The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-02-07

Are you in charger asked George at
length.
"Ees, yes, sir" said the young man,
hastily jumping up. Eyes, sir; fm in
charge while the general is cat. Won't you
come in"
George made grave bow and entered.
Lay aside your valise and sit down"
George did both. Then he crossed his legs
and waited for the general"
Have smoke" said the clipper young
man.
mo, sir"
Game O csrds:'
"Sir?"
"Have u game of cards?7
Il don't play cards.
"Have a drink
q don't drink" said George reprcss;yely.
"Of water?" continued the polite young
man..
IF You please"
"HyiraEt's broke Have a game of ill
iar!s!7
George was siieut.
i suppose Won are the new secretary of
wsr?' said the Gtfablo young man i'll bird
like way, a recognized yon at once
Prince Albert coat and sile-whi ,kers."
Il am q cadet"
why, that's pulling. Prince Abort coat
and side whiskers; that's the description in
the papers, Side-whiskers and Prince Albert
coat. Confusing. You have sidewhiskers,
have you not:'
Yes" blurted George, startled.
At the end Of half an hour the Ninth dis
trict prodigy found his dream Of electrifying
West Point rudeIy dissirated.
"Without exaggaration," said the afIabia
and clipper young man, turned severe, and
wishing to give George some honest help,
my friend, You are the vorst-looking youth
that ever entered this institution Those
shoulders that you throw back SO proudly
are also the worst shoulders l ever saw;
they are out of plumb, out Of shape, smaller
around than your waist. 1t was easy TO see
by the way you trod up the area-I was at
the window, and witnessed your royal prog
ress--that you expected to overwhelm us,
But be less imposing. 60 10 Room No. u
and stay there. Don't write the antici-
pated letter home saying that you have been
made cadet officer for your physique or an
assistant professor for your learning. Say
that we've got you in blackboard trying to
straighteu You out, and that John, the JAM
tor, is teaching you arithmetic"
So ended Gh,oEe's long-looked for first day
at West Point But he recovered with the
elasticity of conceit from this first shock,
and Ieid his plans for the future. He Sc
lected a rich New York boy Of his class for
q room mate, and waited for time to pass
on. His letters TO Dora, though long and
FREQUENT at first when he needed sympathy,
grew shorter and shorter, and fell away alto
gether as he had inteDded they should, Dora
wrote once to know if her last letter had mis-
carried, and then there was silence GA both
sides After perhaps year he learned with
some astoniShment that DoTs's grandfather
had left her fortune, and that ste With
her parents h al gone to another state.
~
When we see Georsa again his four years
at the academy were drawing to close
The mysterious changes that wore 10 con
vert him into an officer and gentleman, "
he considered, had hsen wrought He
wondered how he could have been so awk-
ward and ill-mannered as ha remembered
himself He thought with disgust Of the big
coat and ugly gloves. But perhaps he was
even less Il gentleman than ever, for when
his father had written that he and mother
were coming 10 soc him graduate he had
written them not to. He said. You mustn't
60 to such an expense" In reality he was
ashamed OF them.
In the season of gayety at Wet Point
George had rot been idle. For the same
reason that he had once aspired to Dora, be
now aspired to Miss Lyman, the sister of hia
roommate. and he shuddered when he
thought Of her seeing his father and mother.
He had known her one summer at West
Point, Lad Teen recommended as a good
solid fellow by her brother, had been denied
the pleasure Of winters correspondence,
but, to atone, had now the promise Of dane
ing with h,r at his graduation german. He
thought over the form of an elegant proposal
with good nope.
Young Lyman, rich, handsome, gcnial-he
expected partner, too; partner who was
also rich and handsome, who lived next dool
to him at home, with whom he fell desper
ately in love on "furiough,' and to whom h
was to be married a few days after gradua
ton.
The day before the ball Miss Lyman ans
/ George we're walking in front of the library
He was twirling her parasol, trying to make
himself entertaining, wondering if he woulC
ever have courage to say the words he hat
planned and thinking, with q cunning smile
what a change there would be in his compan
ION if she knew the sOTdidnass Of his early
life. While they we're walking an old ger.
tleInau and lady detached themselves from
group that had just alightei from the stag
and came over 10 the tagging. They wer
| looking curiously about them.
| wonder where he is noww said the Of,
! gentleman. But wen soon find him. Sur
| prise him. too-ch3 He'll think we won
| mind expense when we want to come an,
/ take a look at our West Pointer
Bless his heart" said the old Lady, quit
! overcome with the near prospect OF meeting
| Bless his heart, of course, for here b
| comes. with girl dressed like a picture
| Don't say word-pll surprise him, and tn
| oil man with bis hadly-cut clothes, his merry
GUS. gnarIed hands, but with happy bean
| upou his facn planted himself in the middl
OF the walk
George Looked up as the old mans hea
vas turned, started stopped, turned about
and with his companion, walked quckl
away, concealing himself behind the paraso
Come here" cried the old gentlema
hii8riOusly and running after George
"guess you haven't any eyes for fathers tn
afternoon"
an come back" said George, with a bo4
iac-rel face, "You sit hore-Tll be back, O
| course"
so intrusion l hope" said The old man
but with iittla pride in the phrase; no in
trusjon, | hofe young lady. You 60 o.
Gearra; mother and I'll wait
"'1ues twas company" he said slyly
when ne returned to his wife The Old lady
fcg5 was working nervously. She couldu
help 1.-THE tears started from her eyes Sh
looked at the dress she had made in Georr,
honor, AZ the gloves her concession
fashipU-at little satchel in which wa
morer sha had been saving ever since t'eorg
went ra West Point to buy his sword IN
uniform: she looked at the puzzled oil
fa.h-r, who had been anticipating this Wis
SO Long. and so-she couldn't help it'll
tears dill come.
Come. father she said at last; "this ism
the place for us. He isn't little boy nov
o, if we hal only kept him with US. Ii
US 60 away and not make him ashamed
"Ashomed!' said the old fellow, with
touch Of pride "No; now we're here we
| stay-EDt Ia mt Ort by orr own SON "