Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-01-01

\-aSSsV bic incide
might be considered, but q mistake
came out OF it, changing the whole
course of life Of several people, and IL
| Illustrating with full force the truth OF
the old hymn which tells Us ION what
slender thread hang everlasting things.
Colonel Taylor was , widower, pos
sessed of one child, large fortune, an
eccentric disposition and an abiding be-
lief In himself. Nobody could recite
! the circumstances which brought to the
colonel his military title. The colonel
himself never volunteered the lnforma-
! ton, and no ore Of his acquaintance
| had courage to seek it at headquarters.
| The general belief finally settled upon
the theory that the mans pugn2city
and his ability to command obedience
to his purposes at all times earned fol-
him the title without the formal baptism
| in blood upon the field OF battle.
Colonel Taylor was the great man OF
| CharleStown by reason OF his superior
riches and his self asserted and unde-
MED leadership in every public measure
out of which money, glory or proml-
hence might be expected to come. The
summer before that fateful New Years
| day he had become baseball crank.
Getting caught in the whirlwind OF To-
cal excitement which followed the sue
cesses on the diamond of the Charles
town Grays, Colonel Taylor straight
way evinced q strong interest in the
| club. Then he was asked to &C
| cpt the presidency and he consented.
| The office was bestowed upon him for
the purpose OF securing thereby lib
| eral contribution in cash TO aid In liqul-
dating O. deficit in the treasury which
had befallen the club in spite OF profess
sional success. The check was cheer
| fully handed over, but It's necessity set
the Colonel thinking, with the result
that he concluded just some such hand
as his own was needed to take sole
charge Of the business policy OF the
club to provide against another def
cheney for the next year, and he as
sumed charge of the Grays, while the
ex-oificials "stood aside" and saved
their energies by silent submission.
No sooner had the season ended than
| the new President went to work en-
gaging a new team for the next cam
paiQn. With him the amount Of salary
was not consideration il the player
happened to be g. desirable quantity.
His liberaity would have made him
popular with the players If he had not,
| by his business relations with them, let
each man understand that a social Nj
agara rolled and roared between Presi-
| dent and player over which no suspen-
| sion bridge could ever be thrown. The
| center fielder, an excellent player and
valuable member Of the nine, so far for
got the difference between himself and
the President that, In passing the latter
| on the street one day, he saluted him
with a sHello, Colonel" Three hours
| later he was In possession OF his release.
By midwinter the Grays' complement
had been engaged. with the exception
Of one more good, strong, reliable
pitcher, and Colonel Taylor announced
mysteriously that he had ''lines out for
lust the man." and with the aid OF q
friend he expected to land his fish be-
fore the new year was many days DID,
On this New Years morning Of our
story the colonel was breakfasting with
Annie, his only child. He was In one
OF his distracted moods, as indicated by
the corrugated folds OF the skin above
his eyebrows and the reckless way in
which he dealt with his breakfast.
Annie being q wise child knew her
father and knew his peculiarities.
1t was not for her to prod him
out of such q fit OF abstraction, and
whatever she had to say to him was for
the time being deferred.
An interruption TO the scene or 81
lence came when q servant brought In
the mornings mail and laid several let
tiers before the master OF the house.
He turned his immediate attention
to the correspondence. The con-
tents were important, as Annie
knew by the snorts,. Wheezes'
cowls, grunts and coughs which accom-
panied the colonePs perusai. The
daughter quietly watched her father as
he read his letters, trying to read their
Ants by the reflection from his face.
NH bad or unpleasant news any
howl WAS her mental comment after
studying the signs.
Annie Taylor was as beautiful as she
was wild, wilIful and untutored In the
conventionalities OF the word. her
mother died when Annie was five years
old, and after that sad day she never
knew woman's watchful care, ana her
maiden heart grew wild, Ike the now
ers OF the field. After the death OF MS
wife Colonel Taylor would have none
but servants about MS house, and An
ME was growing to womanhood WIN no
gentle hand to restrain the impulsiVe
nature inherited from her father.
She had been away at boarding
school, it is true. but there she iouhu
restraint only by rule, and her way
wardness was hedged In; DOT cureo.
She was at home spending the winter
holidays with her father, as bad Deeh
ner yearly custom.
Having finished his last letter Colonel
Taylor lowered his chin, rolled up MS
eyes, peered at his child over his spec
tacles as il he were connoisseur study
Ing an article of virtu, and merely
snorted, "Humphr
"Good news, papa?" asked Annie, re-
turning his stare over her coffee cup
Eyes" snapped the cononel, senten-
tiously. Then he made a charge at the
broiled chicken on his plate.
"What?"
you're not going back to school,"
mol" 1t was an exclamation with a
rising infection, full OF heavenly costa
cy and accompanied by clasped hands,
joyful smile and suppressed shrek
OF delight.