Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-03-13
The Col. of the Fourth
A Story of the Late War.
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 "won't that be perfectly splendid!" F1ossie Burrows cried, and as Mark la zily accepted the plan it was forthwith carried out. But Mark Henderson was fated to | meet Mrs. Besant before the evenings | festivities, for in the early afternoon a | note came round from Walnut House | to say that that lady's niece had just | arrived from Chicago, whereupon the | accommodating officer was commis- | stoned by his sister to call and induce | both Indies to honor them with their | presence.
 "You know didn't dare to say that | you were a friend of Franks this morn | ing, or we should have had the widow | down here long before this, interrupt ing my immense preparations for sup per-simply an army officer, my dear boy-so while you're there you can | just let the hood-gates of your informa1 ton flow, or you'n be boring us to death | this evening with it all," the volatile little lady suggested.
 And this niece-do you know any thing about her?"
 "oh, suppose she is a lady who was visiting Mrs. Besant two years ago, | whom I met at the Brentwoods, when ] first made Harry's acquaintance-not at all good looking and rather passe- not 0 bit your style, my dear; but, as she'll be up to her eyes unpacking, you may rely on having the fair widow all to yourself"
 l Henderson was a fine, handsome fel- low, with a distinguished military bear ing, and had often been the exposure of admirlng eyes on the parade-ground and in the drawing-room, but he had never known what 1t was to be stared at as he was by the gaping rustics on his way through the village, and well they might feast their eyes on his gal; lant figure; for Meltonburg was one of those delightfully."- primitive villages, where, if you had an egg for breakfast there was not an old maid in the place who did not know which end you had broken it at before dinner-time. and consequently Marks arrival had been heralded from house to house. His doughty deeds had been carried on the wings of gossip from hreside to fireside. and the patriotic editor of the Weekly Advertiser had primed them with double-leaded description of the glorious cavalry charge nt Springfield "in which the brother-in-law of our talented fellow citizen, Dr. Burrows" |" took so noble part. Nay, not half an ! hour ago, the new edition of the paper had come out with the announcement in bold type that "The hero of the bat7 tie of Springfield is among us, visiting Doctor and Mrs. Burrows. It is pro posed to give him a public reception be- fore he goes back to gather fresh laurels," piece of information which Marks sister religiously kept out of his sight, for she felt sure If he saw it he would be off to Dayton by the first train. So the villagers stared their fill. Women ran to their doors to gaze after him as he passed, men gathered on the sidewalks to discuss his martial bear ing, and more than once the little boys got up a feeble cheer, which was sup pressed by their elders. If he had only entered store, how they would have crowded in after him and solaced them l, selves in true rural fashion with a ( hearty hand-shal1e, but he kept right . on up the main street till he reached s :. the garden gate of the Walnut House, Il where he was lost to the gaze of his ad q mirers.
 A neat maid servant, all blushes anG giggles, received him. Yes, Mrs. Besan' was at home-would he be pleased tc I "ulh TlBnb ihS hhO S11o "OIIo CsSAA LSi mistress?
 Mark had time to notice the pretty re
 inement of the room, which bore SC many traces of feminine taste and hat such home-like airabout it, before hi! hostess made her appearance. o Yes, Mrs. Besant was decidedly hand J some, he declared to himself, as sh, swept into the room with a grace O
 movement so fascinating in beautiful
 women. There was charm of man
 ner about her, too, which put him at hi
 ease before he had been five minutes il
 her presence, and, oh! what welcome
 she gave him, when she found that h,
 had been a boon companion of her boy
 How she loaded him with questions
 how she reveled in the stories of he
 boys adventures on the battlefield
 how her color came and went as he toll
 tho tales of hair-breadth escapes; hoy she cunningly led him on to describ y her darling's mode of life, his friends 10 his duties and every thing pertaining t.
 him-why, time sped on with hyinI of wings--for Mark loved to talk to prett
 women, and it was nearly five o'clocl
 before he had the grace to take hi
 leave.
 rs But must introduce you to my nice
 before you go" the widow said, as h stood hat in hand.