Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-11-20


In the three days chat followed the trans
fer of funds and property at the recruiting
rendezvous took place aud Mr.. Noel step
ped in, vice IAae. relieved and ordered TO
reioin his regiment The former was having
adelightful time A guest Of the wealthy
Witherses could not long be stranger
within their oates tosthe queen citizens,
and every afternoon and evening found
him ENJOYING hosptalities of the most
cordial character AT the clEb be had al
ready become hail fellow with all the
younger element. and he'd made himself
decidedly popular among the elders, and
every man who had not met chat jolly
Capt. Noel WAS eager 10 be presented 20
him lie WAS ready for pool, billiards,
bowling or drink the moment Ike got
within the stately doorway; md, a. he
sang, whistled laughed chatted aud
cracked innumerable iokes during the
various games, was "A capital mimic and
could peisanatc Pat, Hans or Crap2ld with
telling effect, ais presence was pronounced
by every one as better than "a solid week OF
Notwithstanding the Queen City rare
ly, if ever, experienced
Poor Lane. on the contrary, was nearly
worrying his heart out He had gone to
the Vincents' the very evening on which
he had seen the father Of the samiiy Oh for
New York. and had nerved himself to put
his fortune to the test-to tell her of his
deep and devoted love and to ask her 10 be
his wife That she well knew he loved
her, without being told, he felt sure mast
be the ease; but. beyond a belief tina; she
liked and trusted him, the captain bad not
the faintest idea as TO the nature of her
feelings toward him. He was modest
fellow, as has been said. His glass told
him that. despite pair of clear gray eyes
and decidedly soldierly cut to his feat
ures he was not what women called n
handsome man; and, what was more,
there were little strands of gray just be-
ginning to show about his broad forehead
and in the heavy mustache that shaded
his mouth. Lane sighed as he remembered
that he was in his 35th year How could
she care for him-tifteen years her senior?
Lane rang the door bell that night, and felt
once more that his heart was beating even
rs it did at O'Clock when he was ushered
into the awful presence OF her father
Miss Vincent has not left her room to-
day, and is not well enough 10 come down
tonight. sir, 50 said the servant who came
to the door, ''and Mrs Vincent begged to
be excused because of Miss Mabel's mech
ing her"
IL am very, very sorry" stammered
the captain. Please say that Mr. Lane
calledn (they hid known him so well for
two months as Mr. Lane that he could
not yet refer 70 himself by his new title).
"and-and would call again tomorrow,
hoping to hear Miss Vincent was much bet
ter
And thea. detected and miserable. and
vet with something akin TO the feeling one
experiences when going to a dentists to
have tooth drawn and the dreaded WELD
er Of the forceps proves to be away, Lane
retreated down the broad stone steps until
he reached the walk. gazed up at the dim
light in the window which he thought
might be hers, mathematical himself for
his lack Of self possession in not having
asked whether there wasn't something be
could bring her-something she would like
for the simple hearted fellow would
have tramped all night all over the town
to lind and fetch it-and then a happy
thought occurred to him: Women al
ways love flowers" He ran to the next
street, boarded q west bound car, and was
soon down town at his favorite florists
Give me a big box Of cut fowers-the
handsomest you have" be said: and while
they were being prepared he wrote a few
lines on a card, tore it up, tried AGAIN on
another, and similarly reduced that 10
fragments, and finally, though far from