The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-17
That Ugly Captain Harkins!

single cross grain. In feature, complex |
ion, figure aud voice the man had little
to recommend him. II he had been gov
erned by policy he would have played
the agreeable. On the contrary, be was,
as nave said, as positive aud Disagree
aOle as any man tnaL ever adhered 10 his.
cOnvlctI0ns.
Then, to make the matter worse, the
world INN ediately fell into an error
natural enough, nevertheless very
.reat error-Lhat OF impuLlng heartless-
uess 10 the captain, who was as brave
man as ever lived, ana as tenGer-heart-
ed. Ii YOU notice, you viii perceive that
tnesr two things generally 60 together.
However, when the iailings OF the cap
tain were capped with the public error,
there was no enc OF mistakes, as is III
variably the case where two errors
meet.
TIE truth was, more kindly or aifec-
tlonate heart never throbbed than Cap
cain Sim IL ,rkins'. Although his cont
plexion was q compromise Be wees lun-
color and satf on, his hGure slightly
uodgy and his motions positively awk-
ware; his nose entirely out OF Keeping
with the rest OF his features; q nose tnat
threatened, challenged and scorned the
world, and his voice as harsh as rag
machine or the sepuichral tone assumed
Dy the Thousand lmItators Of Captain
CuttIe's adviser, Jack Bunsby, the cap
| tain was as true as steel and as brave as
a lion.
Wuha', the captain was quiet, re-
| served, and shy IN the presence OF Inc
lair sex. Proof: ne boarded III the same
Inouse, and roomed on the same hO0r,
with The widow Mordant, and never ad-
dressed remark to her IN two months.
| Then the subject was butler, began ana
stopped with sort Of cross speech 10
the servant, and an apology to the
widow lor interposlng III behalf OF her
child.
| Imagine if you can the gallant Captain
Sims feelings, upon hearing himself
spoken OF in This manner by tue beauti-
lul widow one day:
Oscar, my dear, what makes you go
into aptain Harklns' room SO ofteuW
| "Because he is such u jolly old fellow,
ma. When Pm man, Pll wear whisz
kers like Captain Harkins', and MAKE
my voice as rough as ever / can, too"
| "You silly child! That ugly Captain
! Harkinsl If you must initiate some
body, pattern after an agreeable man.
l never met more disagreeable man
than Captain Harkins in my lile."
And the captain was pacing the piazza
| u
Justice to say that had she known he
was within hearing, she would nave bit
| the end of her tongue before uttering
such speech. AS for the captain he
shrugged his shoulders, while his cheeks
| took on deeper saffron tint, il poss BILE.
That same evening Mrs. Mordant was
promenadlng with her son, child of
| louI, and as needless as four-year-olds
are, when a runaway carriage came
dashing round the corner OF the main
avenue. The frenzied horses feet made
| the fire fly from the pavement. There
was cry of horror, then sudden and
awful hush fell upon The spectators,
who turned their heads aside to avoid
| wine sing that which seemed ineyita-
| BILE. Oscar Mordant had, with the res
| tiYeness Of his age, darted across the
street. The crash of the flying horses
hoofs frightened him; he paused, then
| turned with cry to his mother, who
| was springing forward, when suddenly
she was hurled aside; the world was
| burned and Dlotted out, and when she
opened her eyes again, the carriage was
standing still, the horses champed their
| bit angrIly, while at her feet nestled her
boy, not hair OF his curly head harmed.
'.RemarkaDle presence OF mind," said
one.
"And such nerve e-.extraordinary
nerve," said another.
"Then he must possess marvellous
strength to do such thing added a
third.
"And he is as quick as lightning"
"rhe bravest, coolest thing l ever
| Witnessed"
AS the widow Mordant listened, and
| lifted u hand to her temple, the truth
dawned upon her slowly. 1t was to that
ugly Captain Harkins she owed her
child's life.
| A week later General Hooker was at
| tending the wedding of the daughter OF
an old-sime friend. The gallant general
was the hero Of the hour. The widow
Mordant was purring like kitten over
her toilet, when she heard voices below
her window. The window was open.
Every word rose to- her distinct and
clear. Probably the fact that they were
uttered heartily, enabled her to hear the
| following:
"Wnal! My dear old friend Harkins
Here, Col. Gardiner, permit me to in.
| trvduce Captain HarkIns-a man who
as much as any other, contributed t.
our success at Gettysburg How you
did plow them down with your battery,
| captain! 1t was fearful work."
| Never mind that, general, now" be.
gan the voice Mrs, Mordant now heard
in her dreams.
"rhe captain has one fault" said
The general, "ne ls modest TO a degree.
Now, for my part, L think modesty is
very well in a woman, but Pll wager d
hundred to one nobody hereaDouts
knows the captains locord."
The widow had heard enough. Her
husband, VINO laid down his lie at Get.
tysburg, had frequently alluded to q
gallaut, high.mnued commander OF a
battery, and this was the hero. The man
sue never deigned to look upon until he
risked his life TO save her sons.
The tolio wing day, AS the captain was
sitting at the window, smoking, there
was tap, a very gentle tap, at nIs door
"Come H." said the captain. But
when he saw the beautiful widow, his
face became almost coppery in it's color
II beg-pardon-l really"
She relieved MIN imme mediately by seat
ing herself. "Captain Harkius, l feel
that ought to thank you in person for
your action. One can't trust oneself to
| paper always. intended calling when
/ sent the note. Now tnat is of my mind
l feel relieved"
She laughed softly. The captain ven.
tured TO look at her. He had never con-
templated such loveIiness. The widow
| wisely refraiued from disconcertiug him