Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1896-02-26


| congratulate you. 1t will compensate
a little for your having left the regiment
to 90 into the staff corps. | wonder why
father hates the staff corps So"
Because it robs him Of his most prom
ising youngsters How bitterly opposed
he was to my going, and all because he
thought that in the far, far distance l
might make good adjutaut to the regi-
ment. have been an adjutant of the 50th
N. 1. for the last two years and now l
have got my step"
Yes; 1 suppose that in a pecuniary
way you have done well )" and she sigh
ed.
He lowered his voice and said impress
pressively.
Aimee, can afford to keep a wife
now"
But the girl looked distressed at his
words, and the suspicion of a tear dimpled
her eye.
ooh, George, my father will never give
his consent. You know that he never
will"
"He shall give his CONSENT intend to
make him. See if don't, you poor
frightened little darling Do you think
that stern fathers are never conquered !?
Only you must have patience. Here,
have some more champagne and some Of
this trihe. There's nothing like a good
meal to build up ones courage. Halo I!
what are they doing now Oh ! y o'clock
is It? Silence for the c. 0. and the gen.
era.
Glasses were filed short speeches were
made and the gong tolled out the hour,
then each turned to his neighbor, and
good wishes were exchanged. The babel
Of voices commenced with the ushering in
of the New Year.
Very shortly afterward Capt. Hamilton
was plotting his companion from the tent
to dimly lighted little anterOom. There,
wholly h dden by a large group of GRO
tons, he had his say.
His love making like his soldering,
was untanted by timidity or iaintheart-
edness. 1t was useless for Aimee to
doubt or fear; he would listen to nothing.
Unable to resist his pleadings, she caught
something of his hope and enthusiasm,and
gave herself up to the enjoyment Of the
hour.
"a las kiss, and then one turn around
the room before that waltz finishes" said
George, with happy sigh.
But it was not to be- Gentle Mrs.
Barring approached her daughter with a
troubled face.
ooh, Aimee l have been looking for
you everywhere. Your father says that
we must go home. He has managed to
take cold, and is already quite choking.
1t is so trying, because he must be on pa
rade tomorrow morning. The general
will be there, and he ca not get of IT,
Col. Barring, who commanded the l24th,
was not man to shirk his duty. His
only anxiety now was to get home and
apply the usual remedies, in the earnest
hone that the troublesome ailment might
be STAYED off He was annoyed that the
necessity had arisen for turning bis back
on his guests. He would have liked to
have seen the ball oul. He was also an
noyed with the attentions Capt. Hamilton
had shown his daughter at supper; and
the offence was aggravated by the disap-
pearance of the young couple Immediately
afterward. This, together with his en-
bryo cold, conduced to bad temper, and
made the drive home anything but pleas
ant for wife and daughter. He did not
dislike Capt. Hamilton personally. On
the contrary, the colonel recognized in
him an unusually smart soldier but he
loathed the Indian Staff Corps. Its high
er pay and richer plums lured the young
subalterns from the Queens regiments
and, in his time, he had seen at least q
dozen youngsters go from the 124th alone
They had no business, in his opinion, to
leave the regiment. 1t was only debt OF
love which made them DO it. Why
couldn't the staff corps be properly re.
cruited without having to steal men from
British regiments, just as they were be
ginning to know their work?
Poor Aimee had to listen to a TRADE on
the subject as they drove home to their
bungalow. She knew only too well what
it all meant, and unsupported by her
lover, she was thrown back into the old
despair. How could George overcome
such prejudice 1t would be impossible
She knew her father better than he did
1t would need nothing short Of miracle
to accomplish it.
Col par;,c, ,,pt b;s foot Ia bot r.