The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-06-24
The Red Flag at No. 81.
(MRs. GRAY TO Mas. THOMPSON

Cousin Ned from California, Nevada
New Mexico, and all other places be-
yond the Rocky mountains, has been
payingus visit. You know Just what
a Jolly good soul Ned always was, and
he is just as jolly now-as why should
he not be, with an income of six OF seven
thousand a year? Beside that my poor
Georges eighteen hundred hides it's
diminished head. He is handsomer than
ever, too-the same merry brown eyes
and chestnut hair; but, in addition,
an appearance, an air so altogether
distingue that our neighbors all
20 to their windows to gaze after
him. Well, do you know, the mo-
ment heappeared | set my heart on him
for our dear old friend Adelaide, who
shall not waste her sweetness on the
desert air if | can help it. You know
l always had a fancy for matchmaking,
though. TO confess the truth, | have
never yet scored success in that line !;
my two rredeslincd affinities always fly
off at n tangent just as | fiatter myself
it is un fait accompi. (You will per-
ceive have not forgotten quite all the
French we learned iogether at the River
side seminary, Notwithstanding my
years of devotion to pies and puddings
/ will keep a little of il out of respect
for The memory of poor Mademoiselle
Laurent who worked so hard to drill it
into me).
Rut Adelaide and N ed have been cor
responding year or two; he speaks OF
her wi h great respect-as how could lie
otherwise, of coursep-and 1 have
fonily hoped that his mission to the
East may have more relation to the
affairs of the heart than to mining
stocks, as lie pretends.
Well, soon after his arrival three
weeks ago, Ned and | were sitting in
the dining-r0Cm a.one; the children
had starlt Tor school, and George had
kissed me and gone downtown, after
an hours talk W it'll Ned about ranches,
and burros, and gulches, and canons.
Now that | was alone with our visitor
the conversation took a confidential
turn, bordering on the sentiments and
in pursu ,nce of the idea uppermost in
my mind, l told him l thought ii
mysterious, providential, that he had
not fallen a victim to some bonanza
princess, or some bewithing senorita
with no dover but her beauty.
And by the way" went on, what
was ever the trouble between you and
the captains daughterP"
You remember of course, Julia, how
atfair-how during the war | used to
read to you, even during study bours,
the letters had received from brother
Jim, stationed at Fortress Monroe,
giving the details, in Jim's rather
satirical sty lie, of the serious Irritation
in progress between Lieutenant Ned,
OF Company G, and Captain Daring
tons pretty daughter, OF the regulars?
Aud afterward, how some way a
shadow came between them-nobody
could tell how, only that Ned was
hasty, and had exaggerated ideas of
mans prerogatives, perhaps, and Miss
Darlington proud and shyP So it was
forgotten.
And now this same lieutenant, after
hair breadth escapes from shot and
shell, and scalping Apaches, sat there
in an easy chair by my Baltimore
heater and actually turned pale because
l mentioned the Captains daughterm
Love is indeed la grande passion.
He had nothing to communicate,
however; bade me consider that we
we're always great fools at twenty one,
and likely at that time to get caught in
n trap, or, on the other hand. to throw
our chances of happiness away, just as
1T chanced to be; he became silent, and
l had not the heart to rally him as he
sat there watching the floating smoke
of his cigar with u far-otf look in his
eyes-knoWing as l did that he had
gone back fifteen years, and that he was
walking the moonlight beach with
pretty Lottie Darlington, while the
band of the regiment played in the dis
tance.
From the sublime to the ridicu. GUS
it is always my fate. dear Julia. Bar
ney, the factotum of the neighborhood,
tapped at the window, and as l raised
the sash, "a foine morning, num-" said
he; there's a red flag out at Number
54, and thought I'd be after comm to
tell ye. lis foine house, and foine
Teddy, more's the pity" You see,
Barney knows my weakness, and he
had seen me few days before an ami
mated bidder at an auction in the
neighborhood. Thank you, Barney
think I'll be on hand" replied, clos
ing the window.
"A foine leddy," to be sure; had
often met her-a fair faced woman,
plainly and tastefully dressed, walking
with two charming children. Her
house seemed the abode Of peace and
comfort, SO far as the passer-by could
Judge, and what could have compelled
the breaking up of 80 cosy an establish
mentP At all events l would not stop
to speculate-it was possible here was
my opportunity TO secure a handsome
sideboard at bargain. AS I wished