Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-10-04
The Rivals.


ish officers quartered at Delhi were
cheered by the presence of their
families, and in that ancient city,
on the banks of the Jumma, splen-
did society existed. For the sol
diers of the crown were, as a gen.
eral thing, men of culture-scions
of aristocratic houses, and among
the privates of the line no little
erudition was to be found. The
soldiers formed debating clubs and
literary societies, and for a time
the English Theatre at Delhi, car
ried on by the rank and file of the
army, was indispensable to the well
fare of the troops.
Among the officers whose fami-
lies dwelt in the Hindoostan city,
was Captain Jude Wells, a soldier
who had served with distinction in
the Sixth campaign some years pri-
or to the date of our present story.
After the conclusion of that brief
and bloody war, he sent to England
for his family, which consisted of
wife and one child, and soon had
the JOY of folding the loved ones to
his bosom in Delhi.
Years passed away, and Anna
Wells blossomed into romantic
womanhood, far from the English
shores, amony the treacherous Sc
poys who afterward deluged India
with English blood.
BY the soldiery she was univer-
sally beloved, and the native troops
had given her an Indian name,
which signifies, "the white pearl of
India" When the Hindoo soldiery
began to exhibit signs of dissatis-
faction with British rule in India,
the clouds of trouble darkened ov-
er the devoted heads in Delhi
Anna mingled with the natives, and
heard more than one murmur which
afterward grew into the whoop of
vengeance. Her information she
was not slow to communicate to her
father, who informed the British
commandant, and the natives were
more closely watched.
One calm night in the eventful
year 1857, Anna Wells was accom-
panied from the theatre to her
home by Captain Brutus Jarl, one
of her fathers companions-in-arms.
He was a valuable friend of the
families, endeared to it by the fact
that he had saved the fathers life
in the Pegna war. He was a man
about forty years of age, and COM
manded in Sepoy regiment. In
the play just over, he had taken a
prominent part, supporting Anna,
who had played with success the
role of the heroine.
"Anna," said the captain, "I can
conceal from you no longer the true
feelings of my heart. When you
came to Delhi, years ago, o girl in
years, my love went out to you,
and while T have watched you bios
som into glorious womanbood, it
has grown stronger, until the sword
of Excalibar cannot sever it. An
ma Wells, will you not lesten to the
love talk of an old soldier who
fought side by side with your gall
liant father in the Punjaub, and say
that you will cheer him by the
promise he now seeks?"
Anna Wells looked up into the
weather-beaten face, inclined to
laugh; but his look told her that
he was in earnest, and she desisted.
'1 was not expecting such o dec
laration, captain, "she said, partlyre-
covering from, her surprise.
''But no time is required for re-
flection," he said quickly. "You
know now whether you love me, for
/ have been nesr you for eight
years. Anna, you need not ask
time to consider my declaration;
will you not grant itw %
He uttered the last sentence with
q smile, and watched the girls face
on whose beauty the mellow rays
Of an East Indian moon softly fell.
"Then will answer you,r she
said, looking from him. "I honor
you for your gallantry. and love
Won for the deed Won did i'm that