The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1895-06-20

suitv- for my hand while soldier In
the ,nnhs."
"Ani did you tell him that you loved
him, child?"
"Why, what else could I do, Mrs.
Colby? Yes. did tell him SO, told him
that | madly loved him, and think
will never tire Of repeating il TO him.
But, my dear friend, IL is his wish that
you treat the information conveyed in
his aunts letter in the strictest conf
dence for the present"
"Certainly. dear, and what delicious
secret will have, and how delight
full IL will be when the denoucmcnt
comes to be able to look into the amazed
faces Of the ladies of the post and
quietly tell them knew IL long ago"
The young lovers little dreamed of
the difficulties TO be encountered in
securing the discharge of an enlisted
man from the army. Future letters
from Browns aunt detailed the OBJ
staclcs encountered, the disinclinaiton
of the officials of the war dcpartmten
TO give the matter attention, yet each
letter bade him hope for more favor
able news in the next. 1t may be a
to be here told that every effort TO Sc
cure his release utterly failed, and that
he was destined TO be n soldier of his
country for years yet TO come.
Several months passed Along a
shaded path on the bank of the Rio
Grande near the fort. Private Brown
and Alice Sanford walked side by side.
One of her shapcly hands held the
bride rein of the pony which followed
behind her. The other was passed be-
meath the arm of her companion.
Slowly they moved along, their
heads bowed and their every action in
dicating that they were engaged in the
discussion of a topic of no ordinary inn
port Taking advantage of the license
granted by the laws of fiction, let us
assume the wings of invisibility and
hover near them and hear what they
are saying.
II think, Ned, 1t would be best to go
right TO papa and tell him all. When
he hears your story from your own
lips, reads the letters from your aunt,
her attorneys and from your banker
and the fact is fully established to his
satisfaction that you are worthy of me
and are fully justified in approaching
him on such subject, he may treat
you kindly and interpose no serious OBJ
lection to our love. Indeed, he is not
so hard-hearted as his manner at times
would indicate"
"And yet fear him, Alice, darling.
No matter what might prove myself
TO be, he would see me but as the pri-
vate soldier. o, these CALLING bonds of
servitude! Never before did they so
deeply cut into my soul"
Bending over her he imprinted low
ing kiss upon her cheek, and she clung
vet closer to him in acknowledgment
of the salute.
"And yet he might receive you more
kindly than you anticipate, Ned. Papa
| despite his harshncss in enforcing dis
cipline. If you could convince him
that my happiness is at stake and could
bring him to fully understand the depth
and purity of our love, he might at
least sanction our courtship until your
| discharge from the service can be Sc
cured. His influence at the war de-
partment may aid you. Won't you sec
him, Ned, dcar?"
Her eSes were upturned to his with
pleading earncstness, and again press
ing kiss on her responsive lips he re-
piled:
my darling, / will cndeavor for the
time to forget that am a private sol
der, and will go to him as man to
man, in n manly way. If he will but
listen to me to the end he cannot bu,
see that am worthy of your love, and
if he will allow his wisdom to rule him
he must see that ! make no unreason
able request in asking him TO fully in
vcstigate my past history and to sus
pend Judgment on what he may term
my assurance until he has done So"
"Bless you for that determination
Ned. And when will you see him?"
AT once. As soon as / can reach
his quarters. Mount your pony and
gallop ahead, darling, and l will fol
low after"