Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-11-25

:'Why, that's puzzling. Prince AL
bert coat and side-whiskers; that's the
description in the papers. Side-whis-
kers and Prince Albert coat. Confus-
ing. You have side-whiskers, have
you not? Z"
Eyes" blurted George, startled
At the end OF half an hour the Ninth
District prodigy found his dream of
electrifying West Point rudely dissi-
pated.
"Without exaggeration," said the
affable and clipper young man, turned
severe, and whispering TO give George
some honest help, my friend, you are
the worst-looking youth that ever en-
tered this institution. Those shout
ders that you throw back SO proudly
are also the worst shoulders | 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-l was at the
window and witnessed your royal
progress-that you expected to over
whelm us. But be less imposing. Go
to room No. IL and stay there. Don't
write the anticipated letter home say
ing that you have been made a cadet
officer for your physique or an assist
ant professor for your learning. Say
that we've got you in q blackboard
trying to straighten you out, and that
John, the janitor, is teaching you
arithmetic"
So ended Georges long-looked-for
first day at West Point. But he re-
covered with the elasticity of conceit
from this first shock, and laid his
plans for the future. He selected q
rich New York boy of his class for a
roommate 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 altogether as
he had intended they should. Dora
wrote once to know if her last letter
had miscarried, and then there was
silence on both sides. After perhaps
year he learned with some astonish-
ment that Dora's grandfather had
left her a fortune, and she with her
parents had gone to another state.
X
When we see George again his four
years at the academy were drawing to
a close. The mysterious changes that
were to convert him into an "officer
and gentlemen" he considered, had
been wrought. He wondered how he
could have been so awkward and i'll
hammered as he remembered himself.
He thought with disgust of the big
coat and ugly gloves. But perhaps he
was even less a gentleman than ever,
| for when his father had written that
he and "mother" were coming to see
him graduate as he had written them
not to, he said, "you mustn't go to
such an expense" In reality he was
ashamed of them.
In the season of gayety at West
Poirt George had not been idle. For
| the same reason that he had once as
pired to Dora, he now aspired to Miss
Lyman, the sister of his room mate,
and he shuddered when he thought of
her seeing his father and mother. He
| had known her one summer at West
Point, had been recommended as a
good solid fellow by her brother, had
been denied the pleasure of a winters
correspondence, but, to atone, had now
the promise of dancing with her at his
graduation german. He thought over
the form of an elegant proposal with
good hope.
Young Lyman, rich, handsome,
genial-he expected partner, too; q
partner who was also rich and hand
some, who lived next door to him at
home, with whom he fell desperately
in love on ''furlough," and to whom
he was to be married few days after
graduation.
The day before the ball Miss lyman
and George were walking in front Of
the library. He was twirling her par
asol, trying to make himself entertain
ing wondering if he would ever have
courage to say the words he had
planned, and thinking, with cunning
smile, what change there would be in
his companion if she knew the sordid-
ness of his early life. While they were
walking an old gentleman and lady de-
tached themselves from a group that
had just alighted from the stage and
came over to the tagging. They were
looking curiously about them.
"Wonder where heis nOw?" said the
old gentleman. "But we'll soon find
him. Surprise him, too-eh? He'll
think we don't mind expense when we
want to come and take look at our
'West-P ointer.'"
''Bless his heart!" said the old lady,
quite overcome with the near prospect
of meeting.
''Bless his heart, of course, for here
he comes. with a girl dressed like a
picture Don't say word-I'll sur
prise him." and the old man with his
badly cut clothes, his nervous, gnarled
hands, but with q happy beam upon
his face, planted himself in the middle
of the walk.
George looked up as the old mans
head was turned, started, stopped,
turned about, and, with his com
panion, walked quickly away, conceal
Ing himself behind the parasol.
"Come herep' cried the old gentle
man hilariously, and running after
! George: "gIless YOU haven't any. ewes