Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-10-25

yourself were yon {, be in the least
compromised by your association with
me. Am to understand, then, that
the meetings which have afforded me
SO much pleasure are to be discon-
tinucd?"
mot altogether. trust we may
meet ut times and that we will remain
good friends, The day will come, Mr..
Thornton perhaps sooner than we OK
poet, when you will east aside your
soldier character and rcenter your
proper sphere in life, and when II does
come / hope to yet bcnumbered among
your friends. will at times be pleased
to ice your sketches, and believe me,
though propricty demands u les dis
! play Ct friendship, yet hold yon in
the highest esteem and win do all !
conaistontly can to tighten the load
you bear. But VIC are nearing papa.
| viii You sketch tomorrow? think |
will take ride down the Mesa trail"
~ will Miss Sanford at my old rock
scat. Before we part ! must express
my thanks and gratitude to you for
this conversation. My heart will be
lighter, for, though may but seldom
see you, ! will feel that you arc my
friend. God bless you.
Thank you, Mr. Thornton. Why,
how pleasantly papa Is smiling That
mcansa good-naturcd scolding for me. ;"
"Ahal you little truant," the colonel
cried Your tastes arc very eccentric,
must say, Miss Sunshine. You run
away from your old ogre of a father to
accept the attentions ola young officer,
then discard him for private soldier
Of better looks and, dalnmc, must say,
more soldierly bearing. thought you
would never get to me, you rode SO
slowly with your new escort
70, papa, my poor pony was 80 tired
| could not push him. This is Private
Brown, the young artist Of whom | told
you"
private Brown, eh? Ohio! | see 1t
now. This is the young man who was
recently brought to my attention
through the proceedings OF a court
martial, and can understand why
vandcver cut and run when he saw
him approaching. lie feared the mans
temper might again lose step, and the
dose be repeated Eb. Sunshinc?'
20, no, papa. Mr.. Vandcvcr did not
know tho young man was approaching
u.s. lie chose to return to the fort by
another route, that Is ALL"
"1hat's all, oh? Well, you don't
know whether he saw him or not.
an inclined to think he did. But
now for home. This Unsuitable, unrea.
sonablc, tyrannical appetite Of mine
demands immediate attention. thank
you, brown, for the trouble | put you
to in chasing this runaway. You can
60 your own way now, Come, daugh-
| ter"
"lnstcad Of being Il trouble, sir, as,
sure you 1t was q pleasure to be able to
sQrye you in even 80 slight manner
Brown Salnted the officer, raised his
cap to Alice and galloped away toward
the fort.
"Why, how Internally courteous the
follow ISL said the colonel, gazing
after the retreating figure with admir-
ing eyes, "And how soldlerly his bear
ing. He's a. handsome dog, too. See
how he sits on that hosse, daughter
how like u knight OF old he poses in
the saddle. believe Colby told Inc hs
had him booked for promotion, and by
Jupiter I'll see that he doesn't forget 1t,
A pleasure to be able to serve me, eh?
like that No wonder he knocked
that popinjay off his dainty feet
"And Capt Colby says he distin-
guished himself in several actions with
tho Indians papa
distinguished himself? OF course
he did. My experienced old eyes can
not be fooled, Sunshine, and they see u
soldier IN that mana soldier who will
do duty when he sees it. There, his
cap has fallen off, Now watch him.
See that mount? precisel Precise! Sol
dicrly In every move, just as mounted
in my younger days, Now, damme, l
need a step-laddcr and u horse that
will stand as solid as the Rock OF Ages
until | get a firm seat in the saddle
Alice's face glowed with much pleas
urc to hear her father bcstow such
praises upon hor hero. Thinking the
opportunity Il favorable one to yet fur
thcr advance him in the estimation Of
tho colonel she said:
And don't you remember, papa, he
Ia the nun told you Of who was an
honorcd, respectable gentleman In civil
life, and who was induced to enlist
while In an irresponsible condition"
u recall some such story, but the
army's full of martyrs, who all have
fairy stories to tell You mustn't listen
to them, Sunshine
"nut IL his story should prove to be
true, papa, could not his discharge be
secured?"
discharge such man as that? Not
by Jug full. We need more such men
when soldier material Is so scarce. We
can't spare n good soldier in these days,
my dear. Did the fellow ask you to
plead for his discharge?'
mo, papa. On the contrary he said
he regarded his present condition as a
deserved punishment for wrong doing
In allowing himself to drink until ire
sponsible for his acts, and that he
would manfully serve his time and do
his duty as soldier to the very best Of
his ability
"Tut, tut, All moonshine. II he does
not desire discharge why do you ask
II one could be seemed9n
"liecause | feel that it Is unjust to
compel such man to live q life OF
servitude In the ranks when he would
be such useful member Of society, and
| thought II there were a possibility Of
securing his release would breach
/ the subject TO himnnd might gain his