The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-07-11

'~.- "
TacO miSsiDcs had reached him.
The rain was FLASHING dismally on the
grimy window sill and over the awning
Of the shops below. The street cars went
jingling by with a dripping load of out
side passengers on both platforms. Wag-
ons and drays, cabs and closed carriages,
that ratified or rumbled along the ordi-
narily busy thoroughfare, looked as
though they had been dipped in the river
before being turned loose on the street,
and their Jehus, a bedraggled lot, must
needs have something amphibious in
their composition, else they could not
have borne up against the deluge that
had been soaking the city for two days
past. The policeman, waSdling aimlessly
about at the opposite corner, enveloped in
rubber cap and overcoat, cast occasional
wistful glances into the barroom across
the way. wherein the gas was burning
In Difference to the general gloom that
overhung the neighborhood, and such pc
destrians as had to be abroad hurried
along under their umbrellas as though
they half expected to have to swim before
they could reach their destination. The
dense cloud of sootv smoke that had
overhung the metropolis for weeks past,
and that wind from any direction could
never entirely dissipate, for the simple
reason that smokestacks by the score
shot up in the outskirts on every side,
now seemed to be hurled upon the roofs
and walls. the windows and the pave
ment, in a black, pasty, carboniferous
deposit, and every object out of doors
that one could touch would leave its inky
response upon the hand. A more depress-
ing "spell of weather" had not been
known for year, and every living being
in sight seemed saturated with the
general gloom-eyery living being ex-
cept one. Capt. Fred Lane, of the Elev-
enth cavalry, was sitting at the dingy
window of his Office in the recruiting
rendezvous on Sycamore street and actu-
ally whistling softly to himself in su-
preme contentment.
Two missives had reached him that
CHASTITY morning that had served to
make him impervious to wind or weather.
One-large, formal, impressive and bear
ing the stamp of the war department in
heavy type across its upper corner-had
borne to him the notification of his pro-
motion to the rank Of captain Troop d.
Eleventh cavalry, vice Curran, retired.
The other-a tiny billet-had given him
even greater happiness. 1t might be
hard to say how many times he had read
a.,1 81 eD,,v,1 ~ In
snowy cloth of his particular breakfast
table in his particular corner of the snug
refectory of 1.-THE Queen City," on the
books of which most respectable if some
what venerable club his name had been
borne among the list of army or navy
members ever since his graduation
leave" fifteen years before.
All his boyhood, up to the time of his
winning his cadetship at West Point, had
been spent in the city where for the.past
sixteen months he had considered him
self fortunate on being stationed on re-
cruiting service. During the second year
of his term at the academy he was startled
by the receipt Of q sad letter from his
mother, telling him briefly that his ia
ther, long one of the best known among
the business men of the city, had been
compelled to make an assignment. What
was worse he had utterly broken down
under the strain, and would probably
never be himself again. Proud, sensitive
and honorable, Mr.. Lane had insisted on
paying to the utmost farthing of his
means. Even the old homestead went,
and the broken hearted man retired with
his faithful wife to humble roof in the
suburbs. There, a few months after
ward, he breathed his last, and there,
during Fred's graduating year, she fol-
lowed him. When the boy entered on
his career in the army he was practically
alone in the world. Out of the wreck Of
his fathers fortune there came to him a
little sum that started him in the service
free from debt and that served as a nest
egg to attract future Accommodations.
This he had promptly banked until some
good and safe investment should present
itself, and, once with his regiment on the
frontier, Mr.. Lane had found his pay
ample for all his needs.
It is unnecessary to recount the history
OF his fifteen years service as subal-
tern. Suffice it to say that, steering
clear of most of the temptations to which
young officers were subjected, he had
won reputation as capital duty Off
cer," that was accented here and there
by some brilliant and dashing exploits
In the numerous Indian campaigns
through which the Eleventh had passed
with no small credit. Lane was never
one Of the jovial souls Of the regiment.
His mood was rather taciturn and con-
ternplative. He read a good deal, and
spent many days in the saddle exploring
the country in the neighborhood of his
post and in hunting and fishing.
But, from the colonel down, there was
not man in the Eleventh who did not