The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-12

and had actually figured as such in the first
returns Of casualties. Luckily, the mistake
was discovered In time, and severely
wounded was substituted for killed.
SanEulne though the doctors were about his
hurt being Of no great consequence, yet
they we're a little cnary of speaking de-
cistvely about it for a few days, and hest
tated 10 describe as slightly" u wound
which might even ye: take a serious turn.
Il might have been some satisfaction to
| Mickey Finn had he undo stood that Capt.
/ BynR had no knowledge OF how he was re-
turned IN that nights casualties
/ Severely woundedh thought Frances
( when left TO herself All how often had
that word been the precursor OF died OF
! his wounds" of la,e. She had heard 1t said
that the wretched accommodation Of the
field hospitals gave little chance Of recovery
TO those once ADM ted into them. On, If
she could but 90 out to nurse him. But
that vas impossible If she could out write
/ 70 him. But no, he had never spoken--he
/ mad gwen her no riglt to do that. And
! yet in her heart Of hearts she believed that
! ne loved her. Oh, she had been mad she
had baen rightly punished. Sac bad Jeered
/ at the roglnent-sueered at him; and no
| doubt Nell mad told Hugh Fleming, as she
| she intended Nell should, and 50 all ner bit
| ter words had come round TO his ears. how
could SIZE have been So wicked aud spitefull
/ How was he to ever know that such words
escaped her lips in the agony of wnat she
! believed 70 be her rejected love.
NJ! she must go away. She could not
stay at Twmbarlym, for every body, she felt
sure would read her secret in her face.
! She would 20 TO the LYudens. She hum
| gered TO near all about the old LOT. 10 talk
| Of Hugh Fleming, Of Tom; and her face
! flushed even as her lips syllab!ed the name.
| She would hear, TOO, wat his hurt was.
whether 1t "as likely to 60 very hard with
| hlm-nO. If Nellie would have hershe would
go to Manchester ct once. She would write
by that days post, and then tie return
OF her mother cut snort the thread of her
| medltations.
As she had anticipated, Mrs Smerdon
found herself speedily taken into her daugh-
| ter's confidence, ard not only sO9thed the
girl. but proceeded, apEorically, to bind
| up her wounds forthwith The Smerdons
| were good, homely, as well as self-made,
| people, and neither Of them entertained any
| extreme ambitions for either their sons or
daughter. Smerdon had attained wealth,
and with it such ascent in social status as
is its inevitable accompaniment. So long
| as Frances married gentleman of fair
repute she was free to choose where she
| listed, and Mrs. Smerdon knew very we'll
that had any of the officers from Ne yport,
who so constantly dined with them, taken
the girls fancy, her father would have
made no objection. AS for Capt Byng, ne
| had always been great favorIte with the
| good lady, although she had never dreamed
that he had found favor in her daughters
eyes. But this may be very easily az
| counted for. Though Frances had always
liked Capt. Byng, it was not till she was
staying at Manchester with the Lyndens
that tie liking had ripened into a serious
attachment. There is love at first sight, no
doubt, but it's more generally l fancy of a
OIL 1rnyfh ~ LoI ~
| served, soldiers were up in the market
| just then; aud on my conscience l believe
| people fall in love very often for the sole
reason thet they ought not to do So
Mrs. Smerdon comforted the girl very
much. She made light of the difficulties of
the situation IF, she thought, Frances
has set her heart on Capt. Byng, and he
| likes her, the e is no earthly reason why she
shouldn't marry him--Iet him only get safely
through this horrid war-and he will make
her very suitable husband" In her moth
er's partiality she looked upon Frances as
| good match for any man. No, she saw no
reason whatever why Frances shouldn't
write to Capt. Byng.
"You knew him very we'll and there's
nothing out of the way ia your writing to
inquire after him, having seen his mishap
in the papers. STILL, if YOU wish it, which
you don't"-and the elder lady laughed
merrily.
Thanks, no mamma; I'll write to him
myself"
Quite So" replied Mrs Smerdon nod
ding. And now, my dear. hope for the
best; It's no use thinking that just because
people are i'll they are never going to get
over it. As for your going up to stay with
Nellie, certainly think that's advisable
Change will do you good. You will have
an inexhaustlble topic between YOU, and
| S6a will he abla yjUa lu
about their daily lives out there, interest
ing to any one, but especially to those who
know, much more care for the actors in the
drama. Frances face flushed little at
her mothers allusion, to her weakness, but
she had derived much conso alton from her
counsel and sympathy, and the thought that
she saw no cause why she
should not write to Capt Byng. In the
course Of that afternoon she despatched q
letter to Miss Lynden, in which she recanted
all the bitter things she had ever said about
the regiment, called herself little beast
for having even thought such things,
pleaded that she as very miserable, begged
that she might come to her, said she ha SO
much to say to her, and pied sed herself to
be on her very best behavior during her
visit. IL Miss Lynden had been bliud to
Frances feeling in the first instance, she
could read between the lines of her pre- ent
letter thanks to Hugh Fleming. Tom
Byng was very transparent man, az d
sharpened perhaps by his own experiences.
Hugh had no difficulty III penetrating his
friends secret, before they had set foot 10 the
Crimea.
When they'd got this town taken and the
war finished up, he thought his friend would
have no cause for despair if he asked the
momentous question. Meanwhile the town
took deal of taking, and seemed quite as
} we'll supplied with provisions and munitions
OF war as It's assailants.
Miss Lynden's answer came by return of
post. Thanks to Hughs hints she was now
able to account for the fluctuations in
Frances correspondence which had so much
puzzled her, She knew very well what til at
long talk would be about, and it was very
sweet to the girl to think that at last she
would have some one with whom she might
talk unrestralnedly about her love
AS far as the dolngs in the Crimea went
no man could follow the proceedings of the
allies with closer interest than DR.. Lynden
, but though aware of the engagement be-
tween Fleming and his daughter, he totally
eschewed all discussion of that subject Hf
had some grounds for doing so; it certainly
could not be said that Huga's family Lal
welcomed the intelligence with eNusion. To
tell the truth, old Mr.. Fleming was furious
at the announcement and only restrained
5 from Illuminating his wrath in all direction.
by the circumstances Of the case. NOTHING
can take place at present between them but
an exchange OF ridiculous love letters; time
very o ten dispels these illusions Besides
IL any hing should happen to the how