Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-04-30


who never asked.
s'It has been Q hard ordeal for Hearn,
as any one can see.' wrote the captain.
/ 'sHe has aged and changed greatly. The
youngsters had planned sort of love
feast for him, but he begged them that
nothing of the kind be held and he has
really Stunned society since reioining.
/ He claims that all his time is taken up
with his troop, and of course We are very
busy; but there is something behind it,
and / think you know
She did know, and yet could not tell
1t was her penance for breaking faith
with Georgia. The latter had forbidden
that she should tell to any one the fact
4 that Mr.. Hearn had indeed offered him
self and had been refused.
But Lanc learned it soon enough.
From the moment of his return to the
regiment the young soldier spent most
of his time, when off duty, in the society
of the captain, and one night in the full
ness Of his sorrowing heart he told his
friend of the bitter disappointment that
had come to him. He loved her deeply,
had asked her to be his wife, and she
had gently, even tearfully, but positive
ly, said no, it simply could not be. He
had begged her to give her reasons, and
she refused She assured him of her
faith, respect and esteem, but pointed
out to him that in every way possible
since the trial she had striyen to avert
the declaration which she frankly con-
/ fessed she could not but foresee. He was
/ forced to admit this, and could no
! longer press her for reasons, since she
had plainly discouraged his suit. Yet it
was hard-very hard.
Lane simply could not understand.
SIS there any one else?' he wrote to Ma
/ bel, and Mabel said she was sure there
was not; but she was equally sure Geor-
gia meant no. Mabel herself was even
more perplexed than the captain, since
Georgia had gently but resolutely for
hidden any further mention of the sub
/ ject between them. And now, with the
utter inconsistency of her sex, pretty
Mrs. Lane was all eagerness to discover
and demolish the barrier to a match
which a month ago she would have op-
posed because it seemed inevitable.
Then came joy in which Mrs. Lane
for the time being forgot her perplexities.
Capt. Fred obtained seven days leave
from the regiment and flew as straight
/ to her arms as q circuitous railroad route
could carry him. He greeted Miss Mar
shall as cordially as ever, but he did not
/ call her Portia as he had intended, be-
cause Mabel warned him in letter that
it served to revive associations which
were not all joyous. ''Icalled her Portia
long before she met Mr.. Hearn," was
Lanes stout reply; ''but if she doesn't
like it, that's enough" Mai. Kenyon
was hidden to dinner the evening Of his
Homecoming, and of course many of
the garrison people happened in, and so
there was nothing but general chat.
But two evenings later, when the major
was sitting in the big armchair and dis
coursing on some of his favorite hobbies,
! he broached anew the matter of Judge
Hearn's letter urging his son to quit the
/ service.
sHave you never heard Hearn's an
swer, major said Lane. s.He read it
to me before sending it, and | thought it
so good that | kept copy. Here it is"
Miss Marshall was sitting at the table
under the bright lamp as Lime began to
read. Mabel noticed that she leaned
forward, shading her eyes with her
hand
II have thought it all over, my dear
father. The offer you make me is one
for which thank you with all my heart.
Few men could quit the service under
/ better auspices, or return to home
more loved or friends more loving, and
1 yeti cannot. Ten years Of my life,
/ perhaps the best ten, have been spent in
profession which with every year pre-
! sents new fields, new studies and new
requirements. | have worked honestly,
I have won friends and, in all modesty
may say, a good name. Admitting all
1 you write of this recent attempt of the
papers to blacken it, my friends here
tell me that it but proves the strength
paper assaults could not harm me in the
eyes of right thinking people.
Il love the duties. | am deeply at
tached to many Of my comrades. can
be very fair soldier, and might only
make very poor lawyer. For these
reasons | think ought to stand where
am. But there is still another reason.
Father, when bound myself to the
United States as a cadet l received at
| the hands of the nation schooling such
as could get at no other institution in
the world, and was nodded by the ma
tion for its service. If in after years 1
found myself better fitted to serve in
some other way, then there might be ex-
cuse for rendering resignation. But
when feel and know that | am far more
soldier than can ever be anything else,
it all the more convinces me that my
efforts belong now and for a lifetime to
the nation that trained me and that I
have sworn to serve.
''The dear ones at home know me best,
it is true. The class in whose supposed
4 interests | have been so unjustly assailed,
it is also true, is very different from that
in which we move. But, in the broad
light Of a soldiers duty, neither the love
of the one nor the unreasoning hate of
the other should swerve me. The hard
est knocks a soldier has to bear come
sometimes from the very men whom he
is sworn to defend. You would not
have me yield because of stinging
wound or two, nor would / be worthy of
your name if faltered now. It is my
belief that, despite apparent apathy,
there is still north or south a place in
the hearts of the people for every soldier
who seeks faithfully to serve them, and
in that faith-God helping mel shall
follow the old flag to the end.
"By Jupiterl" said Kenyon, as he
sprang to his feet and strobe excitedly
! up and down the room, 'sisn't that
enough to make one damn the liberty of
the press, to think that . month ago it
was holding up that fine fellow for
everything that was low and contempti-
blel Miss Marshall, if were Why,
she's gonef'
ssJust stepped into the dining room a
moment" said Mrs. Lane promptly,
though her eyes were brimming. "Now,
isn't that Mr.. Hearn all oyer?'
But Georgia Marshall had not gone
into the dining room. Mabel found her
over at the end of the veranda gazing at
the distant night lights across the dark
and silent valley.
September came, and the Eleventh
would soon be on its homeward march.
Letters to the regiment made frequent
mention of old Kenyon's devotion to
A