Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-09-01
TWO KINDS OF LOVE.
A Graphic Tale Of Army Life and
Death.

A Graphic Tale Of Army Life and
Death.
u would be difficult to find n region
wherein extremes meet more strikingly
han in that portion of the Pacific coast
Gong which some of the posts of the
Cnited States army are situated. The
retinements in advanced civilization are,
in many eases, as scrupulously adhered
to by tho garrison officers and their
families as they are unknown and UNI
carcd-for among the rough miners and
ranchers who surround them. AS n
natural result of all this there is no sort
of intercourse between the two classes,
and each knows comparatively little of
the habits and lives of the other.
One exquisite afternoon, when the sun
was going down with a soft gorgeous
ness unknown TO Eastern skies, there
can.e along II little woodland path a'tall,
Young girl, whom il would have been
somewhat difficult to identify with either
of the classes referred to. She might
have been daughter or sister TO one of
he officers but that sort of ruralness,
far as possible from awkwardncss,
.cmcd to characterize her. But, rs TO
RI face. she was beautiful enough to be
lara We're dc Ncrc-Or n wood nymph
though in reality she was very far re-
moved from either type. She was only
Mary Gray, the teacher of the little
school, where tho rough miners chill
drcn went to get their early store of
learning. Being left dependent OH her
own eXcrtions, on the death of her
father, she had come from somewhat
more civilized community to take this
school, and had got board in the family
of the parents OF some of her pupils,
plain, Woodworking people, who did not
understand her ways and cared so little
TO investigate them that they let her en-
tircly alone, not knowing what q boon
they conferred thereby.
So she lived her lonely life, scarcely
knowing that it was lonely. No girl
could have been less retrospective and
analytical of self, and she did not once
suspect that her soul was EMBODIED like
the fragrance in rosebud. She no
more dreamed of a fuller life than the
colorless, scentlcss bud, in its wrappings
of dingy green, dreams that it needs but
the magic touch of the sun to burst into
n joyous and fragrant rose.
Was the costume she wore on the
evening we are speaking of an elegant
toilet or not? Who shall say? 1t was
the simplest white cotton dress that clad
her slim beauty with fitness that made
il seem part of it, and the hat she wore
was plain white straw that seemed to
set on her dainty head and shade her
blue eyes rs no other bit of millinery in
the world could have done. 1t was
warm evening, and the kcrchief that
crossed OH her breast left bare Il portion
of the roundncss of her milk-white
throat, and outlined, rather than con-
ccalcd, the slim beauty of her figure.
She had two shabby little books i'm one
hand, and in the other a great glowing
bunch of hcliotropc, pulled with the
vanton grcclincss with which we mass
>ogcthcr the ox-cyc daisies and golden
oil of our country walks. Now and
hen, us she strollcd along, she held this
,ouquct close to her face and inhaled It's
sweetness with keen, scnsuous enioy-
ment.
She was entirely unconscious of self
and certainly nothing was farther from
her thoughts just now than that she
was the object of attention from n pair
of very interested eyes. These were in
the possession of tall young officer,
WIG came sauntering toward her, with
nat Undesirable case of bearing which
amiliarity with barracks and ball
ooms sometimcs-by no means always
--imparts. He was dressed in sort of
-atiguc uniform and was smoking
cigarette, which he threw away as he
came nearer the young girl, lifting his
cap ut the same moment. Mary knew,
OF course that he was one of the officers
from the post. She had often seen
them, rs she had seen the birds of the
air, but she had never spoken TO one
OF them, and she would almost as soon
have expected one of the birds to sweep
down and engage her in conversation
rs she would have expected one of the
officers to talk to her. Ii was not OK
actly that sho felt them so far above her
only altogether different Five minutes
later the episode had passed out of her
mind.
Not so with Capt Darcy. He had
once had susceptiblitics almost as keen
rs Mary's now. and while these were
now some, what the worse for wear he
was still fastidious enough to be fired
TO something like enthusiasm by the
wonderful beauty of the girl he had met
so unexpectedly in that lonely wood. He
must find out who she was Mt all costs,
and so, after watching her out of sight,
he set of rather rapidly toward the post
TO make inquiries at once. He had re-
Gently been ordered here. in general
upturning in army circles, but he was
determined 10 find some one TO give
him the information he desired
A month passed. Perhaps il was
very much such month TO Darcy as
numerous others he could recall. But
what month for Mary Gray. What q
revelation of wondcrl What an UNI
dreamed of flood of glory had been
poured out on her poor. dull, patient
little life! Poor little life, indeed! 1t
had been stagnant and uninspiring
enough before, and now ii was to learn
to tho last letter, all tho mysterious les
sons Of Joy and pain that are taught
only in the school Of love.
Once more the setting sun illumi-
mated tho quiet little woodland path,
and once more little Mary Gray is
strolling homeward In the scented sum-
mar air. But this time she was not
alone. A handsome young soldier
walked, with familiar case, at her side,
and now, rs they reached fallen log
that obstructod their pathway, he gave
her his hand to help her to cross II, and
when she stepped upon Il and paused a