The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-01-13
A MILITARY COURTsHIP.
By LUCY 4. RANDALL IHELEs FoRxsT dKAyEs.


bert Miller. as he stood with folded arms,
his "six feet, one inch" of altitude calm
ly drawn up. towering high above Matte
Arnott's curly head.
The usual programme Of wooing SEEM
ed to be reversed in this individual in
stance, for Matte was blushiug and en-.
barrassed, twisting her blue ribbon sash
round and round, while Herbert was pro-
vokingly cool and satirieal even though
he had just listened to the fatal emo"
81 am 50 young, Herbert" faltered
the girl; "olly sixteen you know and /
hardly know my own mind yet; and it is
ungenerous Of you to press me so urgent
ly; and -"
"Now Matte, this won't do" said the
young soldier, resolutely, OBTAINING her
by one firm hand. "Answer me plainly,
yes or no."
"No, then," pouted Matte, her blue
eyes flashing and her cheeks rosy with
flame
"Very well, just as you please, Mics
Mat" said Herbert complacently. "On
the whole I'm much obliged to you for
pronouncing that monosylable so decided
ly. You're very pretty, but don't think
you suit me exactly. We should get
tired of one another-we have been bro't
up together, you know, and sameness is
always tedious. You are lovely blonde,
but | think | should prefer brunette;
and. besides, can 60 off peaceably to the
war now, without any circumference in
the shape of an engagement. The medi-
cine was hard to take, but I've no doubt
it will do me good. Adieu, Mattic-and
wish you good husband"
And off walked Mr.. Herbert, whistling
most cavalierly, and looking provokingly
handsome in his cool disdain.
Matte Arnott did not know what to
make of the young soldiers self posses
sion. She never had real lover before,
but she was quite certain they never act
ed in this way after rejection. Some
how she had an idea that Herbert Miller
had been making fun Of her--and she was
not altogether certain that she had done
a sensible thing in saying ono" Be-
sides, she had fully calculated on his be-
ing unwilling to take her at her word
4 Why didn't he coax and implore, and re-
new his entreaties-why didn't he take
her by storm, in short, as all the lovers in
novels did?
4 Matte Arnott waited until her discard
ed chevalier was safely out of sight, and
then she ran up to her own room, locked
herself in. and cried passionstely.
"Dear me, Martha, how red your eyes
are" said Mrs. Arnott, as the girl took
her place at TIE hountful spread tea ia
BILE. - h il Inc n.u.e Of common
sense ais yo4?
ats setun' up late o nights, readin'
them story papers," growled Squire Ar
mott. "She'll be blind before she's TWEEN
ty-fve years old, at this rate, or have to
wear spees-and gal in specs don'l
have half the chance to catch beau
Hello what's the matter with the childy'
For Matte had hurst into tears again
and left the table. All, it was a sore lit
tie heart that beat underneath Matte Ar
motifs black velvet, "Spanish waist"
u If she could have only have lived tina
day over again! But the sun was low il
the crimson tides of the great western sea
and the young moon was mounting up
and the day with all its chances and chan
ges, was gone-gone to return no more
; Slowly the months rolled by, and Matti
Arnott grew quieter and more thought
full every day. The fair forehead was no
less fair for the shade Of sweet gravity Of
its smooth expanse-the blue eyes shon
! LUMINOSITY through dropping lashes.-
S Matte had changed-but she was evel
!. more beautiful than ever. She read tn
news from the seat of war with feveris
interest, yet she never once mentione
Herbert Miller's name, not even when sh
It saw in the daily papers that he had bee
e breveted on the field for steadfast gallant
ry and noble heroism.
"You will come tonight, won't you
y Matte? Lieut. Miller has promised t
l. honor me-positively his first appearance
}. as m officer in this, his native village,
r laughed Miss Marsland, as she rose t
j take her leave after morning visit
"Yes, I'll come," sighed Matte, fo
y if she were obliged to meet him, the frs
. sharp pang might as we'll be undergon
now - ever. But o, that Kate Mari
o land should have known first Of his re
{ turn; that Kate's house should be tn
: first at which he had called.
: How carefully she arranged the fold
i of her white muslin dress that evening"
J, how long she was in adjusting the spra
Of ivy leaves in and out among her golde
|, curls. And even then she was dissati
It fed with the pretty image reflected bac
q from the mirror. But Matte was pre-
y udiced judge-she had never looked MOI
r lovely in all the seventeen years of HI
y life.
IS As she entered Kate Marsland's crow,
J, ed parlors, the FIRST upon whom her ey'
J. fell was Herbert Miller, tall and han
It some as ever in his blue and gold un
:. form. He was talking with spirit and a
l. imation, the centre Of knot of your
l. neonle he did not even see her AL