Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-02-14

u
And then the men in their full-dress
uniforms had escorted their captain
and Connie and the invited guests
homeward that night and the first,
thing when father and daughter were
left alone old Morgan turned to Con-
nie.
$50 that was what Thoruton's letter
was about, was ", Connie?"
Certainly, father" she replied,
looking straight into his eyes with
those clear brown orbs Of hers. what
else could " have bcen?" And that was
the last mentioned Of the subject be-
tween them.
Each and every ono, the men had
shaken hands with their captain and
pledged his health In the foaming beer
old Curran had insisted on setting
up for the occasion They sworc,
soldicr-likc, they'd never let the cap
tain retire; but that was matter be.
You'd their jurisdiction. Wind and
weather and many worry laid the
veteran by the heels, and his old
enemy, rheumatism, took fresh and
forcible hold. When D troop rode
away To take the field, poor Morgan
was groaning both in flesh and spirit,
and when late that autumn Schramin
came posting home ward under subpnne
10 testify In no The People vs.. Lacy,
the chevrons OF q sergeant decked his
sleeves In recognition Of ride OF
over hundred miles through Indian
haunted wllds to boar dispatches to
. distant command, but neither cap.
tain nor Connie was there to bid him
welcome. The lonely grave out on the
prairie lacked the bunch Of wild flow.
srs which formerly decked IT every
Sunday morning The old quarters
down the row were peopled by
strangers 10 the German soldier now.
The sweet face Of the gnadigc Frau
lcln smiled no more from the dormor
window over the vcranda; tho Nor.
gans, one and all, were gone A retir-
ing board had pronounced the old
dragoon unfit for further service, and
with his own fuel and quarters to fur
nish Us best he could, with no more
medical attendance or supplies from
Uncle sam, with all the brood to feed
and clothe and educate, without word
Of aid or welcome from the kinsfolk In
the east, poor Morgan mcclSly took his
discharge and his retired pay, and .
tiny two-storicd cottage In an out-of-
the-way street in Butte, and strovc to
set up housekeeping with Connie NJ
the head and n Chinese man-of-all-work
Ut the foot Of the new establishment.
Rand had been to see them md urged
their all coming eastward awhile as
his guest. vi home, but the railroad
company had offered Morgan little
berth which he considered 1t his duty
70 accept Mt once, and Connie secuted
the Idea Ut her being In need Of rest or
change; she could not think of leaving
father; and within the month itsecmcd
as though her vision were pretcrnatu'
rally clear, for presently poor Morgan
could not leave the house at all. 1t
was at this stage Of the proceedings
that as Connie, broom In hand, and IN
old silk handkerchief over her head,
was sweeping out the hall one sharp o.
tober morning, the 'Chinaman having
been discharged as the result Of 4
strike for more wages and less work,
she sent II whirl Of dust upon the glis'
tening boots Of stntuesquc trooper
with hand ut salute and blue eyes
beaming In delight at sight OF his
friend the captains daughter
''Oh, Schr-r-ramm'" she cried, throw.
Ing down her bosom and joyously
grasping his gauntleted hand. "Wherc
did You come from? Come right Int
papa will be SO gladl--IIerc's schramm
--Sergt Schramm, daddy dear" and,
first closing the outer door, she opened
that which led to the den, and ushcred
tho sergeant In md watched with