The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-11-28
WITHOUT A DOVER.

RmulDS anu lTcSu, muTDluT u duiulId-
ton rose from the groups of officers
gathered near the doors. Behind her
came her mother in toilet somewhat
queer and provincial in style, shaking
her cork screw curls of white hair, as ii
to say: This is my daughter" And
her father, slender, gentle, modest Colo
mel of the l23d, followed, taking care
not to step on the trains of their dresses.
She was scarcely seated before squad
of lieutenants and of captains, forming
the elite of the garrison of Versailles,
buttoned up in their full-dress uniforms,
with mustaches either light or dark,
with eyes either timid or bold, rushed
forward in a combined assault upon her
''carnet be ball." and in the golden light
of the chandeliers. to the sound of the
instruments, she whirled away, light and
graceful, carried round in the arms of
these young men, al of whom were
anxious to please her. For them her
desires were their orders, her caprices
their laws. Daughter of the Colonel!
Whenever the list of promotions was
prepared. word OF praise thrown out
csrelessly by her, SUCH as: "Ah, Lieu
tenant So.and-so, what charming officer
and what good waltzer," was enough
10 determine whole career.
She had thus passed twenty-five years
of very happy life, making the round
Of al the garrisons OF Frauce, and with
colors flying and trumpets sounding,
living somewhat nomadic existence.
Her mother commenced to show little
impatience; she would rather have seen
her married, but between her and her
su;tors there was fearful barrier, upon
which were written these decisive words
without DOVER" And the officers
Airted, laughed and danced, but ne er
seemed to think OF marrying. To please
the daughter Of the colonel in order to
obtain favors-very good. But to 60 as
far as maria e-that was another thing
Not one of all of them seemed disposed
that way except certain timid and
bashful Lieutenant, who for year or so
had loved her, but only succeeded in
provoking her rldiculc. He was big
fellow with red musta:he and blue eyes,
born in Lorraine and educated at Saint
Aaixent. He had enlisted at the age Of
eighteen years, was wouaded in the bat
:1e OF Coulmiers, and wore a military
Meaal, but as he had not come from the
school of Saint Cyr the Others held him
at distance. Born Of peasant parent
age, he was robust and hearty, saying
little. although well educated. cry
brilliant upon parade, he was completely
lost in a salon. He scarcely knew
how to dancc. The fear of being
considered impolitc had once impeiied
him to invite the young girl to dance,
and he so mixed up the figures of the
''BoSton" that the Others could not eX-
tricate themselves. TAis unfortunate
attempt was enough for him, and he
would rather have faced battery in
action than to place h mseit again in the
same ridiculous position. Concealed N
the recess of the window he gazed for
hours upon her whom l,c adored. Some
time, he was so bold as to approach her
mother, and tremendously to pay her his
addresses, but that was the limit of his
audacity. He saw with envy his COM
rades 1iuttering around her, striking
their attitudes and showing themselves
of to advantage. lie said sadly to him
self:
.'One O.: these days the news will be
announced in the mess that she is going
to marry one of those gentlemen, and it
will be all over with me-"
He had moments of deep despair in the
icy stiffness of his room. He tried to
reason. Was it not folly to think of
this spoiled child, accns oned to all the
surroundings of luxurious life? She
was reserved for some son of dis
tiDguished family and not for poor
officer of fortune. But in spite of HIM
self his thoughts always lew toward her.
One morning he could endure it no
longer, 1t was impossible to live in that
way. He went to lind the Ma or, who
had always shown an interest in him,
and begged him to see the Colonel, and
without exactly putting the question,
try to find what sort of I'm answer would
be made to an offer of marriage. He
pas ed that day sitting by the Swiss
fountain, watching the carp jump in the
sunshine, regretting already the step he
had taken, and seeing the future black
before him. That evening the Ma ior
took him aside in the court Of the caserne,
and said to him briefly:
81 have seer the Colonel. He was
very kind, and this is his reply: 'Yoar
protege has not a sou. My daughter
has no dover. 1t would be marrying
hunger and thirst He is right. 80
not think any more OF the girl. and if
you feel very bad about it console yoar-
self with philosophy
The lieutenant thanked him, but could
not console himself in that way, and as
they were demanding volunteers for
Tonqun he offered his services.
The following week he embarked at
Brest, and while he, with heavy heart,
was saiiin9 away over the rolling waves
of the VIDE ocean, the young girl,
thoughtless and Joyous, continued to
dance i'll the light and among tie flowers
TO The sweet sound OF the Instruments Of
music.
=:
Two years had passed. The General
was still receiving ut lis fine hotel, but
the charming girl WHO used to turn al
the heads at these brilliant IN Hilary
soirecs did not appear any more. The
Colonel of the H.. had died suddenly,
just upon the eve of obtaining his pro-
motion. A lonely and mouotonous ex-
istence succeeded to the gay and brilliant
lie of the two women. All the obsc-
auious officers who used to futter around
10 gallantly had disappeared with the
pleasure and the gayety. The new
Colonel OF the regiment had also wife
and a daughter. For them, the powers
of the present, were all the attentions,
IL .sa aaarafrr To the cSnarainnS of