San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-01-11
A COTTAGE BY TIE SEA.

Mr.. LandOn, eX-cotton-spinner, had good
reason to hate the army. His eldest daugh-
ter had married gallant young hussar,
who quickly spent her fortune at New
market and thereafter vanished from the
worlds ken, leaving her neither widow
nor maid. His eldest soma great scamp,
as the sons of steady businessmen often
are-entered dragon regiment, got into
some discreditable row. and tried by court
martial, dismissed the service and shot him
selfthrough the head the next day. His Sec
ond daughter, Clara, was cruelty Tilted by
a guardsman, and died at Bournemouth q
year subsequently Of a broken heart. A
second son-at Woolwich-was blown to
pieces by shell which exploded in his
hands while he was examining 1t; and last,
but not least, his one remaining child, his
| eve lamb, Lily, evinced a remarkable pre-
possession for the military. The Grand
Duchess of Gerolstein was not fonder of
soldiers than Lily Landon; but then she
only saw them at a distance, never at close
quarters. This idiosyncracy was made all
the more distressing to Mr.. LandOn from
the circumstance of his residing in garri-
| son town, which is a seaport as well. He
could not prevent Lily seeing soldiers and
he abolish the regimental band which al
ways made Miss Lily's blue eyes sparkle,
| and caused her uncOnsclOusly to assume
something of the audaciOus demeanor Of
yivandiere. All he could do was to engage
| a distant relative as duenna; but under
a homely exterior this old lady concealed
a romantic disposition, with a singular be-
lief in what is now derided as chivalry.
The Barsetshire Regiment, alias the Royal
Bombardiers, was quartered at yarmouth
at this time, and an exceedingly lively
mess was one of the distinctions of the
regiment, twothirds of the members being
young Irishmen. 1t was currently report
ed that these young gentlemen, of good
family, but slender means, were the plague
| Of the Alphabetically life, so frequent
were the complaints and grievances that
arose from their racing, rowing, rat-hunt-
ing, and other proclivities, and that the
Commander-in-Chie himself had threat
ened to honor the two worst scapegraces of
them all with the distinction of a court
martial. The two in questionable head
and front of all this offending-however,
took life riotously, and were, indeed, on
the high road to Avernus, when the fol-
lowing incidents occurred: They were
close allies, these two; so much so that they
went by the name of Castor and POllux in
the Observation-Disclosures that will do just
as well as their real ones, which are those
Of noble Irish family. Lieuts Castor
and Pollux, then, were walking down the
High street arm in arm, with very large
cigars in their mouths and very small bull
terriers at their heels, when Nick, alias
Castor, felt an electric thrill, so to say,
from the arm of his pal Dick (Pollux), and,
from previous experiences, at once cOnclud-
ed that there was pretty girl around. So
there was, and a benign old lady wreathed
| in smiles also
"By George! What an exceedingly pretty
| girl" quoth Nick and Looks very sol
/ vent" said more practical Dick.
IN b 0SDSasENGi