Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-01-16

Wouil have to quit the regiment aud The
service; life was getting - b, al on, IN
vicious comparison between his lovpji,s
ness a5 II husband and their own indi-
vidual shortcomings il that capacity.
Several months had been spent abroad
by Capt. and Mrs Lane after Il Gui.a
wedding which united them, and then
joining tho regiment at the fort on it's
return from the Arizona tour, they
speedily settled in their army home
/ For u while the delights of fittingup the
quarters with all the beautiful rugs.
curtains, pictures, books and bric-a-brac
they had brought from thccast kept Mrs.
Lane SO busilv occupied thai sho had NO
time to think of possible criticisms But
it was not long before the captain saw
that the cloud he dreaded was settling
on her sweet and winsomc face. He did
not need to ask what had been said to
her; he could conjecture what that was
full well.
Taking her to his strong heart, he had
kissed away the trimming tears, saying,
''Something has bean said to worry and
annoy you, dear one. | DO not ask you
to tell me; but remember what | have
always said: in nino cases out of ten, re.
marks about people sound very different
| ~ when repeated by womcn-and by a
good many men, too-than when origi-
nally spoken
Long years of garrison life had taught
him that in the almost endless little tiffs
and iealousies among the wo.nen, and
the occasional misu1 lerstanding5 among
the men, people rushed to contidc their
side of the story and pour forth their
| grievances into the ears Of next door
neighbors, with whom, as likely as not,
they became in turn embroiled within
the year, while the quarrel with the
original object Of their wrath had been
long since forgotten. His own policy
had been to give every man his ear, but
none his voice when personal matters
were under discussion. But he knew
we'll that it would be expecting too
much of most women that they shoulG
simply listen and not tell. There were
admirable and truthful wives and moth
er5 in the little coterie, whose friendship
he could have coveted for his wife; but
one of the odd features of frontier life is
that the impulsive rush for the inTlnate
friendship Of the newly arrived army
bride Is generally made by those who
are most apt to betray her confidence
when won. and to give her unfavoraDle
impressions "absolutelv without having
said one word against them. of the very
ones whose stability Of character makes
them most desirable as friends and
neighbOrs.
Lane noted that the women he most
liked and respected were tine ones whom
She was making visible efforts TO regard
rs he did. Perhaps had he painted them
in less glowing colors before She had
seen for herself, = very different result
might have been reached. for if a man
really wants his wife to like another
woman whom she has not yet met the
less he says of her projections the better.
Wisely Lane made no attempt to CON
troll her opinions. but as his duties kept
him away from the house much Of the
day, aud rs there was every prospect Of
the entire battalion being sent on q long
practice march during the summer. he
was a tritie at loss what companion-
ship to provide for her during the inevi-
table separation. 1t was with genuine
rejoicing, therefore, that he read one
day soon after their arrival a letter from
her brother which she silently handed
him, and then sat watching his face as
he conned Its three pages.
The captain finally laid it down and
looked across the table, kind light in
his gray eyes. "You want to do some
thing for her. don't you, Mabel" he
smllngly asked.
Indeed. Fred, | wish | could. She
has had such hard fortune and she is
such true girl. It is cruel TO think Of
her now without home and, as Regy
says, without n chance Of employment,
! know the Woodrows would have been
so glad to take her abroad with them Us
companion, but it's too llte for that
"Regy doesn't say why she left Mrs.
Withers, but | fancy | can conjecture ."
said Lane. at was there ! first met
her at dinner party one evening-when
/ wanted to be with YOU
And vet wpre abuudantlv CODSOlo1