Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-03-18

to do but carouse. BY the time he was
graduated his fathers practice had be-
come SO well established as to warrant
the squire-col onel's yielding to his wife's
pleadings.
Secretly he rather wanted the boy to
go on in his career, and was prouder of
tho chevrons the handsome young cadet
captain had worn than of the old tar
nished sleeve knots that he had put
| away so revelently the day after Apo
mattox, where Lees kindly hand had
rested for moment on his arm VIXEN he
went to bid his beloved chief adieu.
Yielding to her entreaties he offered
Frank good inducements to drop the
army and come home and study law,
| but the youngster said his heart was
bound up in the cavalry. The mother
had let him 60 with prayers an, tears
| The letters from Ryan were bdoyant,
| and made no mention of care or trouble
Of any kind. How could he ask his
| fathers help when he had refused his
offer? The colonel rejoiced at the
| youngsters independence anu decision,
although he said nothing to his wife.
Then came Franks orders for Arizona,
and Mrs. Healn sobbed herself to sleep.
| Again the father said, Resign if you
| like and I'll start you here" but in the
solitude of his library he kissed the boys
! letter and blessed him in his heart of
h.ayts for replying, Il wouldn't be my
| hers son were to resign now. with
e., I.-o<.ect Of sharp fighting ahead"
Heaven! with what trembling hands and
| ear dimincd eyes he read the glowing
words Of old Capt. Rawlins' dispatch
| telling how brilliant and daring the boy
! had been III the first fierce battle with
| the Apaches. He draped the Stars and
Stripes over Franks picture in the par
lor. and babe the neighbors in to drink
to the new south and the old flag, and
even hrs. Hearn, ever pessimistic and
filled with secret dread of vague tempta-
tons that she knew not of, fearing them
more than peril or ambuscade. took
heart and strove to rejoice that Frank
was such soldier. How shocked and
sorrow stricken they We're when but a
short time after came the tidings of the
old captains lamented death, How they
studied all Franks letters and learned
to know the regimental officers through
his eyes, and longed to meet that capital
adjutant. Lane, when he came to Gin
cinnati recruiting,
Col. Hearn even took n few DAYS off
and the north bound flyer" on the
Queen and Crescent to go thither and
make The acquaintance of his boys
friend and sat for hours with Lane at
the club, listening to his praise of Frank.
Then came the eastward move again,
and brief leave, and the mothers heart
yearned over her stalwart son, wonder
ing at the bronze and tan of his once fair
skin and rejoicing in the strength of his
handsome face. Mother like, she sought
| long talks with him and strove to cate
| chise him as to what they did when not
actually in the field Was there not a
great deal of d dissipation? Did they not
| play cards? Were there not too many
temptations to drink wine? What op-
portunity had they for attending divine
service? etc. So far as he himself was
concerned he answered frankly, but as
to his comrades, all these questions he
had laughinSly parted He had now
been six years IN officer, and had never
once asked his father for money, yet she
nursed her theory that under it all there
was something hidden. From childhood
she had been taught that army life
meant frivolity and dissipation. if not
vice, and now at last. when her husband
was miles away from home looking af
ter investments he had made in Florida
came this startling and terrible confr
nation OF her fears
In glaring head lines, in crushing
damning terms in half score of promi
nent northern papers she read of her sol
as a drunken bully. a gambler, ar
abusive tyrant to the helpless men com
mitted to his charge, and, utterly over
whelmed, the poor soul had thrown her
self upon her knees to implore of HEAVIER
the strength to bear the dreaded blow
and wisdom TO guide her Alright in the
effort to reclaim her hayward boy The
gray haired pastor, for whom she haG
sent, came and mingled his tears and
prayers with hers, and then they haG
between them written the letter thai
was now before him:
1t is but the confirmation of long haunting
fear. have all along felt that You We're holdins
back something from me, my son, and God onl,
knows how have prayed that this cup might b,
spared me and this sin avertei from you
dreaded the temptation of army life for one O
your impulsive temperament strove rebeeC
against the idea of your being subjected to sucl
companionship. l hoped against hope that i
might rot be as feared, but. alas my intuition
was right after ALL Do not think am angry m,
boy. Do not let this drive you from us As soor
as 1t Is over come home, and all that q mother.
love can do shall lie done to spare you further
bitterness. My first impulse was to wire you
uncle James at Washington to ask if something
could not be done to avert the court martial bu
good Old DR.. Wayne, whose son was in the arm,
before the war, tells me that it is hopeless anC
that the best that be done is to get your resig
nation accepted, 50 that, though You have to oui
the service, he says, it may not be by the dis
grace OF q sentence. l have, therefore, wiret
James to go at once to the secretary and DR.
Wayne has also invoked the aid OF some influen
tial friends Wire instantly on receipt O.
this, that may know that you bearing III
manfully 1t will sooa be over May God sustain
you, my son. is the r.rayer of your devoted ant
distracted MOTHER
p. S.-Frank. my orst anxiety is on your poo
fathers account. dread to think of ti- effec
this news will have upon him. He never appre