River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-01-21
DECEIVER EVER.
BIZ GWENDOLEN OvERION.

Carey Churchill Carter Charming,
first lieutenant, Nth cavalry, died so
long ago that most of his story is for
gotten, though il was a very great won
der at the time. Every body connected
with IL is dead alsO-his mother and
the other two wonderland so many
first lieutenants have filled his place
since then that no ones heart is likely
10 be wounded by repeating it.
lie was a superb great fellow-as ali
the men in his regiment were said to be
In those days-Of the big. blonde. and
brave type, knowing neither fear nor
failure, and his fascination was some
thing that has become a tradition in the
service. So many giSls-aye, and mar
ried women, too-had loved him that
the shores upon which he had touched
were strewn with wrecks.
The hearts of all those women had
been broken, actually broken. not
Just dented little. as is
usually the case in such affairs; their
lives were openly ruined, yet Charming
kept himself free of blame. Not one
could say "he should have done thus or
60" he never committed himself, he
never acted in compromising fashion
In the presence of third person. But
the women who ran insanely onto the
desert of disIllusion, followed the cirs-
I'VE pillars of the smoke of his words and
the fire of his looks. never again passed
beyond into the land of content across
the wilderness. They despised them
selves in that pitiful fashion that wom-
en- have, but they loved him always
for such is the way of their kind.
II had been his good fortune 10 have
dealings only with women who either
thought of him alone, forgetting them
selves, or with those too gentle to de-
nounce him. Then, too, he had man
aged we'll; there was never any definite
proof. But in the early summer of SIS,
the pitcher that d been carried
ninety-nine times to the well narrowly
escaped being broken.
The bride of Capt. Morton, having
seen st. with due encouragement, to
fall in love with him, threatened to be-
come unmanageable. She was a most
wonderfully attractive. feminine little
thing, but she was neither of the self
immolating nor of the cOncealing sort.
Having lost her heart, she lost her head,
and Claiming was in much danger of
having his methods exposed.
His captain advised him: "Channing.
you'd better take leave and get out for
a bit"
"why?"
well, it's delicate subject, but
Morton's an OLD friend of mine. and
don't want to see his wife disgrace
him
'But what have / done? / am rs in
nocent as a baby; and besides l think
you are mistaken"
1--WE all exonerate you. It's not your
fault; but am not mistaken. It's evil
dent to the whole post. Take my adj
vice and go sec your mother like a duti-
full SON"
Claiming was fiattered, but he was
also frightened; nevertheless, he was
undecided.
There was a hop there that same
night. Mrs. Morton was there, and ii
was her actions that determined Chan
n;ng to take Capt. Lytton's counsel.
She was already in the hOproOm talking
20 the latter when Claiming appeared,
tall ard graceful and Indifferent ii the
doorway, she grew so white tha. the
whole room noticed il. and she trem-
hIed visibly. She realized her paieness
und knew that Capt. Lytton's quick
movement to put himself between her
ard the watching eyes had been una
vailing.
Her own soft eyes filled as she raised
them piteOusly. "You see what spec
tacle am making of myself. / can't
help IT, I've tried hard. There's
nothing for IL but to go away or break
down"
Poor little girl. Come away. then"
IF YOU will just take ME home, and
tell Dan I" she stopped, losing the
thread of her words, for Claiming was
approaching.
Capt. LyttOn offered her his arm.
''Come. quickly" he said.
'Just wait a minute, please-iust till
] tell Mr.. Claiming can't stay for our
dance"
She mad flushed up and her eyes were
brilliant. She pu' out her hand to
Claiming. drew Il back. and again
stretched il forth. confusedly.
He took il and pressed it-yes. she
was sure he pressed il, almost. THE
third you promised me, wasn't it?"
''Yes. think so.' she answered.
Capt. I.ytton turned on his heel and
walked away.
At the end of the third dance. lille
they strolled together up and down
the line, Claiming experimental to see
To- -. To- se-a
nation he found that she would stop at
nothing short of blazoning her infatu-
Btion from the hOusetOps. \ scandal
was not what Claiming wanted. '-e
was very gentle with her. hut she went
and said all manner of foolish things,
until Capt LyttOu came upon them and
took her home.
Very soon after this the lieutenant
went on to visit his mother. She was
Nirginian. of the conventional po, but
proud order: and she lived on what had
once been the kitchen-garien of the
family estate. Quite as often as not
she was on the point of hunger. when
there was no demand for the needle
work of her quivering old frgers. Her
son did not contribute TO her support.
"All of my beggarly pay. and more.
too. goes to keep up appearances. My
regiment is great on esprit de corps.
Id like swfully well to help YOU moth
er. but | must hold mp my end of the
row. am Claiming" And she loved
him all the better.
While he was with her in the summer
of SIS, through sheer lack of excite
ment he became enamored of certain
Anna Trafford. He asked her to marry
him-guite the last thing he would have
expected himself to do-and she. being
completely fascinated, consented with
out even = decent amount of hesitation
1t was arranged that in the late fall she
should join Claiming at the town near
est his post. ard there be married.
In September, the unhappy Mrs. Nor
ton having gone hopelessly away TO an
other garrison. the lieutenant rejoined
his regiment. He mentioned the fact
of his engagement TO no one, but pro-
ceeded promptly to lure on another
woman. girl Of gorgeous beauty, a hot
blOoded brunette. with the ewes of
Jael, the brow of u Madonna. and a