The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-08-08
A SOLDIERS LITTLE NANCE.

He sat in the seat i'm front of me on the
train, and O curious looking little man he
was. Not more than five feet high, l
should say, but squarely built and erect.
His face was covered with a bushy, curl
ing black beard, and his eyes twinkied
merrily from under his bushy eyebrows.
The uniform of a private i'm the army
which he wore made him noticeable, ever
IL his actions did not.
Across the isle were some little children
and i'm their prattle n play the little old
soldier took the greatest delight. His
twinkling eyes watched over every mo
ton Of theirs. He laughed when they did
and his face assumed q serious expression
when the youngest. a golden-haired little
girl, bumped her head against the back of
the seat and was taken, crying, into her
mothers arms to be consoled. But how
differently he looked ut the mother! The
on. She was pretty, too. And she knew
il. Fatal defect. And as she ooh the
lovely little child In her arms she took
care that the little girls shoes should not
soil her fur-trimmed garment.
The little old soldier seemed to notice
everything about her. For a man whose
face vas nearly covered with a bushy
beard, his face was remarkably tell-tale.
There had been nothing but kind emo
lions expressed on IL While he was watch
ing the children. But when his attention
was drawn to the young mother a hard
look, almost repellent, came into his eyes.
II certainly would have prevented any
woman who noticed il from seeking aid
from him, and yet no child would have
hesitated TO ask a favor of him.
watched him for an hour. II was al
ways the same. Smiles for the children;
cold, Indifferent, almost cynical, looks
for women There was q reason for 1t I
was sure. ! leaned forward and spoke
TO him.
.Ffne day, cap'n."
He turned with q friendly nod and a
merry twinkle in his eye.
you've hit the bull'seye, sir; but I amt
a captain, only q private sir. Amt that
He pulled some pieces of paper from his
pocket and showed me an honorable dis
cap from his head n pointed to the
front OF il. The insignia OF the arm of the
service TO which he had belonged was not
there.
"T'm mustered out" he exclaimed, with
something like a sigh.
"Well, it's a hard life,' said, consol-
fright again, sir. No home, nothing
coy about IL; here to-day, and away to-
morrow. No mind Of your o~wn-every-
thing planned out for you. All You have
to do Is to obey. II is all obey in the
private. Blu there's some that takes to il
for that very reason."
"Yon did not, IN warrant"
~ did. though"
vo "w " = a man that loves children rs
"Ha, hal You've found that out, have
you? Well, l amt ashamed Of ii. But
you can't a children without having
a wife-and-and-
"You don't wanta wife 2"
II had one,s ir.o
Then you might have had children ?'
II had q little girl, sir.n
"Ah, hal You joined the army to get
away from them," exclaimed, becoming
suspicious OF M new acquaintance.
mo; sir; l joined the army to forget
"They are dead ?"
"But you love the little one YETI"
"I-I-yes, sir, l guess i do. You see, IL
is this way. II was q long time ago, Mt
least IL seems long time since i was q
village. And like a big fool l fell in love
with the prettiest girl in the town. vas
a brightlooking lad i'm those days, sir,
with a. curly o head of hair, and as natty
a moustache as any about. i could dance
and sing and shoot with the hest OF them,
ahtu II 4 uo say ls tlltFe WU8nE u ulDtc
self"
'And they're a fine Hot" | said, inter
rupting him.
THAT they are. Well it's no wonder,
then, that Nancy said she would marry
tacbe, and a good leg hat catches the
country girls, just as money catches the
Tell me our story, man, and give the
girls their due" ! exclaimed.
s.s sHear sm me n OUT , he rTepIied, and then
IL was that ! went 10 Boston and made a
home for Nancy, and after a while we
were married and things seemed to be
streaked with sunshine. I was as happy
as n man ON q ~furlouRh, and after a while,
too proud TO live. 'Tain't every man that
has two such Nancy's as l l had, sir.n
He paused o 10 swallow. /
forebore suggesting hat he seemed all at
nee 20 have lost all his hatred for women.
well, IL was the old story. A man
with more money. and q reader tongue
had stolen Nancy's heart away. Not that
quite, either. because II she had ever
really loved me she would not have sbeen
false 10 me-"
"You e TO be very sure that she was
untrue 10 you"
sAh, that was the most cruel part OF Il.
One day my little Nance was citing on
my knee, and 1 was happy as a king hold
ing little Nance m watching Nancy the
wife while she was tidyinR up the house.
All at once little Nance said:
"'Papa, what does Mr.. Clark come here
SO much for when you Amt home z"
al saw Nancy blush holly, but l never
suspected anything was wrong even when
Nancy said: Hush. child
sWhy, Nance,I said, l guess you must he
mistaken. You mean the butchers young
man."