Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-12-06

| Of pain, as her fathers words were re-
| called, the romance of crime
Mr.. Brown. cannot understand.
II hope
He OWNED her thoughts in an in
| slant and quickly responded:
mo. Miss Sanford, not that. | know
what you would say. 1t Is too true
there are many soldiers in the army
who enlisted to escape punishment for
crime, but can truth fully assure you
| that never committed crime in my
| life | confess that the position in life
| in which am placed is not OF my own
choosing. that my servile lot is dis
tasteful TO me, yet with uplifted hand
gave myself TO my country for five
years, and | win faithfully fulfill that
| obligGti 40 matter how sorely the
| task ma ,nfict with my own person
| al inclinations In the ranks of life
you occupy sphere far above my pres
ent one, Miss Sanford, yet you need
| not fear. being tainted by holding con-
verse with Private Brown"
Il do sincerely crave your forgive
ness, she warmly exclaimed 1T was
Oub u passing nv anu CNNll btlOit
you interrupted me your eyes told me
I the suspicion wronged you. But it
surely could have been no ordinary
cause that induced you to enter the
army?"
''It was result of youthful folly,
Miss Sanford. l owe my present CON
dition in life entirely TO my own youth
full folly"
/ ''You excite my curiosity, Mr. Brown,
and a woman's curiosity, when not
/ gratifed, is like rambling thorn in
| her side, you know. VIII you not trust
me with your story? Perhaps l may
be able to assist You. My father is the
commanding officer, you know, and
will grant any reasonable request
may ask of him. might be able to Sc
cure your discharge from the service
and enable you to return to life for
which you are better fitted than you
are to perform the duties of private
soldier"
'In seeking to learn my history l am
sure you are actuated only by pure
womanly sympathy. | thank you for
this, thank you most sincerely, but 1
cannot consent to you making an ef-
fort TO secure my discharge. ! have ac-
cepted the condition in which / am
placed as n deserved punishment for
wrong doing and as a severe school to
: teach me the right, and under no cir
cumstances would | have my term of
enlistment shortened one single day"
: Alice looked into his eyes for a mo-
ment, and then began Il new scrutiny
of the sketch. Her thoughts were not
upon the picture, however. She was
debating in her own mind the pro-
priety of pushing her inquiries further.
She was burning with curiosity not un-
mixed with sympathy to learn why a
man Of his requirements and unmistak-
able refinement should be found In such
n humble position. After a few mo-
ments' reflection, during which he
watched her face with growing inter
est, she sprang from her saddle to the
ground, and requested him to tighten
the girth. While he was doing so she
said:
'It may be presumptuous for me to do
SO, Mr. Brown, but | must ask you n
question even at the risk of being
thought impertinent. When | tell you
am greatly astonished to find one of
your qualifications among men SO far
beneath you in intellect and refined
tastes, feel that you viii see in my
interest some palliation for my action.
May venture to ask if there is secret
connected with the cause Of your thus
banishing yourself from the ranks of
life in which you are fitted to mover"
II fully appreciate the spirit of curl
osity which prompts the question, Miss
Sanford, and really regret that my
reply may deface any romantic mental
picture you may have drawn q ne, !