The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-05

/ pretty straight anu never given el4Ou4 oHJ
| trouble since Joined, then further than say
! inc that I ought TO wait till have got
/ higher in my profession, what can they DC
! except congratulate met besides 1t, instead
Of the sweetest girl in England, | As
about 10 introduce Gorgon to the family
they couldn't say anything to me just now
why, the most peccant amongst Us are
voted white as snow nowadays; the most
incorporating fathers have granted
pleaary absolution.
1T will be a sore trouble to me il your
people are very much opposed 10 our en-
gsgement, said the girl, thoughtfully.
"But you will stick to me, Nell, won't
your be asked, anxiously.
Yes" she replied. I'm yours for ever
let it be as long as it may before you come
to claim me, but own am nervous about
v hat your people will think of it.n
Hugh now set himself earnestly TO dissi-
pate any misgivings Miss Lynden might
have upon that score. 1t ls unnecessary to
follow the conversation of tbs lovers
further suffice it TO say that Hugh Fleming
was absent from the temporary mess which
til had established at the Queens Hotel
nor did any Of his brother officers set eyes
on him that night.
The next day was their last in Marches
ter, and what time they could snatch from
duty was filed by saying once more those
"lsst good-byes," which people always feel
impelled to speak when leaving their native
country. Hugh, therefore, saw little of
his brother officers all that day, and en-
barked next day hugging his secret closely
to his own breast.
But there never was a man in love who
did not crave TO impart his madness to
somebody, and few amongst us have not
sorna friapd W thouUb n sOnna the
confidant of our hopes and ASPIRATIONS, is
still oftener recipient Of our
follies and vexatious. Ii was so with Hugh,
and by the time they had "rolled through
the gut of Gibraltar" Tom Byng was fully
acquainted with the story Of his subaltern's
love
well, you've done it now, 50 he remarked;
land all | have got 70 do is to offer you my
hearty congratulations Please to forget all
| ever said to you on the subject; what one
says to a man before he does a thing is
totally inapplicable after he has done IT, If
this wind lasts, we shall be at Malta in no
time. wonder where they will put US
up"
From what those fellows told US at Glib,
they must be pretty full there"
"FullW exclaimed Byng. Packed like
sardines 10 a box, | am told; aud tents in
buS OpSu Will ulOsI uheiJ 10 our lou never
mind; it's all the way 70 the Crimea, and as
for tents why, there's nothing like getting
used to them while we have leisure
Malta, indeed was as full Just then as it
could hold. Its hotels were thronged with
people curious TO hear the latest rumors
from the seat of war-women anxious
about sons and husbands. Sick and
wounded officers invaded down from the
front told direful tales OF the difficulties of
getting up provisions to the plateau still
grimly held by the Allies. Both sides
seemed to have stopped for breath after the
furious struggle of lnkermauu, and it was
now rather an open question as to which
we're besiegers and which we're besieged-
whether we were investing Sebastopol, or
whether the Russians hal not invested the
entrenched camp of the Allies. At Malta,
of course, supplies were plentiful, and il
really seemed almost mockery that men
we're living well on that sun-baked rock.
while their brethren but little way off
were near starving on the storms wept
plateau of the Chersonese. The half dozen
miles of almost trackless mire between
BalaEava and the front quite explained
why 1t was SODIUM UtrtmuS uranus
And Malta was never gayer than it was that
winter. Even those most anxious to Join
their comrades already in front Of Sebasto-
pol were fain TO confess that there was
nothing doing up there at present AS far
as the English were concerned, it was the
same weary, monotonous trench work, only
relieved by an occasi nal sort:e. With our
Allies it was different. Stronger handed
than ourselves, the French persistently con-
tinued to sap up TO the Bastion de Mat-a
proceeding to which the enemy offered
fer and jealous opposition.
Still every one knew that nothing of anv
consequence could be attempted till the
spring Whenever British regiments are
gathered together, they are sure to develop
three of our national particularities-tuey
are certain to start cricket, racing and
theatrlcals. II 1t was the wrong time of
year for cricket and racing, private theatre
Gals were just the thing, and no less than
two companies were organized that winter.
Hugh Fleming greatly distinguished himself
In one Of these, and his Crepln in 1.-THE
Wonderful Woman, was pronounced TO
have scared quite above the range of the
amateur. But though Hugh's face
flushed with pleasure at seeing himself
favorably noticed in print, yet there was
mingled with it a half>contempt that he
should be engaged in such frivollties. This
was not what he came out to do. Such
pinchbeck laurels were not the thing he had
promised himself to lay at Nell Lynden's
feet. He had yet to learn that the more
you can combine relaxation with the seri-
GUS business of fighting, the better for
every one; take your men out Of themselves.
let their trade be what it will you want to
get the maximum Of work out Of them
And the successful representative of Acres
will most likely be we'll to the front in a
hand TO hand melee not fortv-elght hours
after wards.
Those were halcyon days for Hugh nearly
every mail brought him letters from Nellie.
in which passionate love was mingled with
all the chit-chat about those he knew in
Manchester.
Il hear constantly" she said in one of her
letters, from Frances Smerdon. What
have you, or at all events, some of YOU done to
her! She Is so bitter against you all. | heard
from her only the other day and she made
me quite angry. AS for the poor -th, she
said, we need not fret about them, there is
always a cessation of hostilities when they
appear upon the scene. Papa says that he
thinks nothing more will take place, and
that peace will be patched up in the
spring. No, we needn't be anxious about
the til; they are very nice fellows. but
they are not a fighting regiment. my
dear"
Now if this had angered Nellie Lvnden,
1t had stung Hugh Fleming to the Quick. II
was gibe about which all the men of the
corps were very sensitive They we're az
smart regiment as there was IN the ser
vice. and one Of the seniors of the army
list, but there remained the bitter fact that
they had hardly the name of a battle en-
blazoned on their colors. II was luck while
some regiments seemed always in the way
when hard fighting was going on; others
who from no fault Of their own, seemed
never to hand on such occasions; the same
with individuals, and though having once
gained distinction. man can to some ex
tent force himself forward, yet many a
young soldier has painted for the opportunity