New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1893-10-04
LOVE'ON A WALL.

LOVE'ON A WALL.
The little back yard presented novel
appearance. The frost was on the ground,
and the one skeleton tree in the corner
extended its leahess 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 a
( man practicing at broadsword exercise
Sergeant Major Boyne, pausing from
his exertlons, addressed some one sitting
on-the wall to- his right, 70 S.. !.
"Are you cold, Mollie?"
mo, thanks; it is warming to watch
you"
The sergeant continued his evolutions.
"One-two-three-four; right! One
two three-four; left!'
The girl clapped her hands. The SER
giant repeated the performance.
GLOW jolly you look, cousin Jack!"
Mollie cried as the cuts and thrusts whis-
tied through the air.
"Do II" the sergeant queried, solemnly
regarding the post in the middle of the
! geound.
"You know that you look pice,' she
sud severely. "Don't pretend"
He returned the weapon to it's sheath
and looked at the girl critically.
"You know that you look nice, Cousin
| Mollie," he said, with mock severity.
Don't pretend. You are the prettiest
girl in Linbridge. All the men at the
barracks say that of you"
''Do they?" she cried with gasp. 81
am SO glad"
"Glad? Silly girl! What is their opin-
ion WORTH"
"As much as yours, suppose" she
answered.
"Oh, of course"
She leaned against the wall and re-
fastened a buckle. She bit her lip and
tapped the red bricks with her heels.
Sergeant Travers came off worsted
among the men the other night, I heard. ~
''The odds were all against the one, as
usual" she said. Your barrack jokes
are seldom funny"
He laughed. "Why do you care for
him, Mollie?'
| II DON'T
~All right, Mollie,' he said in tone
! that indicated ''all wrong"
tits getting Late" she remarked.
"They aoA setting the tea tray
"Shall I help you DOWN.
Her toes wero on n level with his chest
as he fronted her. She carefully scru-
tinized the height from the ground.
mo, thank you"
''Oh, all right" he responded, with
| the same dubious infection.
! She heard his spurs click over the
frosty ground. She watched the patch
! of scarlet merge fptp tho gloom and 70
appear in the lighted room of tho house.
Then the tears trickled down her cold
cheek and froze there.
A boy was spinning a top in the next
! garden. She leaned toward him.
Little boy" she whispered. give me
a push"
The little boy, mounting an inverted
bucket, "pushed" and heard a muff]ed
thud on the other side of the WALL
Every girl in the little garrison town
who possessed an invitation to the nom
commissioned officers ball was prepar-
ing for the evenings festivity.
| Mollie Henderson pirouetted round the
small limit of her chamber, gauzy BE-
ing in white. The ciraumscribed mirror
had been tilted up and tilted down, only
{ a quarter Of her form being visioned at
one time.
The edge of her skirt and white satin
, slippers were undergoing reflection when
her youngest brother shouted through
| the keyhole:
you'll do, Mollie! You'll beat Georgina
Webb hollow!''
"Oh, Bobby. darling, do you think so?'
she cried, opening the door.
positive. Here arc two boxes. Guess
ones from the sergeant
Each box contaiHeda spray of flowers
She held the red roses adnaringly.
Dear Ioliie, please wear my flowers, -
was penciled on a sheet Of paper bearing
tho name of Sergeant Travers. Tho
lilies Of the valley were accompanied by
a scrap of paper From Jack"
(which shall I wear, Bobby?' she ask
ed excitedly, laying the roses and the
lilies together against her bodice. -.
"Both," the boy replied promptly.
"Oh, can't. think-I think the red
looks better on the white. The lilies are
a trife insipid, and yet-oh, I must wear
the rosess the red looks lovelyF'
She turned from her brothers inspec-
ton, with the roses clustered at her
breast.
'Stunning! Now stick the lilies in
your hair"
''But they would look awful, Bobby
"Whats the odds? Cousin Jack might
! feel hipped if you don't stick 'em some
! where"
"Don't be so silly! The men have
nothing to do with the flowers"
| She gathered her gloves and fan to-
gether and fastened out of Bobby's
sight. = 1s. s
1 4