The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-12-01

anything more could be said. l had
no adequate idea of the extent of my
misdoing. Have your permission to
sit down, sir, and think it over?"
Rounds actually didn't know what to
think, and still less what to say. Had
he believed for an instant that the
young gentleman was insincere, he
would have had him in close arrest in
the twinkling of an eye; but Waring's
tone and words and manner were those
of contrition itself. 1t was not posi-
BILE that one of the boys should dare to
be guying him, the implacabie Rounds,
'Old Grand Rounds" of the Sixth corps,
old Double Rounds of the horse artil-
lery of the Peninsula days. Mrs.
Rounds had her suspicious when told
of the affair, but was silent, for of all
the officers stationed in and around the
old southern city Sam Warning was by
long odds the most graceful and accom-
plished dancer and german leader, the
best informed on all manner of inter-
esting matters social, musical, dra-
matte, fashionable-the prime mover
in garrison hops and parties, the con-
Meeting link between the families of
the general and staff officers in town
and the linesmen at the surrounding
posts, the man whose dictum as to
dinner or luncheon and whose judg
ment as to woman's toilet were most
quoted and least questioned, the man
whose word could almost make or mar
an army girls success; and good OLD
Lady Rounds had two such encum-
brances the first winter of their sojourn
in the south, and two army girls among
80 many are subjects of not a little
thought and care. If Mr.. Waring had
not led the second german with Mar
garet Rounds the mothers heart would
have been well-nigh crushed. 1t was
fear of some such catastrophe that kept
her silent on the score of Warnings re-
ply to her irate lord, for if Sam did
mean to be impertinent, as he unques-
tionably could be, the colonel she knew
would be merciless in his discipline
and social amenities would be at in
slant end. Waring had covered her
with maternal triumph and Margaret
with bliss unutterable by leading the
ante-Lenten german with the elder
daughter and making her brief stay a
month of infinite joy. The Rounds
were ordered on to Texas, and Mar
garet's brief romance was speed
lily and properly forgotten in the
devotions of more solid if less
fascinating fellow. To do Waring
justice, he had paid the girl no more
marked attention than he showed
to anyone else. He would have led
the next german with Genevieve had
there been another to lead, just as he
had led previous affairs with other
danes and damsels. 1t was one of the
ninety-nine articles of his social faith
that girl should have good time her
first season, just as it was another that
a bride should have lovely wedding,
belle at least enc offer a month,
married woman as much attention at
an army ball as could be lavished on
bud. He prided himself on the fact
that nc woman at the army parties
given that winter had remained a wall
flower. Among such host of officers
as was there assembled during the
years that followed on the heels of the
war it was no difficult matter, to be
sure, to find partners for the thirty or
forty ladies who honored those occa-
sions with their presence. OF local
bellies there We're none. 1t was far too
soon after the bitter strife to hope for
bliss so great as that. There were
hardly any but army women to provide
for and even the bulkiest and least at
tractiye of the lot was led out for the
dance. Waring would go to any length
to see them on the floor but that of
being himself the partner. There the
line was drawn irrevocably. The best
dancer among the men. he simply