The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-08-30
A STORY OF THE DAY.

".
The speaker, very young and grlish.look.
ing, was lying on a sofa, while close by,
looking fcndly and anxiously down on her,
sat a tall, soldier-like man in uniform.
They were great contrast in every way.
She was little woman, very fair, with dark
violet eyes, an abundance Of golden brown
hair, and an appearance Of excessive fra
gility, which accounted fully for the look Of
sadness mixed with love and protection,
with which her husband was regarding her.
He was very TALL, standing over six foot, and
dark; his hair and mustachc were dark
brown, and he had n pair OF piercing dark
gray eyes. II was Capt. Douglas. His ex.
preston was usually somewhat proud and
stern but at this Moment Il was softened
into one Of almost womauly sweetness and
tenderness. The regmentwas unfortunately
stationed nj S., one of those spots Of our
foreign dependencies where the climate ia
perniciously hot and enervating; and fears
crossed him at times that II might be sap
ping away his wife's life.
"My dear Blanche" was his answer,
"there is no giving up of prospects in the
case. shall infinitely prefer exchanging
into regiment now at home. No one could
possibly have been more vexed than was
when we were sent ont to serve Her Majesty
in this delectable quarter of the globe.
should like TO have exchanged then and
there, only that would hardly have done.
And as for prospects -"
lie broke off here he had been about TO
say: "There are not many prospects here,
the chances are so slight of being called to
active SERVICE" But lie checked himself, re.
membering that what was the hope of his
life was the dread Of his poor little wife's.
GO prnunarfc ora anita coo1 aud battar
In healthier climate" he continued. eel
have quite decided. shall go to-day to
the Colonel, and ask him to write the neces.
sary application for me. And then, please
God, when we get hack to bonnie England,
shall see the roses on my Blanche's cheeks
again, as they were year ago, when mar
ried herl"
"But, Ronald land blush came over
her pale cheeks as reminder Of what the
roses had BEEN" could not 60 to England
at present, could Ii''
Z" Not for the next two or three months.
No, my dear, of course you could not but
az soon as possible after your confinement is
over You shall go. As DR.. Spencer says,
the sea voyage and the change from this
oven to cool, healthy climate will be the
very thing to restore you to strength. So
have been thinking had best make my ar
engagements at once, and get my application
for an exchange sent of by the next mail. -
Have you settled what regiment You
will try to exchange inioY" she asked.
eyes. Into -th," he answered. "I
think II could be done without trouble.
Ferrars Is in 1t, aud know he ia wild to get
moved abroad, no matter where. The last
heard Of his regiment Il was quartered at
Dover, and seemed likely to remain there.
1t would be the very place for you, Blanche
, the fresh breezes of the channel would soon
bring back your roses, and"
Capt. Douglas was interrupted by the en-
trance of Or. Spencer, who had looked in
every few days to SEQ Mrs. Douglas since her
health began TO fail. The Captain drew him
aside when he was leaving, and told hin,
what he had resolved upon.
"I am heartily glad to hear it," said DR..
Spencer. "I do not hesitate to tell you
that change of climate is the best hope for
your wife's restoration, If not life. shoull
have ordered her TO England long ago, had
II not been that she so dreaded and shrank
from the separation from You; and feared
the fretting would do her more harm than
the climate.'
I" But she cannot travel until the child is
born, can she?"
"Of course not; and you must not leave
her here pray, bear that in mind when
arranging your exchange"
Il know, know. l should not think OF
leaving her. l shall send in my application
at once. 1t will take some little time to ar
range matters, and / can easily apply for a
short leave before joining another regiment.
want to be ready to take my wife home as
soon as you shall say that il is safe for her
to travel"
Ill 4
depart, when Capt. Douglas touched his arm
to detain him his voice trembled and his
eyes were dimme1, strong and brave man
though he was, as he spoke the question he
wished to put.
"Tell me the truth, doctor; ! wonld
rather know It. Do yOu think there is a
reasonable hope that she will get through
her trial safely ?"
There was pause before DIR. Spencer an
swered, and when hs did slight hesitation
aud want of confidence might have been OBJ
served in his tone.
"Capt. Douglas, hope for the very best, T"
he said. cannot conceal from yOu that
there is some danger from the excessive
weakness to which this climate has raduced
her but, on the other hand, she is young
and 1t is in her favor that she is evidently
very happy and wishes with all her heart to
live. need hardly caution you," he con-
tinued, "tO be most careful to keep every
worry and annoyance from hsr, however
slight anything on her mind would be al
most certainly fatal"
The soldiers face, which had been wear
ing an expression of the deepest sadness,
now for an instant lighted up with happy,
confident smile, as he readily promised obe-
dience to the Doctors mandate. Keep all
hos l. a., al 70 q
Aye, that would he indeed no need TO press
this upon him.
A short year only had elapsed since he
had made pretty Blanche Cameron his wife.
She was an orphan, not without means OF
her own, but living with relations who I'M
derst0od her little and cared for her less.
She had never known what IL was to have
any one who cared 10 enter into any of her
pursuits, or TO whom shs could confde her
best thoughts and feelings, until she met
Ronald Douglas. Their friendship quickly
ripened into love on both sides, and after a
short engagement she became his wife, and
went out with him TO S., TO which place
his regiment had just been ordered.
have not space here to tell how happy
their married life was how, after her lonely
neglected past she valued his devotion and
perfect sympathy, his unfailing courtesy /;
nor of how she returned his love, and strOve
to make his home happy. Their life was
almost an ideal one in its perfect confidence
and affection. But alas, there was one trial
from which all Ronald's care and devotion
could not save her. Her health, which
hitherto had been fairly good, though never
robust, failed /; she could not stand the ener.
waiting climate of s.; and, as we have
heard from DR.. Spencer, the choice lay be.
tween sending her away from the husband
who was all on earth to her, or allowing her
to remain in climate that was almost kill
ing her. This had now ended in her hus.
band having made mp his mind to exchange,
II possible, into a regiment stationed at home.
Capt. Douglas lost no time. That same
evening no went to His Colonel, with tho in
tsntion Of asking him to write the necessary
application for leave to exchsnge. liz found
Col. Dsans at home, and ina faw words made
him acquainted with his errand. The Col
onel expressed regret at The prospect of los
ing him from the regiment, in which he was
general favorite both with officers and men
but quite agreed with ths motives which had
led him to come to this decision, and did moi
hesitate to comply with his request.
Let me see" he said, speaking rapidly,
"this is the 18th the mail goes out ON the
18Th. will write this letter TO day, Doug
las, and II you will come down here to NOR
row afternoon with two of your brother Off