, 1896-09-09

pcarcd with the pleasure and gavcty.
The new colonel also had a wife and
daughter: tl.cgo new rulers received all
the attention, whilo for the old ones
was reserved the distant bow in the
streets, thcu tho sudden passing on.
The widow and her daughter ex-
changed Il bitter smile on these occa-
si0ps as they continued their walk.
They went ilto the park to enjoy the
sunshine Of q fine autumn which gilded
the marble statues and the turning
leaves of tle great horse chestnuts.
They sat down and, listening to the mil
itary band, seemed to sec a CLEAN of
their lost happiness. 1t seemed to them
as if nothing had changed and us if they
might hear behind them at any moment
the ]cOloncl's voice saying: Good after
noon, lauies. Today tho One Hundred
and Twcniy-fourth is giving the con-
cert. its music does not cqral ours"
But the shouts of children playing on
rhe grass near by were the only sound
they heard. The mother, with a sigh,
tried to read the paper through glasses
dimmed by tears, while the daughter
cast IL longing glance toward her former
admirers, WIG scarcely knew her now.
She was nearly %, but her face, refined
by sorrow. was more beautiful than
over. She was like Il flower refreshed
and purified by IL storm. She had lost
all that had made her so capricious and
disIIi1tirg. Grave and sweet, she
seemed to be doing ponaucc for her past.
One d.v she SAW Il new face among
the officers who ~rromcUadcd past. smok-
ing, chatting and laughing. In a lao
ment she was transported TO the gen
erals ballroom and she sgw again her
tinid lover mOtiunlcss i'll a corner, de-
vouriEg her with his eyes.
'Ianln.a, tlgro is the l~ieutenant!'
He saw her, too, for he grew pale and
with KEPT in hand came up to her. The
widow hastily folded her paper and,
pointing to II vacant chair, said with IL
kindly smile:
"Ah, is that YOU, lieutenant? What
a long time since We have met! We are
truly glad TO see you. But pardon me-: |
called Won lieutenant, but | see Won
1 have n third stripe on vour sleeve"
Then, blushiug. he related how at the
end of a six months campaign he had
been promoted to a captaincv after the
affair of Nam-Dimh. After that he had
been shut IN in Tuycu. Oman with his
commander. This terrible siege lasted
five weeks and thew had 10 constantly
beat back the furious Chinese. whose
liyiur wayrs dashed against the wallis
of the ruined fortress, He han been
wounded tho last dav in a sunrrmn eff
fort; then from arar above the clamor
of the yellow horlcs he had heard the
burler Of tine French sounding n GclIv-
cr,,rce On. ,Ec 10Y or that mOmeut,
| He say; the enemy fee, the tricolcr an
near: then he sanl; down without rerrat,
His condition gpreared so seri0Us that
he WIZ sent back decorated with the
cross. During the VOYAGE he had ranidly
recovered, and OF his arrival he found
| that he had been recommended for pro-
motion TO the rank of muior. The Indies
listened in silence. The mother, with
her kuowlcdgo Of the profession. knew
that he was ten years in advance of his
former comrades. The daughter locked
closely Mt the youpp officer and found
him scarcqly RECOGNIZABLE: his Dallor
gave him a decidedly distinguished air.
Was it possiblc thcy had ever disdained
this brave soldier who. nayinr for his
honors with his blood, had returned to
an assured future?
He, too. looked critically at the girl.
Could the serious, reflective woman be-
fore him be the frivolous, capricious
girl he had once known? She was =
thousand times moro attractive to him
in her new guisc. She was all he had
ever drepmcd of and he was filed with
n wild delight. Their eyes met, and his
were filled with such alteration that the
| girls lids droopei in Embarrassment
When evening came, the women arose,
and tho officer accompanied them to
their home. They met regularly in the
mark on the DAYS that followed. The
mother read the uapprs md the yourp
peonlc talked, Asautumn advanced and
the yellow leaves covered the walks it
was too chilly to sit, so they nromcuuded
up and down the deserted park, happy in
each oth,r's
December passed in IN intimacy daily
growing more tender. still at times the
captain seemed to be nervous and wor-
ricd. One day. losing his usual self con-
troll. he pressed the girls arm which
was passed through his, and the express
sion Of his eyes made her believe that
he was about to declare his love. He
was silent, however, and fell into a
gloomy meditation.