The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1896-01-02

l@@e1@ I'D
don't think Charlie any orse than
anyone else, any other boy Of his
age and disp,s ton, and II he does
20 In the unisn army, 1t will be no
crime, although it will distress NJ.
I don't want him to go in any army.
II flls me with horror to think Of
IT,
She looked up and saw Charlie
again at her side. Smiling, she rose
from her seat asking him IL he found
Mary Norton.
"we'n go over to where she is."
She said to Mr.. Clayton, ''Please ex-
cuse me-"
Mr.. Mabin, a blonde gentleman
with . huge white mustache, seeing
Mr.. Clayton's Loneliness, came to his
relief, saying:
cleft again, Lon, l see, but she is .
beauty and no mistake; and, Won
derful to say, she doesn't know u
herself.o
"Charlie Dabney does thought"
eaid Mr. Clayton, v"he'll never let
anyone else have q chance while he
is in reach"
sit Is my cand d opinion" said
Mr.. Mabin, "that she has never
thought Of him Id any other light
than as a brothet and the 'dea Of any
thing OF that kind would shock and
wound her."
sIsonsr-yoS tnaal, r. said Ei.SSSus
''that you can induce him to 60 into
your company of volunteersa Char
lie Dabney I mean-he would mako
a splendid soldier, and he ia al out
and out union man."
"Oh yes," ga d Mabin, 81 am sure
of him, if l can succeed In making
up a company; he says he will join
it,"
"And what prospect Of success7"
asked Clayton.
ga fine prospect" he answered,
"for 1 have already thirty men
pledged.
"But what about you, Lon? You
surely are not foolish enough to join
hands W tn the south2
"Mlssouri can't possibly take sides
with the south, and you'n see that
the union men will be not only on
the safe, but the winning side. You
had better watch how you identity
yourself with the weaker party for
you have a good deal of property at
stake.'
81 know it," said Mr.. Clayton,
gazing ~abstractedly at the floor.
81 have never said yet which side
1 favored. l can wait for Missouri to
decide for secession before 1 decide
for it.n
Mrs. Dabney was very busy trying
to entertain her guests, but she saw
every now and then how John was
spending his time. His mother had
given this party solely to please him,
and give him ar opportunity to Gull
tivate the acquaintance Of the people
around. He was q professional man
and his success depended greatly up
on the good will Of the community.
But above anything else Mrs. Dab
ney's CHIEF anxiety was about his
pleasing Miss Margaret Clayton, or
rather that young lady pleasing him.
She believed John to be the bese
catch by far in all the country around,
and Miss Margaret was not SO obtuse
as not to find it out. There would DO
no difficulty about his getting her
consent she was sure.
But her son was a man OF his own
head. She knew there was that
within him that sought after better
things than outward show and
glitter. Margaret Clayton was q
brilliant woman, intellectual as we'll
al accomplished, but was she the
woman in heart that her son would
seek2 The doubt troubled and wor-
lied her, for her heart was set on
this match.
AS Mrs. Dabney wandered through
the house in search Of John, looking
among every group for him, and
not seeing him, she concluded that
he and Miss Margaret must be TAX
ing a moonlight walk on the lawn,
for 1t was so pleasant an evening
that a good many couples were so
amusing themselves.
As she walked out on the porch
thinking to make certain OF
her surmise, she was quite sute
she heard Johns voice and there he
was on the porch steps, seated, not
by Miss Margaret, but Ellie Dean.
She could not hear what they were
talking a out-indeed they were not
talking much about anything.
But Mrs. Dabney's castle building
was sadly checked. "Where was
Charlie" she thought, "that John
should have his place at Elfe's
side." Unpleasant as it had been to
her to see her younger son 30 infst.
uated, she would gladly welcome
that II it would shield John from a
similar fate.
81 hate the girl, and she shall
not stay here" she said bitterly to
herself as she went back into the
house without speaking to them or
making known her presence.