The Monticellonian., 1894-10-05
TWO AMBITIONS.
A Briss Tale of Life at a Frontier r
 Army Post.

The chief and first tendency of the army. individually and collectively, is to love all new arrivals; the second and lasting one Is to pick them to pieces and to baclSbite them.
 We loved Miss Rohan with true Christian spirit when she first came to the fort It being the headquarters of the regiment, and we having band at our disposal, we gave her a serenade upon the night of her entrance upon military soil. The style of the ser enade was largely in what our colonel called @ m,nor,' being his way of expressing ultra classic. The pl O. gramme had been arranged before we had had the pleasure of seeing Miss Rohan, and when we realized how en- tirely it was unsuited to her style, there was no time to change.
 We called on her in n body the night of the day that she came, which is the delightfully."- barbarous custom at mil itary posts, like a lot of savages crowding about newly arrived run ner who brings news of the outside world It is meant well. Most of the inane and annoying things that we do in the social body are meant we'll, which is their only excuse. Nobody stops to think that the travel-stained wanderer would like time to rid her self of the rubbed-in coal soot and the alkaii powder of the plains that she would like the first in pression to be a favora bie one
 We sat within the tawdry little par Tor while the band played symphonies and andantes under the window, and we watched the drop of new blood in our stagnant veins. It was not blue blood in the least; it was hearty and red and strong; but it was the better appreciated on that account.
 We were four, the bachelor officers -I pean in the room-and one of Us was undoubtedly doomed to become the prey of this young person. Which of us heaven had set it's mark upon was not then to be guessed. Mis- Rohan smiled on all alike. 1t was a generous smile which showed too rows of teeth rather heavily mp holstered In gold. They suggested that she had eaten good deal oi taffy and pickled lines in her very youthful days. As ] see it now, in the light of cool reason, she would have made an ideal milkmaid, for she was plump and fair, her nose " as crimson from exposure to the Arizona sun, her hair was an undecided blonde and her
 II. I.... l. l,1. seen in the cool light of reason, her gown was more intricate than grace tul; she had on skirt rnftied quite to the waist-a fashion. it seems, among stout women-a very large flounce
 that is the name for it, falling from the shoulder and sleevcs, which were simply huge. e'.e was very much laced, toe which may have had some F et3h,ing to do with her florid skin One is pretty apt to notice Il woman's feet; hers were short and broad and cased in red slippers. As for her hands, they were dumpy, and the tips of her fingers were square. l learned afterward that her hands were her pride. She would sit on the front porch every mosning at guard mounting and manicure them. There was no hesitation in her manner nor in her voice; in tdet, she spoke loudly and not always quite gra. amntically.
 Tho l looked at my three com pani9us, There was Blake, who was tall. fair and handsome the kind of man that women fall head over ears in love with, who stood and looked deep into their eyes as if he read therein the story of his life. He was the son of a New England farmer, of the kind called good, plain people, and he was bout as manly and whole-souled fellow as the cavalry held.
 Then there was Thomas, who was small and trim. He had enough con- ceit for a much bigger man, but, then, conceit is usually in inverse ratio to a mans proportions. He was of the cavalry, too. and he rode the largest horse in the garrison. As to his an cestors, they were Philadelphians, and, he led one to be ieve, of the good old Quaker stock
 Also there was Bayard. Now, he was what any man with his name sh ould be we all know the old mot to- And he was so blue -blooded: his people were he very best that the Uafed States affords. His mother stern, refined, high-souled old ladv-was dead and had left to him her diamonds for his future wife. It did not even occur to her that he could marry beneath him. so she gave him no death-bed warnings. His father, a tall and stately old general, with huge white mustache aud a fondness for good wines, still lived in Washington, where he sat in the war department all day and at the Army and Navy club all plight.
 Now Bayard had not much beauty uf feature, but he was well-buiit and refined to the last degree. His ambi- ton was something unbounded he was regimental adjutant now. and couid nave had almost any detail or appointment he chcse to ask for There was fer him one ai,u; to rise as high as an officer may. He would have rr..aaa anu tno