The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-07-03

steps OF the Veteran Clubhouse and
turned homeward. The day was warm
ano the majors wounds we're ant TO
worry him q good deal in hot weather.
out he held his handsome old head
none the less high.
markham, one OF the founders OF
the club. watched him 70 for q mo-
ment, and then turned to Altman, who
sat near him.
One man IN q hundred is the
MAJOR, said he, ''ons man in a hun
Yea agreed the other ;''but what
mas ne been saying this afternoonf"
Nothing out OF the ordinary" re-
Piled Markham, ~ was only thinking
OF his past generally. believe that
he was the best all-iround soldier that
! ever k new. lie has the greatest an.
tipathy for anything bordering on friy-
olity In military affairs, as 9 prob.
ably know, and be declares those bows
DO nothing but play soldier az II they
were ID years younger than they really
are"
but doesn't he see the good side Of
the question:" asked Altman.
u suppose he does, but he thinks
b Guards should be composed OF
more capable men -workingmen who
can stand a great deal, aud not aristo-
Gratis"
"But''-
pray don't think / am supporting
the majors views3 my dear Altman.
When | remarked that the Guard had
been ordered to the mines, he said !:
feel sorry for the young men them
selves but more sorry for the state. It
ought TO send experienced men. to
such places IL they ever hope to n
force the law rigidly and quickly
Very firm 10 his beliefs Is the major,
and the strongest one he has, however
wrong II may seem to us, 10 that the
Governors Guards in it's present state
is a useless organization.
For a strangers opinion that
might pass" said Altman, "but the
major ought to know better. And l
am told too that the officers are all ex-
%cellent swordsmen."
yes" said Markham, $50 I've
heard, and all Of which / pointed out
tn him. But you can't shake tho ma
jor, as l said"
"Well," returned Altman, picking
up his paper again, sit gives him
something to talk about anyway"
Neither he or the majors old com.
rade knew the real reason Of his last
outburst against the Guards in ques-
ton that reason in the form OF q square
sheet OF notepaper, lay in the majors
inside pocket and consisted OF a hastily
written but entirely earnest offer for
his daughters hand in marriage. The
young man who took the liberty was
none other than the first lieutenant OF
the Governors Guards.
Lieutenant Holloway was not q dis
agreeable young man in fact he was
quite the opposite. He came from the
South and OF a soldering family, his
father having lost his life at Cold
Harbor during the Civil war he was
interested in a we'll established bust
ness situated in the heart of the city
his family pedigree was a long % and
his own character and record spotless.
"He doesn't want my answer for 9
week, does he? muttered the old
soldier as be marched homeward.
swell, he shan't get it! III think
j t over, as he asked mt to, and not
make q haety decision, but l can tell
him right now what 1t will BIZ. No, en-
phatically ="
Had the majors good little wife.
been living she would have pointed
out long ago the possibility Of this
contingency and would have prepared
him for the blow which must fall some
day and leave him chlldless, while
some enterprising young man gained
a wife; but his wife had died many
years ago and left the ma jOr with the
pretty child to bring up alone.
+ ron a %viyacious, headstrong, pref
ty little girl Dorothy had grown up
into q beautiful young woman with
her mothers sweet face and her "a
theirs will and determination.
Entering the door OF his handsome
house he called as cheerfully as he
could:
dorothy daughter"
"Yes father, came the answer from
up stairs and the next moment the
| face he loved peeped over the ban
lister and a small forefinger was
| sh aiken warningly at him.
"Ten minutes late, SIR, she cried
trying to be severe, what does it
meanY"
Then she ran down the stairs, her
pretty face dimpled with happy
smiles.
at means, little grip, replied the
major slowly, taking her bright face
between his two kindly old hands, it
means that my daughter has gomez
"Gone where, father" said she af-
ter one glance at HIM, for she felt
what was coming.
"Over to the enemy" returned the
HyL-. M khnxr mani nrn. in
arm into the library, he added:
dorothy, Dorothy to think OF you
| deserving at this time"
"But I'm not DESERVING. dear, I'm
not - she cried.
Then she asked slowly:
"What-what did he sayY"
''NothiDg," replied the major
shortly, "he wasn't soldier enough for
that 80 he wrote it..
at was not because he wasn't sol
der enough, papa but because he
didn't have time. And now you call
him a coward-and-he's up to where
those wicked miners are, and he may
he killed.
The rest was unfinished, for the
tears had welled up into the pretty
eyes and the next minute the contrite
major was apologies and declarations OF
better behavior in the future.
"He isn't a coward, papa, muir
INJURED Dorothy from the depths of the
majors shoulder where she had
taken refuge again "and''-
my lear child / didn't say be
was'', demonstrated the harassed old
soldier, land you mustn't CRY any
more"
All through supper. though she
chatted and laughed brightly the ma
ior's old heart was still q tri1e sore
for he kept saying to himself, "Only
half her love is mine and the rest be