Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-12


something on his mind, and yet he did not |
know how to say it.
l waited patiently, and finally he came
to the point with startling abruptness and |
evident confidence in my full knowledge |
of the situation.
"she talks lot to you, he said SIS
there any other fellow?"
| was aware, of course, that there
was another fellow, but | thought it just
as well, perhaps, to keep the knowledge to
myself.
81 suppose you mean Constance, said.
"You should ask her."
81 have asked her." he cried excitedly.
Give asked he to marry ne-I've asked
her to love me-and she just opens them
eyes of her'n wide and laughs at me.
Mother man'd hate her for it, but I'm
that burned big fool I'd love her if she
killed me. Why, there amt no man can
love her as | do"
. "Cepting her father, boy-'cepting her
It was the little sergeant who had come
gladly left him to the task of comforter.
At the gate Con was waiting for me to
say good.by; but [ was so provoked with
her that | pretended not to see the little
outstretched hand, and couldn t resist say
ing:
"Jack is worth six of your fine ieuten-
ants, Con; you're fool not to marry
him."
Really, was the fool-to expect a girl
to love the man she ought to. Con was
only following the law of nature-or what
seemed to be.
= *
Nor nearly two months circumstances
prevented my going to the fort; when, one
day, | was exceedingly surprised to receive
visit from the sergeant.
When he came in he seemed to be
struggling between intense excitement
and desire to retain military COM
posture.
He stopped just inside the door and
saluted.
Madam, he said, 81 have come to take
Constance home with me.
looked at him in blank amazement.
''Constance!" l repeated; "she isn't
here. | haven't seen her.
My words seemed to take all the strength
| away from him, and he dropped into a
chair.
"Mon Dieu, MADAME he cried appeal
ingly; don't say that again; she must be
with you"
81 assure you am telling the truth, See.
geant. But what has happened?"
"What has happened? Alas! ma petite
Con has left me. 1t happened thus, madam !;
Three days ago called to her in the morn
ing. She did not answer | knocked at
| her door. Still no answer | went into
the room. She was not there"
| Everywhere | searched for her. The
| mo, vi bO no II boa,, on 5,,tu M Tho c,o4o
the early morning said that about an hour
toward the city. This is all the clue |
have to find her, for she hasn t any friends
outside the court. | went to Jack, but he
has seen nothing of her.
''He loves her, madam, yet he says hard
things OF my little girl. Things that |
| have ordered him out of my sight for say
ing" tho old man added proudly.
"Then, madam, | thought of you Per
haps Con had got tired Of the fort and
her old father, who's dull company at
best, and had away to pay you a visit
for little holiday. It has taken me
| three days to find you, madam. Jtwasn t
dutiful of her to leave me without a
word"
Then he suddenly remembered that he
had not found her, and he got up with
groana;
w.t." said. "What are you going
to do now? Has she no relatives she
might have gone to?''
He looked at me sadly and shook his
head. The tears were running down his
cheeks and be seemed incapable of speak
ing. He evidently knew nothing of Con s
love affair, but began TO have a grave
suspicion that the brave lieutenant was at
the bottom of the mystery.
After moment he took a newspaper
from his pocket and lain it on the table
Il found that on her bed" he said. Il
noticed it because Cons not much at read
ing"
The paper was a week old, and one of
the marriage notices had been cut out.
knew it was the notice that had been
wanted, because the reverse of the column
was the middle of a political article.
made the sergeant go down and take a
glass of wine, while | sent for another
copy of the paper. He waited in patient
silence, his eyes fixed on his cap, which he
held tightly clasped, and his hands pressed
between his knees After waiting an
eternity-as it seemed-the paper came,
and there was the notice, just what | had
/ feared, yet expected to see:
"WARWICK-WILBURN-On Tues
day, July Is, at Rochester, by the Rev.
DR.. Cotton, Henry Warwick, q. S. N, to
Catherine Merritt Wilburn.''
| Poor little Con had seen that notice and
gone at once to find out if it were true. He
knew from my talks with her that her
ideas of places and distances were of the
vaguest, and that she was capable of
starting on her quest for the ieuten ant
with nothing but her love to guide her.
| All that | knew and all that | guessed
| had to tell the sergeant. 1t was no easy
| task. 1t was very difficult to make him
| believe that his little Con had had sweet
heart and never told him. When he did,
he wanted to 60 at once to send chal-
| lenge to the lieutenant. Then he remem-
| beIed it was more important to find Con,
and he sat down again, feeble and heart
broken.
AT last made him go back to the fort,
and promised at once to get detectives to
look for his daughter.
We hunted for weeks without finding
her, and in the end she came back herself,
and as quietly and mysteriously as she had
disappeared.
Her father found her ghost, as he thought
at first, stretched across the doorway of
| his quarters one evening.
| She was burning with fever and out of
| her mind. No one could find out where
! she bad been or what she had done AL
though she talked necessarily, it was all
about beautiful dresses and prince.
Such a handsome prince she would
cry, with shining eyes, land he is going
to marry me-to make me a princess-and
J then | shall have my kingdom
Poor little Con! In the cherries light