The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-08-24
pleasant to tell you. Papa thinks yoa

pleasant TO tell you. "ets 'S1ali1s 49,
. model soldier" -.3 ;s@i
s..He doesq Well, it is indeed pleas
ant to receive compliment from such
a source. So you discussed me after i
left you yesterday?'
Alice told him all that had been said,
! excepting the references to his dis
charge from the service.
,ssIt will be hard to convince the
colonel of the truth Of my story. did
not know that You had made him acc
o,1aintea with the circumstances of my
enlistment"
''Oh, didn't l tell you? Well, told
him. or rather, started to tell him,
once, but he secuted at the idea and
hadc me not listen to such stories from
Tie soldiers.
ale will not always laugh at IT..
Brown replied, with tinge OF resent
ment in his voice. 'The day will
come when he will believe in me, and
But let us discuss some other matter.
1 have something very serious to say to
Won today, Miss Sanford, and trust
vow will hear me through before con-
dcnaing me. I have given the matter
most serious thought, and have deter
mined to pursue the only manly course
nav judgment preser is. In Justice to
you, in justice to myself, in obedience
70 the pronptings Of manhood, have
determined to un bosom my soul to you,
and for the moment may ask you to
forget. that you are listening to the
words of a private soldier and look
upon me as Edward Thornton, man
of whose frien dship you have no cause
to feel ashamed.
ssMiss Sanford, speak to you now as
one who feals that he is your equal in
life, as nearly as man can equal the
beautiful womanly flowers which God
in His goodness sends to gladden. the
world. Since my first meeting with
you. on this, to me, sacred spot sthe
knowledge that you have been my.
friend has flooded my life with purest
sunshine. l had grown to look for
your coming with yearning which
/ could scarcely understand, and I
could feel my soul go out in gladness
to you at your approach, and when,
after the unfortunate affair which
shut me from your presence for time,
returned here day after day and you
came not, my heart was troubled and
my life seemed cast into impenetrable
gloom. Yesterday your welcoming
smile dispelled the clouds, and left
your side my heart dancing with res
directed JOY. In my blanket bed last
night I reviewed the happy hours l
had spent in yonr society, and as the de-
tails of our meetings grouped them
- f,,1 II,
brain I determined that another sun
should not set before had laid bare
my heart to you.
'sNIlss Sanford, if have been nour-
sshing false hope in my bosom
SHOULD know it ere that hope has so
firmly taken root that it would wound
me almost to the death to pluck it out
and cast it away. Day by day, as the
tender, creeping vine entwincs Itself
more closely ebout the supporting oak,
feeling Of affection for you he's grown
.r my heart, and reason and manhood
telllne that should it be roofing there
only to wither and die beneath the
blighting frost Of disappointment 1t
should be killed in it's weaker life. My
friend, were but an ordinary soldier
with no fair prospects in the life be-
fore me would not insult you by ask
ing YOU to listen to such a confession,
but az win some day step from the
ranks into IN honored place among my
fellow men, as, on the burial from sight
of Private Brown Che humble soldier,
Mr. Edward Thornton the gentleman
will be resurrected, feel that do not
in the least encroach upon the lines OF
propriety by what am going to ask
you. My little, my valued friend, the
bud of affection now growing in my
breast is fast; bursting into the full