The Forrest City times., 1891-03-20
HIS WEDDED WIFE.


 turning if you tread on them too severely. The safest plan Is never to tread on worm--not even on the last new subaltorn from home, with his buttons hardly out of their tissue paper. and the rcd of sappy English beef in his cheeks. This is the story of the worm that turned. For the sake of brevity we will call Henry Augustus Ramsey Faizanne Tho Worm," al- though he was an exceedingly pretty boy, without hair on his face and with waist like q girls, when he came out to the Second "Shikarris" and was made unhappy in several ways. The "Shikarris" are a high caste regiment, and you must be able to do things weil-play a banjo, or ride more than little. or sing or act to get on with them.
 The worm did nothing except to fall of his pony and knock chips out of the gate posts with his trap. Even that became mslotonous after time. He objected to whist, cut the cloth at billiards, sang out of tune, kept very much to himself, and wrote to his mamma and sisters at homo. Four of these five things were vices which the ''Shikarris" objected to and set them selves to eradicate. Everyone knows how subalterns are by brother sub- alterns softencd and not permitted to be ferocious.
 The ..Shikarris" shikarried The Worm very much. and ho bore every thing without winking. He was so good, SO anxious to learn. and flushed 60 pink, that his education was cut short. and he was left to his own de- vices by everyone except the senior subaltcrn, who continued to make life burden to The Worm. The senior subaltern meant no harm. but his chaff was coarse. and he didn't quite under stand whero to stop. He had been waiting too long for his company, and that always sours man. Also. he was in love, which made him worse.
 One day. after he had borrowed The Worms trap for lady who never OK isted, had used 1t himself all the after noon. had sent note to The Worm. purporting to come from the lady, and was telling the mess all about it, The Worm rose in his place and said. in his quito lady-like voice; That was a very pretty sell; but I'll lay you n months pay to months pay when you get your step that work soil on you that you'll remember for tho rest of your days, and tho regiment after you whom You're dead or broke" The Worm wasn't angry in the least and the rest of the mess shouted. Then the senior subaltern looked at The Worm from the boots upward and down again. and said "Donc. Baby" Tho Worm took tho rest ot the mess to wit ness that the bet had been taken. and retired into u book with sweet smile,
 Two months passed and the senior subaltern still educated Ths Worm. who began to move about little more As tho hot weather came on. have said that the senior subaltern was in love. The curious thing Is. that n girl was in love with the senior subaltern. though the Colonel said awful things. and the majors snorted. and married captains looked unutterable wisdom, and tho juniors scofied. those two were engaged.
 The senior subeltern was 30 pleased with getting his company and his ac- ceptance at the same time that he for got to bother Tho Worm. The girl was pretty girl and had money of her own. She does not come into this story at all.
 One night at the beginning of tho hot weather all the mess except The Worm. who had gone to his own room to write home letters. wore sitting on tho plat form outside the mess house. The band had finished playing. but no one wanted to go in. And the captains wives were there also. The folly of u man in love is unlimited. The senior subaltern had been holding forth on the merits of the girl he was engaged to and the ladies were purring approval. while tho men yawned, when there was rustic of skirts in the dark and n tired. faint voicc lifted itself:
 "Whcre's my husband?"
 do not wish in the least to reflect on the morality of the .'Shikarris, but 1t Is on record that four men jumped up us if they had been shot. Three of them were married mon. Perhaps they were afraid that their wives had come from home unbeknownst- The fourth said he had acted on tho impulse of tho moment He explained this afterward.
 Then tho voice cried 'sOh. Lionol" Lionel was the senior subaltern's name. X woman came into tho iittlc circle of light by the candles on the peg tables. stretching out her hands to the dark whore the senior subaltern was and sobbing. We rose to our feet feeling that things were going to happen. and ready to believe the worst. In this bad small world of ours ono knows so little of the life of the next man. which after all is entirely his own concern. that one is not surprised when crash comes.
 Anything might turn up any day for my one. Perhaps the senior subaltern had been trapped In his youth. Men arc crippled that way occasionally. We didn't know--we wanted 10 hear; and tho captains wives were as anx- ious as we. If he had been trapped he was 70 be excused. for the woman from nowhere. in the dusty shoes and gray travelling dress. was very lovely, with black hair and great eyes full of tears. She was tall. with fine figure, and her voice had a running sob in it pitiful to hear. As soon as tho senior