The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-12-05

them as only small boy,
born and bred in a great city, can
gloat over tales of the West. He had
not been discriminating, of course.
and had had natural leaning toward
the most blood-curdling recitals; but
he had chosen always something in
some way connected with army life.
The army was to him beautiful
dream, q highly vanished picture,
and to be part of it-a major part,
of course, something like General,
or, at the very least, Colonel-had
been from the first his one ambition.
But destiny, in the shape of parents of
stern and old-fashioned mould, the
kind that thought, and accepted it as
convenient creed that, having in
ficted life upon their offspring, they
were entirely at liberty to ruin that
life-this destiny ordained that he
should have a profession other than
that of arms in short, that he should
be lawyer.
Now, Saunders was of an age to
judge for himself, and he knew that
he was not the stuff of which lawyers
are made. Not the slightest vestige
of eloquence had he; he was blunt
and truthful to a degree. He disliked
lie for its own sake. Ali this and
more he told his parents, but he was
answered by the logic which has re-
tarded the worlds progress through
so many generations, that they were
older and therefore wiser; that he
was their son, and they knew better
what was good for him than he could
possibly. Saunders, more from a sense
of duty shan fear of being disin-
herited of his fathers goodly estates,
accepted their decision and began the
reading of law.
About this time he chose for chum
q youth whose only possible recon-
mendation must have been that he
could boast of army relatives. He
had visited in his sallow gosling days
at garrison, and was full of highly
spiced tales regarding the wild daring
and fascinations of a soldiers life.
Saunders would drink in all these
stories, and despite his valiant efforts
to forget them and put temptation
away, they would come back to him
as he sat over the inexpressibly stupid
folios relating to the law.
One summer this chum of his invited
Saunders TO visit him at his country
house on the Hudson. Saunders went
and spent the happiest two weeks OF
his life. For it was there that he met
Madge Kean, the bewitching little
daughter of Colonel Kean, of the
Tenth. Saunders caught his first
glimpse of her as he walked with
young Milton up the driveway. Madge
was armed with a Flobert rifle, and
was teaching the little son of the house
how to aim and pull the trigger.
There was something in her very pose,
in the fact of her knowing how to
shoot, that appealed to Saunders at
once. He could not see her face, but,
nevertheless, he said TO Milton that
she was mighty pretty girl. !" Mil
ton replied with pardonable pride
that the young lady was his cousin,
had just come from the far West, was
of the army, and mighty pretty
little Airt." Therefore, before Saun-
ders had even been introduced TO the
fair Madge, he was perilously near to
being in love.
When he stood beside her and Mil
ton was saying, "This is my chum,
Saunders, Madge; Miss Kean, Mr.,
Saunders" when her bright eyes
glanced at him from under her
long lashes--just like an untamed
mustang's-when she smiled and
put out a hand all smutty with
powder, Saunders thought her the
most bewitching woman he had even
seen. And Madge, in her turn. made
note of the fact that Saunders was tall,
blond and extremely handsome, with
that unmistakable air of self-posses.
sion and refinement of New York
gentleman. She determined that he
would be much better material to ex,
pend her fascinations on than that milk
sop of a cousin of hers. She.was glad he
had come, and said SO. Saunders an
swered, in a tone which carried con,
viction, that he also was glad she had
come, and Madge blushed through one
of those clear, tanned skins which
change color with every emotion. No
! that she was shy and schoolQirlish il