Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-06-19
riends, and gave parties. and supper.,

I
a. entered by Jack Nesby H. the ac-
count of his finances, included bills for
| many boxes of flowers and confectionery
sent from the East.
1t was generally conceded by most OF
the garrison that Mr.. Nesby stood a
better show than any of the Others.
| You know he lives in the same
house, Lieutenant Stanton complained
10 Mrs. Retlaw, the wife of Jacks first
| lieutenant
| Yes, and Miss Ralston always speaks
OF Mr.. Nesby as belonging TO our com-
pany,' Mrs. Retlaw sweetly replied,
which so distressed valiant Mr.. Stanton
that he soon left, and confessed to his
| friend Jones, over a sociable toddy in
their quarters, that he (Stanton) con-
sidered Mrs. Retlaw very vindictive
woman. and Jones agreeing with him,
they sealed their unison of opinion with
another toddy.
However favorable the garrison con-
sidered Jacks chances, his own views
OF the matter, as he sat putting at his
| pipe, were other than encouraging OF
pleasant.
There is no doubt that love her.
he thought-'love her honestly and
truly; but while, in my present deplor-
able financial fix Pun thinking and try
ing to arrange matters, some other
duffer VIII go ahead-and, good-by,
Jack!'
1t seemed as If the fates were against
the poor fellow that night, for presently
there came to him through the openings
in his foor-and, like most old army
quarters, there were plenty of them
the sounds of voices and music, which
soon evoked from him the following re-
| marks:
There's that man Stanton trying to
sing again. l wish they'd muZzle him.
There he goes:
ain the cleaning Oh my darling"
And sure enough, in the parlor
below, Stanton was singing, and really
very well, In the Gloaming,' and Miss
RalstOn was playing his accompani-
ment:
There's only one way TO escape this, ,
Jack thought. I'll go to the store to
see what the fellows are DOING
And putting on his overcoat and fur
cap, he noiselessly left The room, de-
scended the stairs, and passed out into
the darkness.
When he returned to his room, late
that night, he added one more item to
the difference
''Sundries, $500"
The next morning, on coming back
from breakfast at the Bachelors Mess,
Jack dropped in TO see his captains
family, as was his usual daily custom.
Captain Mauron was not i'll. In
| Specting his company Mrs. Mauron
told him, though she well knew the
| captains whereabouts was a matter of
| supreme Indifference to his second lieu
tenant.
And Miss Ralston?' Jack hesitat-
ingiy inquired.
IsOh, Nellie is in her room, writing a
note TO Mr.. Stanton She'll be in pres
emily. BY the way, Mr.. Nesby, why
didn't you drop in last evening? Quite a
number of the bachelors were here, and
we had splendid time. Mr.. Stanton
and Nellie sang few duets together.
Do YOU know | consider him a very
delIg ghtful young fellowP Dear mel lie
reminds Inc very much of Will when
he WAS youngp
To all of which poor Jack had 10
listen.
There was one thing about Mrs.
Mauron that even her enemies had TO
acknowledge. She Was never at loss
for words, and she ratified on until Miss
Ralston came in.
Then. considering she had paid atten-
ton enough TO their second lieutenant
for one day, she lett the young people
alone.
Ii Is is hard TO tell what really made
Nellie Ralston SO attractive to most
people, she could hardly be called hand
some.
She was of rather slight figure, fairly
tall, with hazel eyes. very dark brown
hair, and a sweet, tender mouth, that
was her chief charm.
ANY girl with fifty thousand dollars
in her own name would be attractive TO
most bachelors, Mrs. Lyston. the young
and giddy wife of the quarternaster,
once disdainfully said.
But her remark not meeting with the
appreciation she eN''""ted, and Lyston
himself Ia delight ] fe OWL looking at
her rather sharply, subsidized.
1t must have been the charm Of Miss
Ralston's manners-thoroughl unaf-
fected and sincere-thaJ won her so
many friends and admirers.
At least, so reasoned Mr.. NesDy, as
he sat opposite her, thoroughly content
and happy TO be in her presence.
1t was a rather strange fact that when
Jack was with Miss Ralston, the many
pretty lite ideas he had thought of
when away from her entirely escaped
his memory, and their conversations
were, in consequence, of the most COM
monplace, but this morning he had
made up his mind TO speak to her
seriously and candidly, and learn his
fate from her.
Everything seemed propitious. The
captain and Mrs. Mauron were out of
the way, and Nellie herself seemed In
an especially tender and gentle mood
The conversation had drifted from
the discussion of garrison events to the
topic of army marriages.
L don't believe Jack was saying,
that a man has any right TO speak of
marriage t. girl unless he is tinan-
cially able to take good care OF her
! Look at the many second heutenants in
the army who are married. It's about
all they can do to get along-living in
two or three rooms. unable TO get serv-
ants, and their wives subjected to all
sorts of annoyance and Inconvenience.
No; L don't believe a man ought TO
marry until he has at least one bar on
his shoulder
And he thought, with immense salts
faction, OF his own position and ranking
second lieutenant of the regiment, and
the senior captain number two on the
lineal list.
There was a few moments silence,
and then Nellie sad, rather scornfully:
And you think a mans rank would
influence woman if she cared for him?
Really, Mr.. Nesby. thought you had
a better opinion OF US than that
1t began to dawn upon Jack that his
remarks had not the desired effect
No, not exactly that he said; but
| what / meant was that man oug ht