The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1895-05-30
PRIVATE BROWN.
BY CAPTAIN JACK CRAWFORD.
tTHE POET SCOUT.

Copyrighted ,sq4 ty CAPTAIN JACK CRAWFORD.
All Rights Reserved
beauty crafty me more than can tell
you. Please be seated, for l love to
hear you discuss art and artists"
She motioned him to chair, and for
an hour they sat in interested CONVEX
sation. Mrs Colby was, unknown to
him, sounding the young soldier to the
depths, and with wemanly tact she
drew from him bit by bit little touches
of coloring from his early life, and by
her ease of manner and gracious de-
meanor so impressed him that he again
lost sight of his humble rank and con-
.versed with her as he would with a
lady in the parlors of society in the
east. She was a woman of finished
education, one who had seen much of
the world, and as she led him on and
on from topic to topic, her wonder
grew at his intelligence and fine con-
versational powers.
CHAPTER TX.
Brown walked to his quarters with q
light heart. With the one exception
of Alice Sanford this had been his first
conversation with woman since his
enlistment, and to him it seemed as a
slight raising of the veil to afford him
a glimpse of the social life which would
again be his when his term of service
should have expired. The flood of sun
shine his acquaintance with Alice had
east into his distasteful soldier life was
multiplied and intensified by the atten-
tions shown him by Mrs. Colby, and it
all came to him as the first rift in the
cloud of servitude which must one day
melt into the horizon and disappear
from the sky of his life. The lady's
kind parting words: II hope to meet
you often, Mr.. Brown" were yet ring
ing in his ears when the first sergeant
of his troop grasped his hand and
warmly welcomed him back to duty.
But an hour after Brown left the
Colby quarters Alice Sanford entered,
and was met by Mrs. Colby with a
radiant face.
81 have met your hero, my dear
girl" she said. II not only met. him,
but had long conversation with him
in this very room"
30, did you, Mrs. Colby? And may I
ask what you think of him?" i
HE is very fine appearing young
man, and looks to be model soldier
she quietly answered.
80, bother the soldier! Leaving Pri-
vate Brown clear out of the question,
how did Mr.. Edward Thornton impress
you? Isn't he nice?"
II will tell you, my dear, frankly
what think of him. He came here to
report to Capt. Colby for duty, and !
asked him in to give me an artists
view of my Bierdstadt picture which
you so much admire. From the dis,
cussion of art led him into other fields,
and was really astonished at the wide
range of his information. Putting Pri
vate Brown out of the question, as you
suggested, dear, found Mr.. Thornton
q perfect gentleman, courteous and
polished in demeanor, highly educated
a fascinating conversationalist, a
brainy man of refined tastes-in short
were he to be to-day raised to his
proper sphere in life know of nothing
that should prevent me from welcoh-
ing him to my home and presenting
him to my friends as gentleman well
worthy their acquaintance and esteem.
80, thank you, Mrs. Colby. | am 50
glad you met and like him, for youl
friendship will greatly tighten the load
the poor boy has to bear. And you
think he is entirely worthy. of my
friendship?'
"Mr. Thornton would be, yes. But
Alice, dear, indeed you must not allow
your sympathies for him to blind your
eyes to his rank in. our military world
You should look upon Private Brown a
Private Brown, and not what Private
Brown should be or might be-"
''Oh, | hate that barrier of rank!'
cried Alice, impulsively. Mrs. Colby
we are as God made us, and rank OF
dress cannot change our natures. Il
not Mr.. Thornton as much an honor
able man in the garb of private sol
der as he would be in the elegant dres.
of a society gentleman? Is,not his sou
as pure while serving as soldier as il
would be had he never strayed from
the path of life in which he belongs,
Have his refined instincts and noble