The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1894-12-13

"Whcrc was H. taken2" he asked,
rather abruptly, feeling that he must
say something.
mfr. Thornton says m itinerant
artist drove out from town and met
them nj the first camp and took quito
number and some groups. He had
two Of them taken just like this, to
send home, and dropped the odd one in
here. saying IL was philopnna and a
bribe.'
Bride? For what?" demanded Nor
gan. why should he hribe my little
girl?"
"Oh, there was no need" she laughed,
blithely. "He--they all, he said,
wanted something your Connie was
only too glad to get and give. Now
you must read it and see for yourself,
papa"
But he would not. He was ashamed Of
the fear that Tor moment had possessed
him. that she had consented To- n cnrrc-
spondcncc with Thornton without ask
Ing her fathers counscl--shc, his little
Connie. his iirst-born. True. she was
older at fifteen than many town-bred
girls Mt twenty, for her childhood had
been ripped in the bud, and since tho9c
slender shoulders had borne the care
and burden Of woman for two long
years, was IL 10 be forbidden her to-
know aught of woinan's glory? Only,
had hc been blind all the time? Day
after day had Thornton been their Wis
itor, yet never ia all that time had the
father seen or suspected IN the young
officer any more interest in Constance
than he displayed in Lot ar Billy.
True, she was almost always silent
attendant ut their daily game, or an
absorbed listener 20 their talk. rarely
leaving them except to go into the
other room To moderate the clamor of
the youngsters, who, being burly and
aggressive, were too often involved in
q game of give and take in which they
were fairly matched. But ThOrntonS
manner to her, which was at first sim
ply kindly and jovial, as il was To the
other children, had certainly changed
to greater Difference as the winter wore
on. Little by little he saw how her ia
Their leaned upon the girl, how thought
full, how devoted she was. He had
been reared a gentleman. lie had
mother and sister whom he dearly
loved, and from earliest boyhood
he had been taught by his sol
dier father the lesson Of gentlCncsS.
courtesy, and consideration. From
the other otliccrsin the regiment, most
of whom had known her in pinaforcs.
her greeting was simply "lIcllo, Con"
or Morning, Connie; hows dad to-
day. Thornton's impulse from the
first when he met this tall slip OF
girl IN solemn black was 20 call her
Miss Morgan" which made her blush
furiouSly. Later on, laughed ut by
the veteran sub, he had compromised
on Miss Connie" but not until he had
been daily visitor for several months
had il come To Connie" Morgan
never knew how she had fed TO her
room and nearly cried her eyes ont the
morning the battalion marched away.
ltwas after breakfast that Mrs, Woods
had come for her and, with other Ia
dies, had driven out TO the butte south
of the post from whose side the Mini
Ska could bc traced for miles. but to
whose summit Connie alone had been
bold and active enough TO climb All
he saw and realized now was that his
darling had been pale and languid,
plainly dropping for awhile, and then
all on a sudden, at the coming of that
little note. sunshine, gladuCSS, graft
tudc. joy, all had bcamcd from her
speaking eyes; had bubblcd from her
girlish heart in song. lie had mourncd
the mothers loss before, but it was
rs nothing compared with the helpless
,s,Aes f1,E,N a.. 4.
was there TO counsel who was there 70
take his beloved child 70 her heart,
and with mother love and sympathy,
with mother kiss and elaSping arms. i'm
the sure haven of mothers changCleSs
love win from the virgin soul its cher
ished secret, then guido and guard and
counsel MS only mothers can?
Poor Morgan! lie would not read
the boys frank letter. That might i'm
ply doubt of his little girl. lie could
not consult such friends as Mrs. Free
man; she had taken her babies and Hit
ted away TO the seashorc for the sum
mcr. Mrs. Stannnrd, once his wifc's
l,ind friend aud adviser, had gone long
months before, when the major went
GO his new station. There wcro loving
women, kind women, mothcrly women
mt the post, yet not those to whom he
could speak of anything so sacred.
Neither could he bring himself To the
faintcSt reference 20 the matter in talk
ing with his child. There was simply
one thing which he could do, thought
Morgan. All the winter he had boen
growing fond and fondcr OF the bright.
faced, glad-voicvd soldicrly young fell
low; but now, now, II il should trans
pire that all this time Thornton had d