Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-05-03

an opinion on the ubject"
ooh, l quite understand that, but d.
tell me what course I had better take,
she said, glancing appealiugly at him
"How am |, helpless woman, to fine
out whether these dreadful reports arS
true or not? And yet feel that L must
kLoW the truth or go mad"
After pause, during which the coione
was evidently lost in thought, ne replied
"Mrs. Werner, promised to do the best
I could for you, and | will. am going
down to Aldershot III a few days, and
shall there see Col. Tompson; from him
/ will ascertain what reputation fol
wealth your son has in the regiment.
admit that don't N Hch like the detective
part of the business, but [ feel that it is 6
sacred duty to project lady in your sad
position"
ooh, how kind of you, Col. Punter!n
she exclaimed. This is more than I had
any right to expect that you would dc
for me. But, oh, let me beg of you not
to expose my son if these rumors should
be true, and let me implore you not to
seek an interview with him on the subj eot
| If you learn from the colonel, as you
kindly say you will, whether What 1 have
| heard is true of not, and would on your
return to town, grant me q few words OF
! advice as to what course l had better
take, I should be very grateful"
Il shall be most happy, Mrs. Werner
said he briskly, ''but feel sure that you
! will find that there is nothing in it after
| all. Your son, as far as [ know him, is a
charming young fellow, and quite incap-
able of the frauds which these accusations
| impute TO him. So pray keep up your
spirits, and, if it is convenient TO you,
, let US arrange to meet here at this time
on this day week"
The time was quite convenient to Mrs.
Werner, and, with many apologies for
! the liberty she had taken in calling to ask
his advice, she departed.
On his journey down to Aldershot the
! next morning Col. Punter thought good
| deal about his fair visitor CT the day before
and her troubles. He heaped. moreover,
many bard words on the head of young
Werner (for, of course, he supposed him,
at any rate, partially guilty.. Selfish
| young rascals, all the lot of them!'' said
he to himself; They don't mind a straw
how much trouble they bring to their re-
| lations, if only they can indulge them
| selves; and such a charming woman, toon'
And then he went off into reverie, in
the midst of which he found himself
| specializing as to whether man of his
ago was absolutely and irrevocably too
old to marry without making himself
look like fool; and as the train arrived
at Aldershot he had just come to the con-
clusion that there was good deal to be
said on both sides.
That very evening he saw Col. Thomp-
son, and in the course of conversation
managed to ask his questions about
young Werner, and found out that, &C
cording to Col. Thomp son, Werner was
| the son of rich merchant in Singapore,
and that his people had not been in Eng
land for many years.
eyes, thank you," said Col. Punter; 81
thought had heard of his people in Eng
land, but | suppose l must be mistaken"
and then he changed the subject. He hap
pened, however, just before mess Che was
the guest of the regiment that night, to
meet Werner by himself, and he suddenly
resolved, in spite of the widows request,
to say a few words to him. So, stepping
forward and addressing the young man
in somewhat constrained voice, he said
"Would you mind taking a turn with me,
as there are few things 1 should like to
speak to you abOut?"
II shall be most happy, Col. Punter,' "
]
earth the old boy had to say to him,
No sooner were they well out of ear
shot than the colonel turned short on his
companion and said sternly: 81 saw your
mother in town yesterday" and then
paused to watch the crushing effect Of
his words. But no crushing effect was
visible; on the contrary, Werner answer
ed in accents of mild surprise:
"You must be thinking of some one
else, sir; my mother is at Singapore.
No; am not thinking of anybody
else," said the colonel still more sternly
and then added: $50 you are going to
brezen it out, are your"
'Brazen what out?" said the young
man, apparently thoroughly puzzled.
you know very well" said the colonel;
"and if you don't, you soon will" Then
he turned on his heel and walked off.
Young Werner stood for moment
looking after him, then walked away,
laughing heartily.
AZ mess that night he was heard to say
to brother officer: "You know old
Punter, who's here tonight"
YES" replied the other; ~ know him
pretty well. What about him?"
':He was in India good deal, wasn't
he?"
Yes. WelI?"
"Did he ever get touch of the sun?"
"Dare say he did; most people do out
there
"WelI, if he did, it has affected his
brain-poor old boy!'
''What on earth do you mean?"
"Why, mean that the gallant colonel
may have his lucid intervals, but when he
met ne just before mess, he was as mad
as hattes."
GLOW mad?"
"Well, he told me that he had met my
mother yesterday in London"
"She's at Singapore, isn't she?"
eyes, and has been for the last twent y
years, and so 1 told him."
what did he say to that?"
"He said he saw was going to brazen
il out. l said, 'Brazen out what?' and he
retorted, with a scowl that would have
frightened an elephant that I knew very
well. Then he turned and walked of.
could not help laughing at the poor old
fellow at the time, he was so desperately
serious about it all. However, the sun
may do the same to me some day, and
really pity him, for he's a very good chap
, when he's all right"
30, capital fellow" replied the 9th CT
"and can tell very good story. It's
really very sad. Il suppose it must have
been touch of the sun, though L never
heard of his being odd before"
"He seems ell right now, anyway" said
Werner, looking up the table to where
Col. Punter was sitting.
"Oh yes, he's all right now. I'll tel
you what, Werner; have an explanation
The old boy came down from town by g
midday train, and dare say missed his