Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-02-22


e days, sent no one knew by whom, an
they were quickly followed by others.
= What was it Thackeray wrote
D There are stories to a mans disad
vantage that the women who are fondes
r of him are always the most eager to be
| lieve."
] A devoted woman and mother wa
Mrs. Hearn, but her sole knowledge o
/ army life was derived from what sh,
had seen around their nearly -Bine,
home in southern city about the clOS'
of the war. franks boyhood was spen
in Strengthened circumstances, but ISL,
by little his fathers Toll and pluck hae
restored their tsllen fortunes. and Z
Stanch soldier himself, he could net
wonder that the young fellows hear
should be wrapped mp in ;he hope of a
commission Poor Mrs. ,,Eearn. she haC
looked for something far different, and
even her pride at Franks winning q
cadetshlp at West Point by competitive
examination did not reconcile her to his
entering upon a profession which would
associate him with such characters a
she had seen about the time 5he great
army was being disbarded, and hun
dJed- OF officers seemed 20 have nothing
to DO but carouse. BY the time he was
grad dated his fathers practice had be-
come 30 well established rs TO warrant
the 9QHire-cOlOnel'S yielding-.O his-Wi1e' 5
peadingS.
Secretly he rather wanted the hey to
20 ON IN his career, and was prOudeT OF
the chevronS the handsome Young cadet
captain had worn than of the cid 5GT-
nShed sleeve knots that he had pat
away reverently the day after Apo
matto0 where Lees kindly hand had
rested fec a moment on his arm wtenh2
went 10 bid his beloved chief adieu-
Yielding 80 her entreatieS he oItrcd
Franz Good inducements 20 drop TIE
tarmy and come home and study'law
bat the y9ancster said his heart waS
bound up IN lhe cavalry, The mother
had let him GO with prayers and tears.
The letters from Ryan were buOyant,
and made 10 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 tho
youngsters independence and decision,
although he said nothing 10 his wife.
Then came Franks orders for Arizona,
and Mrs. Hearn Sobbed herself to sleep.
Again the father said: Resign if you
/ like and I'll start you here" but ia the
solitude Of hislibrary he kissed the boys
/ letter and blessed him i'm his heart of
/ hearts for replying. - wouldn't be my
/ fathers son were 20 resign now, with
| the proSsect of sharp fighting ahead"
| Heaven. with what trembling hands
| and tear-dimmed eyes he read the glow
ling words Of old Capt RawiinS' dispatch
! telling how brilliant and daring the boy
had been in the first fierce battle with
the ApacheS. He dYaped the Star, and
Stripes over Franks picture in the par
lor. and babe the neighbOrs in to drink
TO the new South ana the old flag, and
even Mrs. Hearn, ever pessimistic and
filled with secret dread of vague temp
tatonS that she knew not Of, fearing
them more than peril or ambuScade,
took heart and stroye TO rejoice that
Frank was such soldier. How shocked
and sorrow-stricken they were when but
short time after came the tidingS Of
the old captains lamented DEATH How
they studied all Franks letters and
learned 10 know the regimental officers
through his eyes. and longed TO meet
that capital adiUtant, Lane. when he
came 20 Cincinnati recruiting
Col. Hearn even took few days off
and the north bound flyer on the
Queen and Crescent to 90 thither and
make the acquaintance Of his boys
friend. and sat for hours with Lane al
the club. listening 10 his praise OF
Frank. Then came the eastward move
again. and a brief leave, and the moth
ors heart ycarned over her stalwart
son. wondering at The bronze and tan OF
his once fair skin and rejoicing in the
strength IF his handsome face. Mother
like. She sought long talks with him,
and strOve 10 catechiSe him rs to what
they did when not actually in the
field. Was there not a great deal
Of 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. 20 far as he himself was
concerned he answered frankly, but as
10 his comrades all these questions he
had laughiugiy parried. lie had now
been six years an officer, and had never
once asked his. father for money, yet
she nurSed her theory that under 10 all
there was something hidden. From
childhood she had been taught that
army life meant friyOlity and diSSipa-
ton, if not vice, and now at last when
her husband was miles away from nome
looking after investments he had made
i'm Florida, came this startling and ter
/ ribie confirmation OF her fears.
In glazing head lines, in crushing
damning terms, in half a score of promi-
nent northern papers she read of her son
as a drunken bully. a gambler, an
abusive tyran. to the helpless men COM
mitted To his charge. and, utterly over
whelmed. the poor soul had thrown her
self upon her knees 10 implore Of heaven
the strength 20 bear the dreaded blow,
and wisdom 30 guide her Alright in the
effort to reclaim her hayward boy. The
gray haired pastor, for whom she had
sent, came and mingled his tears ana
prayers with hers, and then they had
/ between them written the letter thdt
was now before him:
1T is but the confirmation OF long
haunting fear. / have all along felt
that YOU were holding back something
/ from me. my son. and God only knows
how have prayed that this cup might
be spared me aud this sin ayertcd from
Won. dreaded the temptation OF army
+ life for-one of your impuiSiye tempera-
mcut. s,rove. re6eled against the
idea of yoar being subjected 90 such
comnanionship. hoped against hope
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