The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-11-27
A HIDDEN HERO.

IA HIDDEN HERO.
Us. Winter, in Harper's Baznr.
Lord sstrchie Falconer was keeping
his hunters--to the tune Of a modest
c~ouple-out OF barracks, and was on
his way to see them, when he CHANGED
to meet with Marcus Oxford.
His way lay through apoor andfor-
iornlooking district, laid out in small
and narrow streets of ugly little feat
3ureless houses, built in rows to the
cultivation Of nothing but a certain
air OF crushed and melancholy meek
neatness, and situated about midway
between the barracks and the town OF
Waanecliffe. It was peopled chiefly
by such OF the Benedicks among tho
rank and file of the Black Horse as
were not on the strength Of the regi-
ment.
Marcus Oxford was laughing asLord
Archie approached him, and he felt
his own lace expanding into a broad
emile instantly.
What ore you laughing att" he de-
mandcd.
~ found yesterday the other an
swered, ssthat Arnitt was down with
a severe attack of congestion OF the
iunss-a very serious case, his wife
told me the doctor had pronouncedit it.
I sent him q basket OF things down
this morning-ice and grapes and jelly
and 30 on, you know-for, poor devil,
it must be hard lines to be i'll in sucha
hole IS that-jerking his stick over
his shoulder to Indicate row ofsqual-
i'd little houses behind him-"and
Moore brought back word that he was
very bad-as bad as he could be. So l
tflought I'd come round and hear how
he is to-day. TITS a tidy little place,
bntterribly bare and comfortless, and
I found half adozen youngsters all
squatting aboutthe doorstep,a and evil
IDENTIFY expecting every minute to hear
that the end had come. 4Hollo, my
man., said | to the biggest boy, q lad
OF z or 8, ARE you one of Arnitt's
boys2' Yes, Sir, we're all his'n,' he
piped out. tOh, are your, / said,
thinking Arnitt may well look as hun
cry MS he generally does. And how is
your father this afternoon Very
bad, sir-mortal bad-as bad's he can
be- the youngster piped out in reply.
An the doctor says if father lives till
morning, there'll be some 'opes; but il
be don't live till morning, hes won't
have no 'opes at nll."
Lord Archie laughed outright, and
Marcus Oxford continued: "But ]
don't believe Arnitt will live tillmorn-
ing, poor chap; and if not, what his
wife will do with all those youngsters
is rather a hard question"
Eyes; decent fellow, Arnitt; Ihad
him with my horses for q time. Pity
he married without waiting for leave;
It'll such a drag on man, unless the
wife happens to have some business OF
her own; and, Arnitt, poor. beggar, is
so oyerridden with children, and his
wife's line OF business not OF much use
to her."
what was it2"
ooh, she was a circus-rider, and a
ripping smart girl, too. ! remember
seeing her the year / joined. She had
a pretty little face, and a pretty little
figure too, and q lot of light crinkline
fair hair that seemed to wave all over
her head in shining fecks Of light;
never saw such Jolly hair"
tsShe's q pretty little woman now
Marcus Oxford remarked. ssWell?"
we were all more or less gone or
her. Lord Archie continued. "The
little favorite, we usedtocall her. Hel
circus name was Mademoiselle Favor.
ita-her own, God knows! However
none of the fellows could make any
impression upon her whatever, not
the very smallest, and one afternoon
about 6 o'clock, Imet her going dowr
TO the circus with Arnitt-and then
knew why. And. sure enough, YER,
shortly after that she and Arnitt goi
married. Ifhe'd put in for leave, an6
waited till he got it, which he would
very well, but he married her straight
out OF hand, and there they hav'
stuck ever since. .Arnitt ought tt
have got on, for he's q gentleman
Varsity man, too; but he's been I'm
lucky, unlucky all round"
HYou don't mean it," Oxford cried
in huge surprise, that he's a gentle
man-and a Varsity man."
ooh, but | do, though-an Oxfort
q / remember his face distinctl,
as a man Of B~razenose when I was a
Paul's, but for the very life / couldn'
then, and have never been able since
to put q name to it. And yet / al
most fancy-and | think Of it ever,
time / geta far look at him-tha
I've seen the face with a tuft abov
it,"
tuft! you don't mean it?" o.
ford cried.
aYes, do. Iget back to a certai
point, and then I seem to como to
dead-wall, which blocks me complete
W
Oh, You must be mistaken, or b
mixing him up with somebody else,
Oxford declared. cit couldn't be, 70
know; somebody would be sure tore,
ognizohim,s
Well, Imay be- Lord Archie az
mitted--AI may be, but still I've ha
the, same impression ever since / hay
been ia the regiment. Still, as 70