Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-02-28
CHAPTER H-CoNTNUED.

| tEE&j845SN
tcoP1R,cHr. 1894. Dy THE AUTHOR ALL
| RIGHTS Reserved
| CHAPTER H-CoNTNUED.
| But it is different when the an
uouncement is made that a newly Gre
ated officer will soon knock for admis-
sion into the garrison family. He will
come as a stranger to all Those off,
GERS who themselves in turn stepped
from the door of the academy at West
Point into the field of active service as
the expected newcomer is about to do,
are well aware Of the mild form Of
torture which awaits them. They
know that Mr.. Graduate will burst
| upon their vision clad in natty attire
which the purifying breezes have not
yet had time to purge of the odor of
the tailor shop. He will not have been
in the garrison day ere his trunks
will have been emptied of their con-
tents, and the love trophies they con-
tain exhibited to the seemingly patient
group who sit meekly listening to the
pretty young man as he boasts of his
conquests in the rosy field of love.
They will smile serenely as his velvety
tongue purls on, and the time-dimmed
canvas of their own memory bright
ems and presents for their edifcation
the day when they, too, came gliding
into the service arena in the same state
Of innocent insanity. They will not
tell him so in words, but will mentally
say to him:
"a sad case, a very sad case, my dear
boy, but you will get over it. Just a
little campaigning. little of the hard
ship incident to border military life
will wear the academy glitter from
you, and you will develop in time into
man of more sturdy mold whose as
pirations will crave something more
substantial than the melody of soft
ly sung love ditty or the giggling smile
of a simpering schoolgirl. Those
withered bouquets bearing the distin-
gushing names of Rose and Blanche
and Agnes and Katie and other fair
uniform worshipers now so precious to
you, will soon find Judgment in the
coal scuttle; those daintily perfumed
notes win go upward in the smoke OF
the CRATE; the oft-kissed photos will lie
neglected in your trunk III the store
room, and the memory of the dear but
terffies who cared little for you, bu:
who loved to flutter around your gray
uniform and hurl glances Of defiance a
pouting rivals, will be but as a haz;-
dream, which you will not in your ma
turer sense care for memory toproduce
in too strong coloring. You will not
be so fastidious in dressing for the sad
die and the field as you were in dress
ing for the ballroom, or to keep an ap-
pointment with the latest plump
quail who had fallen a victim to your
military air and brass buttons. Enjoy
your trophies while you may, my hoy,
for stern duty will soon bid you shake
off the aspect of the beau and don the
more earnest air of the soldier"
| Lieut.. Vandever came, and was at
once located in bachelor quarters and
listed for duty. Capt. and Mrs. Colby.
as the oldest in point of residence
at the post, announced a reception in
honor Of the new officer, and on the
| evening designated the parlor Of the
Colby quarters was well filed with
| officers ard ladies. Lieut.. Vandever
was introduced to all, and was cordial
| 1y welcomed into the society of the
| garrison. He proved to be quite
handsome young gentleman, and had
brought with him smile which had
| no doubt played sad havoc with maid
emily hearts at the alma mater on the
| historic Hudson, yet beneath the sur
face there seemed to lurk an imperious.
| tyrannical, if not cruel nature, which
the smiling face could not entirely con-
ceal. He was studiously polite in his
| demeanor toward the ladies and en-
| deavored to be hail fellow well
met" among the gentlemen, but a sort
| of repellant glance which at times shot
from his eyes went far toward snoth-
ering the warmth with which both
| gentlemen and ladies would have glad
~ welcomed him.
Alice was at the party and was ex-
! quisitely lovely in her dress of purcst
white. She was the especial idol Of
the ladies Of the garrison, and there
| was more than one dissatisfied look on
| the more matronly faces when it was
| observed that Vandever seemed to be
| greatly smitten with her charming
| presence and grace of manner. He was
devoted in his attentions to the fair
girl, so much so, in fact, that his as
siduity really annoyed her, and to es-
cape him she excused herself at the
earliest moment consistent with polite
ness and went to her home.
The young officer evidently classed
Alice in the same category with the
frivolous young ladies without whose
presence life 1T West Point would have
to him been uncomfortable. His vanity
told him that while the girl with mod
est instinct treated him shyly at the
first meeting she could not long resist
his charms. and would soon listen to
his protestations of alleged love as
rapturously as score of girls had
done during his cadetship. Hence, at
their every future meeting he aimed
his every shaft of wit, eloquence, COM
pliment and Aattery at the citadel of
her young heart. and was really sur
prised at her failure to open wide its
gate and bid him enter as its conGueror
She treated him with marked polite
ness at all times, yet in her heart
wished that their meetings might be
Is the visits of angels in the olden
adage.
1t was not long before it began to be
whispered about that Lieut.. Vandever
was tyrannical and imperiously lordly