Connecticut western news., 1880-11-17
THE RED FLAG AT No. 54.
Mrs. Gray to Mrs. Thompson.

Cousin Ned, from California, Nevada, New Mexico, and all other places be- yond the Rocky mountains, has been paying us visit. You know just what jolly good soul Ned always was, and he is just as jolly now-as why should he not be, with an income of $6, GOO or 5000 year? Beside that my poor Georges $1,8OO hides it's diminished head. He is handsomer than ever, too the same merry brown eyes and chest nut hair; but in addition an appearance, an air so altogether distingue that our neighbors all go to their windows to gaze after him. Well, do you know, the moment he appeared sat my heart on him for our dear old friend Adelaide, who shall not waste her sweetness on the desert air if I can help 1t. You know I always had fancy for match making, though, to confess the truth, have never yet scored a success in that line; my two predestined afinities al ways fly off at tangent just as I fatter myself 1t is 0a fait GccoDapH. (You will perceive I have not forgotten quite all the French we learned together at the Riverside Seminary. Notwithstanding my years of devotion to pies and pud- dings, will keep little of it out of re- spect for the memory of poor Mademoi- selle Laurent, who worked so hard to drill 1t into me-
 But Adelaide and Ned have been cor responding year or two ; he speaks of her with great respect-as how could he otherwise, of course ?-and have fondly hoped that his mission to the East may have more relation to the affairs of the heart than to mining stocks, as he pre- tends.
 We'll, soon after his arrival, three weeks ago, Ned and were sitting in the dining-room alone; the children had started for school, and George had kissed me and gone down town, after an hours talk about ranches, burros, and gulches, and canons. Now that was alone with our visitor, the conversation took con- fidential turn, bordering on the senti- mental, and, in pursuance of the idea uppermost in my mind, I told him ] thought 1t mysterious, providential, that he had not fallen victim to some bo. nanza Princess, or some bewitchine Senorita, with no dover but her beauty
 "And, by the way" went on, "what was ever the trouble between you anc the Captains daughter ?"
 You remember, of course, Julia, how much we heard at the time about tha affair-how, during the war I loved te read to you, even during study hours the letters had received from Brother Jim, stationed at Fortress Monroe giving the details in Jim's rather satirical style, of the serious irritation il progress between Lieut.. Ned, of Com pany O, and Capt. Darrington's pretty daughter, of the regulars And after ward, how some way shadow cam, between them-nobc dy could tell how only that Ned was nasty, and had ex aggerated ideas of mans prerogatives perhaps, and Miss Darlington prouc and shy. And so 1t was forgotten.
 And now this same Lieutenant, afte hairbreadth escapes from shot and shell and scalping Apaches, sat there in al easy chair, by my Baltimore heater, anC actually turned pale because I Imentione' the Captains daughter" Love is in deed Ia grande passion.
 He had nothing to communicate however bade me consider we wer always great fools at twenty-one ant likely at that time to get caught il a trap; on the other hand, to throw ou chances of happiness away, just as chanced to be l; he became silent, and had not the heart to rally him as he sa there watching the floating smoke of hi cigar, with far-off look in his eyes knowing as did, that he had gone bacl fifteen years, and that he was walking the moonlight beach with pretty Lotti