Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-05-10
NUMBER 10.

the same. iheard only the other day Of
q man who loved her with an honest.
sincere love lie was Lieutenant In the
army. lie only met her once. and then
a. only one of q dozen who were pre-
sented 10 her. but ho saw her many times
on tho stage of the Academy. lie be-
lieved there was no hops for him lie
was stationed at Governors Island. but
ho asked 10 10 sent out on the frontier, -
that he might run . chance Of being
killed. IIs was transferred ~ bs 10
quested, and. whenever there was Q
skirmish with the Indians, put himself
In tho front Of the fght. One day he
was rewarded, bullet hit him In vital
| part and be died on the field A friend
Of mine, an officer In the same regiment,
found him dying. and Askei him II he
had any message he wanted delivered.
YES. said the dying man: cut a lock oi
hair from my head and take IL 10 Helen
knowlton. and tell her that loved Der:
snd with thee wor,is upon his hps he
died Ny friend took his penknife and
cut ofi the lock - hair and delivered u
as requested Helen was very much af.
fcctod by the incident. though she didn't
remember the man at all Now. who
shall say thi. poor fellow was not the
right man. N only be and sbe had known
~ Certainly he loved her with an hon
cst love"
True indeed, answered Archie. stili
pacing the hoor-"true indeed The
whole subject seems 10 h. involved In
mystery. don't know. after all. II an
other war maxim Is not % IT, applied 10
affairs of the heart; To the victor belong
the spoils' But while We are dealing In
glittcring generalitics am forgetting
the object of my call Here is a little
note Helen scratched OF for you on the
dock And Archie handed the card to
Rush. who took IL eagerly.
"Did she knOw-did she know every.
thing when sbe wrote this. Archier
"Ycs. old man-eyerything.
Il will go. then-God bles. herr
II seemed an age Ca Rush before Il was
time to ~ 10 Iielen's house. and, Al.
though be was impatient Zoe the hour 20
come. his heart beat high with encits-
ment and hi. cheeks were pale With
nervous dread when be- rang the front
door bell of the little house In West
Twentieth street.
How strangely familiar the drawing
nom lookeli Everything was a. 10 had
t-~en the night bsforo shs sailed. A
faithful servant had kep, the place open
and In order while she was gone. and 10
-s.me,l A. frvsh and bright when abe
got hack as though she had never been
away. Rush noticed the delicate odor
~ yiolets that hung about everything
that belonged 10 Helen. anl u brought
her as yiSidly before his eyes a. II shs
stool there Ia all her loyslinesS. lie had
not long to wait b.forc she dii stand be-
forc him In her bodily presence. She
came towards him with both hands En-.
tended
"l0u must excuse my neglige, MI.
IIurlstone. but didn't want 10 keep you
waiting. and-l wanted 10 see you.
Aunt Rst-cca will b. down In q few mo-
ments. but she l. - busy with trunks that
she can't come at once. SIT right down
here on thl. sofa and tell mo how you are
and how you've lscn."
II needn't ask you how you are" aid
Rush. at last finding voice to speak.
Stating himself beside her, he regarded
her with undisguis~i admiration. lie
might veil think her lovely. lees preiu.
licol eyes would have agreed with him
thoroughly She had been helping Aun,
Reb"cca with the trunks. and had donned
a lose morning gown q soft white stuff,
trimmed down the front and around the
neck AMI sleeves with dark fur The red
upturnci point of q gold embroidered
Turkish slipper pecpcd cut from beneath
her gown anil gave the only bit % color
to her costume. Her brown hair was
done up I'm a careless classic knot on the
top u her head. and she looked a. though
she had Just stepped out of frame and
IL would take very little To make her step
lack again.
Nothing could H. kinder than her
manner 20 Rush. Her object seemed 10
b. 10 make him forget himself and hl
troubles, and she talked about every
thing of interest shs had seen. Rush
followed hes vaguely. for he could not
shake OF thc Load upon his heart. The
morc she talked and tho moro beautiful
.he looked. the worss be felt Among
other things. she asked him II be had
SEN anything Of Uncle Lghtfoot Myers
while she was away. lie replied that he
had not secn him. but that Mr Myep
had lcf, bis card at his lodgings
II wonder II he !, In town now. When
was IL that hc left his cardY'
Rush ran over In his mind all that aw.
ful time. IIo remembered his feelings
when be found tho old gentleman's card.
and tho recollection vas more than he
could bear
II, was only few days ago, he man
aged TO say. II had just 10, back from
home And, with this memory fresh In
his mind. he buried hisface In his hands.
Ills frame shook with suppressed sots
and the no, tears forced their way
through his fingers
II you are inclined 90 call this an un-
manly exhibition, you must remember
that his nerves were strung up "a high
pitch. that ho had gone through great
deal during the past few days, and wa
not master Of himself. Helen regarded
him with feelings Of the most profound
pity. "Poor boyl" she aid. softly. And
taking his hot head between her cool.
.oft palms. she kissed him gently on the
forehead.
fro n oo~rDuID.l