The Princeton union., 1893-01-26
.AMYATT'S CHILD-FRIEND.

5ttsAAOAi6 tAo OlASOAS VI y c1CA i<aIlAy S1UO .
regiment when he suddenly loomed
put in new character, that of q lit
$ srary man. J,
The Red Horse was a very popular
{ regiment in the service, and Jack
Amyatt was, as indeed he had been
aver since he joined. one Of it's most
4 popular oficers. Through the various
Y grades ofcornet, lieutenant and cap
tain, he had made no enemies, while
he had gathered many friends. He
vas essentially a good all-round man,
popular with his men, who would have
followed him into the. jaws of death
and back again. and good at sport OF
my and every kind.
What a fuss you make about Ma
or Amyatt," cried fair beauty one
day to one of the youngsters, who
had been extolling his accomplish
ments. ~
"Oh, the majors such ali out and
put good sort, returned the lad, blush
4 ing a fine scarlet all over his hand
some face at thus being caught at
hero worship.
lis he?" responded the lady, who
tried every fascinating art in her
power on Amyatt, but without avail.
what does he do to win1 him SO
much adulation!''
81 don't know about adulation,"
said the lad rather curtly. "But I
know he is the best soldier / ever
knew, and the most popular. Why,
The regiment would follow him to the
aev-, to the end of the world, that
s," correcting himself hastily. .'He's
\ good, that is, among the best of any
sport you like to mention, and he's
the best army writer there is. in spite
d Of the shoals ofwomen who have tried
their hand at putting uson paper, and
only succeeded in making their soldiers
look like bagmen out for a holiday in
blazer and q pair of tennis-shoes."
The beauty drew herself up with q
little more dignity than she usually
displayed. "Dear me, Mr.. Arlington,
you are severe-almost as severe as
A Major Amyatt looks when he goes 20
ball, and stands regarding us frivo-
lous and faulty women as stiff and
straight as if he had swallowed his
ramrod as we'll as bringing the other
parts of his uniform with him"
"a 1t was on the tip OF young Arling-
tons tongue to remind the beauty
that ramrod is not part OF a caval-
ry officers equipment, but, as he had
done q minute or so before, he re-
me1nbered his manners in time and
let the remark pass without further
e notice.
"Well, 1 don't think the major
cares much about ladies'" he ad-
nlitted.
''Pm sure they don't care much
about him." returned the beauty
I sharply.
He wondered at the tartness Of her
tone, if that was indeed the case, but
as she was @ beauty, and somewhat
Of a power in the neighborhood of the
station at which they were quartered,
he did not want to offend her more
than was necessary in taking up the
cudgels in his majors defence. II
never heard him say a. word against a
woman in my life," he said, eagerly,
never. Only, he don't seem to be
very keen on dancing and afternoon
teas, and so on. BY the way, Miss
Vane, will you come and have cup
of tea or anything?'
The beauty thought she would have
on ice, and took the lads arm with
alecrity; glad perhaps, to get away
from the subject OF q man who had
Z remained blind and deaf to the at
fractions and fascinations, literally
set forth for his benefit from time to
time, OF the beauty of the county.
The name of ma or was not mention
ed again, but all the same, the CONVEX
sation had set young Arlington think.
ing about it.
Il say" he said, that evening to
Moore, the senior subaltern, ''is
Amyatt what you'd call woman
! hater?"
J "Not a bit OF it," returned Moore,
promptly; 81 don't believe he thinks
enough about 'em to hate them"
''But that's sailing pretty near the
wind, eh!' inquired Arlington, laugh.
ing.
'sNp, I don't think so. Aymatt
doesn't dare 60 out to tea much; but
then he has plenty else to do. TO me
he never seems to think of getting
married; but then he's only six-and.
thirty, and what fellow in. his senses
would think of getting married before
that2'
"a good many do" Arlington ven
tured to say. He felt guilty that his
thrust had gone home, for he at TWEEN
ty-two had thought fondly of the
marriage state more than once; TO,
the matter Of that, indeed, he had
thought of it many q time and oft.
eyes, a good many do," responded
Moore who had never known what il
was to feel q qualm at his heart such
as threatened to ruin all his peace O
y mind, ."and q good many fellows wish
they'd let it alone.'
swell, I'm not altogether so sur,
about that" returned Arlington, whe
in spite Of his modest air, was as vel
able to stick to his own opinions al
any man in the regiment.
Now this conversation no more on
lightened him as to the state of,th,
majors affections or natural inclina
tions than the one with the beaut,
had done, so Arlington put his cues