The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-10-13
nv GAPT GEAaLGs kIN6. Y .S-H.



Copyright. 1893. ~ J. B. HPp'Se>oT Co.
she was fastening his necktie for him
at the moment; then, patting his griz-
lied cheek, she took the whisk broom
to dust the worn old fatigue coat pre-
pa-atory to letting him stump forth
on his hating way to the ordnance
storehouse. but there came rousing
rat-tat-tat at the front door just at the
instant, and, nanny being up to her
elbows in -four and Penner away at the
commlssary, Connie sprang to answer,
and there, precise and soldierly as
ever, stood Schramm.
"Why, Schr-r-amm" she cried, de-
lightedly. "Why-when-how did you
get. back?"
"sergt. Schultz, gpadige fraulein,
was sent back with dispatches, Nnd
came with him. Is Herr Lieutenant
within? bring letters And he
handed her packet.
Come right in, Schramm; papa will
be 90 glad to see you"
And thus hidden. yet ever unbend-
ing, Schra'nm stepped to the inner
door, and there, hand at salute and
heels together, he stood attention, his
kind blue eyes alight with fidelity and
affection.
"Hello, Schramm." exclaimed Nor
gan, limping around the big base
burner with extended hand, which the
soldier grasped respectfully an instant,
then returned to his invariable atti
tude. "Well, you must have ridden
hard"
''Only forty-fve miles, sir. We left
them in camp on Bear Fork at mid
night. There was news from the
agency. We go back this afternoon
Painted Lodge
Hurridly opening the packet, Nor
gan glanced over the contents-two Of
fetal letters for himself, and smaller
note. "Why, Con, this is for you-from
Thornton" he said, in surprise. Then,
never noting the eager, almost incred-
ulous light that flashed into her eyes,
or the instant rush of color to her
cheeks and brow, he tore open the first
letter, an order from Tintop to send on
certain arms for the use of scouts. He
glanced quickly up to send Schram for
the ordinance sergent, but Schramm
had disappeared. There stood Con-
stance, her eyes dancing, her red lips
parted, her bosom heaving, languor
and pallor utterly banished from her
face, graspi1g in both hands the letter
he had given her devouring it's pages
with all her soul in her eyes, utterly
fo r., To 80,
the rapture of a young girls first dream
of love. For the first time in his life
Morgan saw that his child was beau
5iful. Fer the first time it dawned
upon him she was no longer child.
For the first time in his life the father
called her to his side and she did not
aear.
Connie he said. Then at last,
almost sternly, ''Constance!"
''Oh! what, papa dear? Forgive rae,
was sol was
Yes" said he, vaguely, feeling all
helpless and bewildered yet. Eyes.
What does he say? What does he write
yon?"
Another rush of color, new flash in
the great brown eyes, yet more hest
5ancy, more EN- arrassment
"Why, there's a letter for you, papa
he says so; but-this is about some
hing else"
Slowly Morgan turned, unwilling to
think, reluctant to believe, unable to
wound. It was all SO sudden, SO utter
~ unlocked for. What on earth could
Thornton have to say to her? Where
was the letter to him? Oh, here, in
side Gray's dispatch. He tore it open:
Dear Old Man: In the mail sent for
ward to catch us there comes well
come letter from father. He says that
Wall, of the Ninth, and Clinton, of the
Sixth, have applied for retirement.
You are sure of your double bars then
before September, and we all are re-
joicing. couldn't help writing, as |
wanted to be the first to tell you.
Please give the enclosed to Connie.
Love to the kids, all three. Yours, z.
T." Give what to Connie? He turned
the envelope inside out, and there was
no enclosure other than the letter.
Mechanically he stretched forth his
hand.
"Let me see your letter, Connie" he
said, and to his dismay she for an
instant shrank back. Then, seeing