Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-10-12
LOVE ON A WALL.

appearances. Il Ht lIObb WAS Ou I1e BTOuHu,
and the one skeleton tree in the corner
extended its leafess branches like gaunt
arms in various directions.
A wooden post was stuck in the CEN
ter of the gravel square, its purpose
vague; at few yards distant stood
man praoticing at broadsword exercise.
Sergeant Major Boyne. pausing from
his exertiops, addressed some one sitting
on the wall to his right.
"Are you cold, Mollie2"
mo, thanks; it is warming to watch
you"
The sergeant continued his evolutions.
"One-two-three-four; right One
-two--three-four; leftr
The girl olapped her hands. The SER
geant repeated the performance.
"How jolly you look, cou Sin Jackp'
Mollie cried as the cuts and t,nrusts whis-
tied through the air.
"Do II" the sergeant Or ieried. solemnly
regarding the post in .he middle of the
ground.
"You know that you look NICE" she
said severely. y Jon't pretend"
He returned che weapon to its sheath
ana looked at the girl critically.
You Kno n that you look nice, Cousin
Molne, Ie said, with mock severity.
Dont pretend. You are the prettiest
girl "A Linbridge. All the men at the
oar tacks say that of you."
"Do they" she cried with gasp. II
am 80 glad"
"Gladi Silly grill What is their opin-
ion worth%
Gas much as yours, I suppose" she
answered.
"Oh, of course"
She leaned against the wall and re-
fastened buckle. She bit her lip and
tapped the red bricks with her heels.
Sergeant Travers came off worsted
among the men the other night, heard. y
"The odds were all against the one, as
usual" she said. "Your barrack jokes
are seldom funny"
He laughed. "Why do you care fol-
him, Mollie?"
II don't"
"An right, Mollie," he said In tone
I that indicated 'tall wrong"
"It's getting late" she remarked
"They are setting the tea tray"
"Shall I help you down"
Her toes were on level with his chest
as he fronted her. She carefully scru
tinized the height from the ground.
"No, thank you"
"Oh, all rightr' he responded, will
the same dubious infection.
> She heard his spurs click over tn
frosty ground. She watched the patel
of scarlet merge into the gloom and re
: appear in the lighted room of the house
: Then the tears trickled down her colo
cheek and froze there.
A boy was spinning top in the mex
: garden. She leaned toward him.
. "Little boy" she whispered, "giYe nj
/ push"
The little boy, mounting an inverted
bucket, pushed" and heard mufae'
, thud on the other side of the wall.
: Every girl in the little garrison tow
who possessed an invitation to the non
y commissioned officers ball was prepar
8 ing for the evenings festivity.
q Mollie Henderson pirouetted round tn
: small limit of her chamber, gauzy be
e ing in white. The circumscribed miro
n had been tilted up and tilted down, onl
q a quarter Of her form being visioned a
Q one time.
!. The edge of her skirt and white sati
y slippers were undergoing reflection whe
;. her Youngest brother shouted throug
:, the keyhole:
"You'll do, Molliel You'll beat Georgin
Webb hollowr'
y "Oh, Bobby, darling, doyou think sol
|. she cried, opening the door.
positive. Here are two boxes. Cues
d ones from the sergeant"
; Each box containeda spray of flower
o She held the red roses admiringly.
Il "Dear Mollie, please wear my flowers
S. was penciled on sheet Of paper bearin
l. the name of Sergeant Travers. II
l. lilies Of the valley were accompanied b
"a scrap of paper "From Jack"
"a (which shall wear, Bobby" she asl
! ed excitedly, laying the roses and Il
= = lilies together against her bodice.
% "Both," the boy replied promptly.
. "Oh, can't. think--I think the II
n looks better on the white. The lilies a
n trifie insipid, and yet-oh, I must WEI
of the roses; the red looks lovely"
n She turned from her brothers inspe
It tion. with the roses clustered at b
1T breast.
le "stunningl Now stick the lilies
s, your hair"
/. "But they would look awful, Bobby
:. "What's the odds? Cousin Jack mig
a. feel hipped If you don't stick 'em som
- where"
70 "Don't be SO sillyl The men ha'
nothing to do with the flowers"
y She gathered her gloves and fan I
40 gether and hastened out of Bobby
u sight.
of swell" soiloquized the juvenile ma
j. 81 guess I'll keep my money in my poe
ne ct before I'm soft enough to waste 1T
ID the girls"
u "Did YOU receive the lilies?" Sergea
is Major Boyne asked, while he and
n. partner stood aside from the dancers
va moment.
a. eyes; thank you very much"
= "You are not wearing themT
- "These roses arrived at the same tin
q. II thought their color was such pr
r. by contrast for my gown"
III at is very pretty"
IL "Are you annoyed, Cousin Jackf"
"Not at all. Shall we finish u
valse?"
!. "Ye-es."
~ N Latee on Travers claimed Mollie TO
=, dance.
u "How good Of You to wear my flo
II u ers,' he murmured.