The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-04


wick-at least somebody does-but still
she relents not, and it is something be-
yond the garrison's power of conjecture
to decide what the result will be. Into
her pretty white and yellow room no
one penetrates except at her invitation,
even when the garrison ladies are spend
ing the day at the colonel's, and even if
they did there would be no visible sign
by which they could Judge whether his
flowers were treasured or his picture
honored above others. Into her brave
and beautiful nature none can gaze and
say with any confidence either "she
loves" or "she loves not" Winter
comes, with biting cold and binding
snow, and still there is no sign. The
joyous holidays, the glad New Year,
are almost at hand and still there is no
symptom Of surrender. No one dreams
Of the depth and reverence and graft
tude and loyalty and strength of the
love that is burning in her heart until
all of q sudden, in the most unexpected
and astonishing way, it bursts forth in
sight of all.
They had been d2wn skating on the
slough, a number of the youngsters and
the daughters Of the garrison. Rollins
was there doing the devoted to Mamie
Gray, and already there were gossips
whispering that she would soon forget
she ever knew such beau as Jerrold in
the new found happiness Of another one.
Hall was there with the DOCTORS pretty
daughter, and Mrs. Hoyt was matron-
izing tho party, which would, of course,
have been incomplete without Alice.
She had been skating hand in hand with
o devoted young subaltern In the artil-
lery, and Ioor Armitage, whose leg was
unequal to skating, had been ruefully
admiring the scene. He had persuaded
Sloat to 60 out and walk with him, and
Sloat went, but the hollow mockery Of
the whole thing became apparent to him
after they had been watching the skat-
ers awhile, and he got chilled and
wanted Armitage to push ahead. The
captain said he believed his leg was too
stiff for further tramping and would be
the better for Il rest, and Sloat left him.
Heavens, how beautiful she was,
with her sparkling eyes and radiant col
or, glowing with tho graceful exercise!
He sat there on an old log watching
the skaters as they flew by him and
striving to keep up an impartial inter
est, or an appearance Of it, for the other
girls. But the red sun was going down,
and twilight was ON them all Of sud
den, and he could see nothing but that
face and form. He closed his eyes mo-
ment to shut out the too eager glare Of
the glowing disk taking its last fierce
peep at them over the western bluffs
and as he closed them the same vision
came back-the picture that had haunt
ed his every living dreaming moment
since the beautiful August Sunday i'll
the woodland lane at Sablon. With un-
dying love with changeless passion, his
life was given over to the fair, slender
maiden he had seen In all the glory Of
the sunshine and the goldenrod, stand
ing with uplifted head, with all her
soul shining In her beautiful eyes and
thrilling in her voice. Both worshiping
and worshiped was Alice Renwick as
she sang her hymn Of praise in unison
with the swelling chorus that fioated
through the trees from the little brown
church upon the hill, From that day
she was Queen Alice in every thought,
and lie her loyal, faithful knight for
veal or woe
Boom went the sunset gun far up on
the parade above them. Twas dinner
time, and the skaters were compelled to
give up their pastime Armitage set his
teeth at the entirely too devotional at
titude of the artilleryman as he slowly
and lingeringly removed her skates and
turned away in thA utterly helpless
frame Of mind whitA. will overtaAe the
strongest men On similar occasions He
had been sitting too long in the cold
and was chilled through and stiff, and
his wounded leg seemed numb. Leaning
heavily on his stout stick, ho began
slowly and painfully the ascent to tho
railway and chose far the purpose a
winding path that was far less steep,
though considerably longer, than the
sharp climb the girls Gnd1 their escorts
made SO light Of.
One after another the glowing faces
Of the fair skatorS appeared above the
embankment, and their gallants care
fully conveyed them across the icy and
slippery track to the wooden platform
/ beyond. Armitage, toiling slowly up
his pathway, heard their blithe laughter
and thought with no little bitterness
that it was case of tout Of sight, out
Of mind, with him as with better men.
| What sense was there i'll his long de-
votion to her? Why stand between her
and the Nr more natural choice Of a
lover nearer her years2 "l4iko unto
like" was natures law. 1t was flying
in the face of Providence to expect TO
win the love of one so young and fair
when others so young and comely craved
it. TIE sweat WAS beaded on his fore
uCCu III UO uSulSl luC lbl) anu CttllO III
sight Of the platform. Yes, they had no
thought Of him. Already Mrs. Hoyt
was half way up tho wooden stairs and
the others were scattered more or less
between that point and tho platform at
tho station. Far down at the south end
paced the fur clad sentry. There it was
an easy step from the track to the
boards, and there, with much laughter,
but no difficulty, the young officers had
lifted their fair charges to the walk.
All were chatting gayly as they turned
away to take the wooden causeway from
the station to the stairs, and Miss Rem
wick was among the foremost at the
point where it left the platform. Here,
however, she glanced back and then
about her, and then bending down began
fumbling at tho buttons of her boot.
"Oh, permit me, Miss Renwick, F"
b. I,,,Al.,, -