The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-03-30

L
two were very good friends-probably
because they met so seldom.
| However that NAV be, the stinoy
\ old brother always threatened never Z
help Frank, but ALWAYS did il; he stood
between him and his mothers wrath or
i many occasions, until at last Frank
gave deadly offense to both. He com
mitted the objectionable crime Of
secretly marrying the only daughter
of poor curate. This terrible fact be-
came known BY Franks confession
when his mother had completed nego
tiations for his union with lady oil
title and fortune, and issued her com
mands that he was to prepare for the
bridal Mother and brother had been
aware that there was good deal more
than ordinary love-making between
Frank and the curate's daughter. They
only shrugged their shoulders. shu,
their eyes, and confidently waited for
the time when he, seeing the folly OF
his ways, would desert the girl. So
long as it was only a commonplace af-
fair. in which the woman alone could
suffer any particular harm. nothing was
said; but as soon as it became known
!
without consulting any one or asking
anybody leave. he had really bound
himself for life to the woman he loved.
there was the dickens to pay. He was
banished the house; the mother said he
should never have penny of her
money. and the old fogy declared that
he would himself marry the lady who
had been intended for Frank, in order
to leave him no hope of inheriting
Hollyford. And he would have done
it, too, only the lady did not see the
fun of the arrangement
These details interest me, SIR"
Maurice interrupted for the first time:
"but L am little impatient to arrive
at the stage where the particular ex-
PLANTATION | desire comes in."
Il beg your pardon; you are right to
remind me of that l, too. am inter-
ested, nd am apt to become so garru-
lous about those DAYS of my youth rs TO
forget my object in recalling them.
Having reused these d memories, 1
can not help looking at myse through
the big end of the telescope Time, and
am amused to think what an extraordi-
nary figure I must have cut long ago.
However, it is of Gu hbert l have TO
speak. not of myself. You will see
presently that all these tn ngs bear d.
rectly on our subject. Well. to contin-
ne Frank stood his ground like man.
and with a Guiet pluck that none OF us
had ever given him creditor. We had
known, o. course, that he was brave
fellow. and that he would make an eN-
cellent soldier. ANY man will fight
well enough when he is in the heat of
battle and knows there is moth NC for
it but to give and take hard blows.
The real trial OF what stuff You are
made o: is when you have absolutely
nothing to do but 10 stand still at your
post hearing the ping o. your enemies
bullets as they pass You. and ee;ing
the bite of those which Craze the flesh,
while you have no ammunition to reply
with. and no Wis BILE foe to knock down
while, in fact, YOU can only stand
there ready to die for Your cause. That
is Just what he did"
Mr.. Cal horpe became so much excit-
ed by his own eloquence that he took
short turn across the floor, and back to
his chair.
HE must have suffered a good DEAL"
said Maurice. Who was sitting by the
open window, nurs ny his knee.
He su Tered most abom nablv, and
most of all on account Of the poor girl
who was his wife. But she was as brave
as himself, and poor as they were (for
he had now nothing but his Lieuten-
ant s pay to live upon, and some old
scores 10 hamper him), she made the
couple of rooms they had more bright
and cheer ul in Cuthhert's ewes than
any mansion he had ever been ina.
least. so he said, and suppose We must
believe him. l know that l spent two
very pleasant evenings with them. and
they seemed to be happy. The young
wife was charming, and made me. at
any rate, at once forgive Frank his
folly. Lucy-that was what he called
her-was just the sort OF girl to make !
any man believe that love aud moth
ing ayear were beautiful combina-
ton"
..And you call itfolly. srr' said Maui
rice, with tinge of bitterness, for the |
name had quickened his pulse.
well. l was pretty much of that opin-
ion when | was your age, and am /
a raid that experience has only con-
tirmed it., never pretended to be a
man of feeling. but did feel something
for the plight of these two young idiots, I
aud fortunately it was then in NV pow
er to be of some service to them.
Don't be impat ent; we are coming to
the part which will chic " interest Won.
do no believe in anybody maintain
ing regular. eadv-going hate; but if
ever anybody was capable of it, Franks
mother was, in my opin on. She not
only kept her own word about money
matters. but she contrived to make her
brother keep his, also. 1t would have
been bad enough if that had been the
worst, but that was not the worst
Frank regiment was ordered out to
India; and although he was eager for
3 tive service, he was in no cheerful
mood while he was making what ar
he could for his wi e's COM
Tort until he could send for her He
.rusted ME 10 help her if she should be
n anv trouble. 1 promised to do 81.
md would have kept nv promise faith
ull, she had not rendered it impos-
;ible by disappear ng on the very day
rank sailed They had spent the pre-
Tio,Is day together, and he has told
ne how bright she tried to look. al
hough he could see that the thought of
heir approach ing separation was never
.bsent from her mend: and how she
ried to cheer him 10y hopeful pictures
# their spec y reunion. They parted. ,
IN his arrival at Calcutta, he found !
wo letters waiting for HIM. One was !
rom his wife-and as you are senti- ;;
mental fellow. you can guess how he ,
cit when he read it 1t was short, and !
struck me so much when he sent me ,
cory of it that l can remember every I,