Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-19

thing have been more iortunate:-the
; victim most heiplessly. hopelessly, ut
terly gone was Cadet Captain Win Far
rar. To the CONSERVATION of the widow
ed mother she saw her handsome soldier
boz led day after day more deeply into
the 1neshes--led like Il slave or like the
piggy III the nursery rhyme, with the
ring in the end of his nose-by this be-
| witchlng, imperious, fascinating little
creature, and there was absolutely no
help for it. Anywhere else almost she
could have whisked her boy under her
wing and borne him away beyond
range, but not at West Point. She had
to learn the lesson so many mothers
learn with such bewilderment, often
with such i'll grace, that the boy was no
longer hers to do with as she would,
but Gncle Sans, and Uncle Sam I'M
fcelingly said, ''Stick to your camp duty
with its drills and parades, roll calls,
practical engineering, forthcoming and
srConing i'll stolen half hours, no matter
what the consequence.
Mrs. Farrar couldn't carry Will away
end couldn't order Kitty. About all she
saw of her boy was drilling with the
battalion at Il distance or dancing with
Miss Ormsby close at hand. and, on the
principle that misery loves company,
she soon was comforted by 4 fellow suf-
fcrer, for Just III proportion as the moth
er's heart was troubled by the sight of
her boys infatuatiou for this pretty
child, so was Jack Ormsby made niser-
able by seeing the attentions lavished
rar.
And yet the little blind god was do
ing Jack far better work than he ever
dared to dream The mother longed for
Will, and Io che else could quite take
his place. The lover longed for Ellis,
and what earthly chance has Z ''cit''
lover at West Point, even though he be
swell and sergeant III the Seventh:
1t resulted that i'll the hours when the
mother and Jack had to sit and look Oil
they were brought constantly together.
and then il these houls Of companion
ship Mrs. Farrar began to see more and
more how mauful, honest, self reliant
was the gallant fellow who had fought
by her husbands side. Little by little
she learned TO lean upon him, appeal to
him, defer to him and TO see in him.
after all, man in whom she could per-
haps coniiGe even so precious u trust as
her daughter heart and that summer
at West Point won the mother even if
it did not win the lady of his love.
All that winter Ellis had continued
her course at school, but was to come
out Ill May, and during the long months
from September she was comforted in
the comfort her mother found in the
companion that had been chosen for her.
q gentle, refined and evidently well
bred woman. who came upon the rec
concentration of their rector, and who
was introduced as Mrs. Daunton-Hel-
en- Daunton, a woman with q sad his
tory, as the grave old pastor frankly
told them, but through 10 fault or fol-
BILE of her own. She had been married.
but her husband was unworthy of her
had deserted her some years before.
leaving her TO struggle for herself DIR.
Morgan vouchcd for her integrity, and
that was enough.
By the time Ellis was to return to
her mothers roof Helen Daunton was
so thoroughly established there, so
necessary 20 her mother, so devoted to
her III every way. that for the first time
i'll her life, even while glad to mark the
steps OF improvement in the beloved in
vaiid's health and appearance, Ellis
farrar felt the panas Of jealousy.
And this was Wills graduation sum-
mer, and they had a lovely time at the
seashcre. Kitty was there, and Kitty
was an accepted fact-and more So
now. Will would be content nowhere
without her and would have married
her then and there but for his mothers
gentle adlnonition and Kitty's positive
refusal. She had been reared from girl
hood by doting aunt, had been petted
and spoiled at home and at school and