Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-01-10

STANCE!'
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. 1 couldn't help writing, as I
wanted to be the first to tell you.
Please give the enclosed to Connie.
Love to the kids, all three. Yours, P.
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
the pain in his eyes, she sprang
towards him.
''Oh, do, papa; read every. word" she
said. Indeed, I'd rather-only he
only they didn't want you to know it
just yet But he did not seem to hear
her.
''I only asked to see if it could go in
side here" he said, slowly. Thornton
speaks of an Enclosure, and probably
that was it. Here Schramm,'' he cried,
fastening to the door, will you tell
| the ordnance sergeant want him right
off? I'll meet him at the ante-room.
Wait minute; just give me your arm
down the steps" And, leaning on the
blue-shirted, muscular shoulder, Nor
gan stumped away ont through the
little gate, out across the grassy pa
rade where the infantry companies
were busy at drill; and there was a
cloud on both faces now, as, saluting at
| Coh fo17 f11ll 10
the rear.
And yet, an hour later, when Morgan
returned to his quarters and Lot and
Billy came tumbling unanimously to
greet him, and he, moody and troubled,
sent them off in supreme contempt to
buy niclzers worth of guIn-drops at
the store, then came slowly to his door,
a vague sense of new trouble was tug
| ging at his heart, doubt as to what
he ought to do or say nuInbing his fac
u1ties. Pausing at the threshold, he
| heard Comics voice, low, rich, tremu-
lous with happiness, singing one OF her
mothers old dear songs, a thing she
had not done since the bitter day they
followed the mother to her grave, and
| the instant he entered she came to
| throw her arms about his neck and
raise her glowing face to his lips. He
took it between his hands and looked
down gravely, fondly, yet with such a
world of trouble in his eyes. The song
was hushed. Once more the color
mounted to her temples. but the big,
soft eyes never fiinched nor faltered.
Read that letter now, papa dear, -
she simply said. 81 want you to read
it, And then when he would not, but
sank YEARLY in his chair, she went
and fetched the letter she had placed
upon his desk, and perched herself
upon the arm of the chair and nestled
her soft cheek against his weather
beaten joyvl, and opened the note be-
fore his eyes, which in turn he prompt
ly shut. Then she strove to pull them
open by means of the lashes, and then
he turned his head away.
II don't want to read the letter,
CON- he said, remorsefully. 81 never
meant to let our Little Mother think
L"
''Then I'll read it, papa" she began,
interrupting him, whereat he clapped
his hands to his ears well, at least
| you must see the picture" she cried.
and, jumping up, she ran to the man
tel with tintype, q likeness of a tall
young fellow with q dOwny mustache
arrayed in cavalry scouting garb, with
| prairie belt and holster, very pre-
sentable young dragon, too, the sec
! ond lieutenant of Manning's troop; but
the eyes of the first lieutenant thereof
looked less kindly on this counterfeit
presentiment than ever they had upon
the face of the original
| lTo BE CoNTNUED.1