Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-11-15

prlvsHs-aeveIopea = case OF some sort
Of fever. Barton was not very clear Is
10 what kind, but the doctor told him
that 1t was Of sort which noise would
make worse, that the man was In the
hospital, In the ward Just below the
one ell decked for the hop, and that,
therefore, the hop would have to be
postponed
Now Barton was not naturally un-
kind, but he was not the first ambitious
man in the worlds history who had
sacrifced others 10 his ambition. This
dance had to DO . success after 80
many failures, If ten men had the
fever Barton pleaded, reasoned,
coaxed. The doctor was obdurate.
But the doctor had weakness; II was
toddies and that sort Of thing. A deep
scheme entered the leutenant's head;
be would decoy the doctor to the suit
ler's, he would get him "full"--as he
gracefully expressed it-and when the
old fellow should be sweet-tempered,
Barton would make him consent to
having the hop that night.
It all worked Just o. the West
Pointer had foreseen. The doctor,
after having given an oft-reiterated
consent, went back to bis quarters for
nap The nap, IS Barton had ex-
peoted, lasted oil night. They danced
into the wee, sma' hours, for, though
there were only six men, the four girls
and chaperon, the thing was lots Of
fun The fact that there were more
musicians than dancers was no draw.
back. The incest girl was radiant
and gave Barton great hopes Yes, at
last, here was q success And the fever
patient was only little worse for the
noise. Barton was rather remorseful
when he heard that the man had be-
come delirious He sent champagne
up for him, that being his idea Of an
amende honorable. Having carried
this hop through, Barton was too wise
10 risk another; he rested on bis
laurels.
But some things can never be fore
seen, least OF all whit an enlisted man
may do, Tho fever patient had q
chum, who thought 1t his duty to 60
about the world fighting what he con-
sidered wrong; he was German, and
the garrison correspondent Of Ger
man newspaper in the city near by.
lie wrote up most pathetic account
Of the heartless butterflies OF fashion
who danced and rollicked despite
dying man In the next room. 1t made
very nice little tale, calculated to
bring tears to any eyes So does
small thing travel A doctor of the
town, young and aspiring to public
notice and advancement. read In an
Idle moment this narrowing story;
burning with sense OF the poor SOL
dior's wrongs, he cut out the slip and
sent 1t with his own name In con-
spicuous place. to tho powers that be
at Washington
One day Barton was called by the
Communicates orderly from the peace
full perusal OF noto from the incest
girl, with the request to 60 to the ad-
jutants Office, as the c. 0. wished to
see him. barton stuck tho little note
In his pocket-the one nearest his
hoart-and sailed forth without
thought Of harm. lie even felt 90 re-
cure that he planned how hs should
say q certain thing to the nisest girl.
Ito had Just hit upon splendid speech
when he reached the Office, and was
beamingly happy
Fifteen minutes later he came ous
from the Z. 0.s presence ssdder but
a wiser man. lie had been reprimand-
ed-severely reprimandcd; had had 1t
pointed out 10 him that he was o
heartless brute; that he had sacrificed
sick man to his own whima The
colonel grew quite touching as ho
painted the poor privates miseriea
Barton reflected that he wished the
commandments child hadn't broken It's
arm. lie felt that It was tho broken
arm, not the soldiers fever. which
ranked In the colonel's breast
Subdued and angored, Barton
walked back to his quartera Ilo would
re-read the note TO calm his ruttlod
spirits, and would then 60 over to ask
the incest girl the question he had
planned. II took him half an hour to
work up the necessary courage, and
then he sailed forth.
The incest girl sat upon the vine
covered porch, a novel In her hands,
but her blue eyes filled with tears and
looking ut space Somehow, DArton's
spirits fell They went still lower
whom her only greeting was a look OF
rcproach lie hal made up his mind,
however, and, with consummatc want
OF tact, asked the carefully planned |
question.
Then the blue eyes OF the incest
Girl let fall their teara She re-