Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-01-03
INC Young lovers little dreamed ot

The young lovers little dreamed of
the difficulties TO be encountered in
securing the discharge of an enlisted
man from the army. Future letters
from Browns aunt detailed the OBJ
stacles encountered. the disinclinaitc-
of the officials of the war department
to give the matter attention. yet each
letter bade him hope for more favor
able news in the next. II may be q
veXatious disappointment to the reader
to be here told that every effort to Sc
cure his release utterly failed, and that
he was destined to be a soldier of his
country for years yet to come.
Several months passed. Along a
shaded path on the bank of the Ric
Grande near the fort, Private Brown
and Alice Sanford walked side by side.
One of her shapely hands held the
bride rein of the pony which followed
behind her. The other was passed be-
meath the arm of her companion.
Slowly they moved along, their
heads bowed and their every action in
dicating that they were engaged in the
discussion ofa topic of no ordinary i'm
port. Taking advantage of the license
granted by the laws of fiction, let us
assume the wings of invisibility aud
hover near them and hear what they
are saying.
Il think, Ned, it would be best to go
right to papa and tell him all. When
he hears your story from your own
lips, reads the letters from your aunt,
her attorneys and from your banker
and the fact is fully established to his
satisfaction that you are worthy of me
and are fully justified in approaching
him on such a subject, he may treat
you kindly and interpose no serious OBJ
lection to our love. Indeed, he is not
so hard-hearted as his manner at times
would indicate"
"And yet l fear him, Alice, darling.
No matter what I might prove myself
to be, he would see me but as the pri-
vate soldier o, these CALLING bonds of
servitude! Never before did they so
deeply cut into my soul"
Bending over her he imprinted a low
ing kiss upon her cheek, and she clung
vet closer to him in acknowledgment
of the salute.
And yet he might receive you more
kindly than you anticipate, Ned. Papa
really has warm, sympathetic heart
despite his harshness in enforcing dis
cipline. If you could convince him
that my happiness is at stake and could
bring him to fully understand the depth
and purity of our love, he might at
least sanction our courtship until your
discharge from the service can be Sc
cured. His influence at the war de-
partment may aid you. Won't you see
him, Ned, dear?"
Her eyes were upturned to his with
pleading earnestness, and again press
ing a kiss on her responsive lips he re-
piled:
MY darling, 1 will endeavor for the
time to forget that am private sol
dier, and will go to him as man to
man, In a manly way. If he will but
listen to me to the end he cannot but
see that am worthy of your love, and
if he will allow his wisdom to rule him,
he must see that I make no unreason-
able request in asking him to fully in
vestigate my past history and to sus-
pend Judgment on what he may term
my assurance until he has done So"
"Bless you for that determination,
Ned. And when will you see him?''
'At once. AS soon as l can reach
his quarters. Mount your pony and
gallop ahead, darling, and I will fol-
low after"