employment,
until, at last, in despair, he enlisted in the
army, with the promise that his wife should
| accompany him to the frontier But before
prayers and tears, to return to their native
country and home. All the reproaches and
monitions of her aged parents rose before
him /; and though he was conscious of des-
erving much more from his want of faith
with them, yet his pride was not yet suffic
emily subdued to make such signal acknowl
edgement of his former error.
a few days following the incidents of the
iandango, a small cottage was assigned Daily,
for the use Of himself and family, in a sweet
retired spot near the bank of the river. Fort
Brown contains about a hundred acres of
lanl, surrounded by high plank fence on
three sides, while the front is bounded by the
Rio Grande. Within the enclosure are the
houses of the officers, together with severai
humble cots for the use Of few of the SOL
diers who are permitted to have their fami
lies with them. Though the new friends
Mrs. DAILY hal made by her gentlcness
were kind and attentive, yet great was her
joy at the prospect of once more having a
home And is there any joy in this world
comparable to the blessing of a lovc-lighted
home, no matter how humble-a retreat
where the perfdcs and hypocrisies of the
world have no part-Elade true hearts rest
by the presence of the beloved ones who
heighten our joys and lessen our sorrows by
sharing them?
Though the cottage to which Daily led his
Mary was at first but a small dingy house,
containing only one room, get she noted, as
they approached it, that it was at least pret-
tly situated, and required but little labor and
skill to make it neat and comfortable. AS the
days passed away, Daily returned nightly to
his home to find it changing rapidly nappea-
rance. BY the aid of the whitening brush.
1t was already transformed into snow con-
trasting swcetly with the green grass
and trees which surrounded it. The
interior had changed a. much as
the exterior, and, with trifns expense,
it was prettily arranged. 4 neat calico cur
tain parttioned off the bed and wardrobe
from the main room. In the latter small
table, with handsome cover, held few
books and an ornamental work-bCx, a gift
of other days, lay open ready for use. BY
this table WAS the young wife's favorte seat,
opposite the open door, where she could
catch the first glimpse of the expected hus-
band.
BY the close of the weak the busy little
wife had completed all the simple details of
their home and DAILY, proud of her sue
cess, had invited a couple Of his favorite COM
rades to tea, and to pass Saturday evening
with them The cloud had now quite van
iShed from his face and there seemed some
thing of the old kindness and love once more
bcaming from his eyes. And it is true that,
for the time, his better nature prevailed for
his conscience had smitten him sorey for the
many careless and even unkind words which
had too often escaped his lips during the
past week, and brought tears more than once
to the sweet blue eyes of his companlo on
AS he was on his way home from his post, he
accldently met a Mexican boy, with a beauti-
full little lap dog, who importuned him to buy
it ; and with his usual impetuosity he compli-
ed, paying nearly his whole months salary,
for it was a rare chihuahua, celebrated for
their remarkable instincts and d,minutive
SIZE. With this pretty peace-Offerlng, he
hoped to heal the wounds his peevishness
had caused, and, with the Gift, whispered his
earnest determination to be better man and
afiectionate husband. These few words had
pleasd Mary more than even the sprightlv pet,
which was quickly installed on the only cush-
ion in the house and its neck decorated with
its mistrcss's best ribbon. The little pine table
was placed in the centre Of the room, and on
the snowy cloth which covered it was soon
prepared the neat but simple repast, ,which.the
happy young wife had with SO much care.
provided for her husband and his guests, who
were seated around it while Mary, with
busy step and smiling face, passed to and
fro, supplying their wants.
At the close of the supper, when DAILY and
bis companions had retired to the little por-
ton before the door, to sit and enjoy the beau
ty Of the southern moollght, ami smoke their
light Mexican cig1rrios, his friends, with
unwonted emotion, congratulated him upon
the poss 'sson of so good and beautiful
companion, and the neatneSs and comfort Of
his home while tears of regret and remem-
brance darkened their eyes as the lovely and
sinless homes of their boyhood rose, serene
an beautiful, before them, in the clear light
ofan accusing memory-for one had left, long
years before, widowed mother and sister in
the far north, without son or brother to
protect them, and had led a life of restless
less and adventure until in all evil hour of
intoxication and delrium, he had enlisted
for five years as a common soldier, doomed
to pass the best pa t Of his manhood in all
the inactivity and privations of a peaceful SOL
dier's life on the frontier. The other had lost,