Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-11-04
CAPT. sLAKE's HOMECOMING.

little demon Why, wouldn't touch
hair of your head, barring the bit
want to cut off to carry with me tc
India, and you're teasing the life out
of me with your contrarness and max
ing it much harder for me to 90 thar
even you dream off,
"And what do you want to so for
Leaving your home and your regimen
that you were so proud of, and the
people that you know and the girl
here Miss Nellie breaks down with
little sob, and it is all Teddie can dc
to remember his promise to her father
and keep his two arms from going
round her.
"And the girl-what ?" he says
huskily for the life of him he can
resist that much.
THAT was brought up with you anc
has been sister to you all your life,
chokes Nellie o 'Malley,
I'll tell you what it is, Nellie, the
poor, young soldier says, pulling him
self together and speaking much more
severely than he really feels, 'you
must try to understand my position
and then we'll say no more about it
if you please, once and for all. My
uncles dead (heaven rest his soul)
and he's left the old place to me, but
it's up to the chimney-pots in debt
and unless | let it to this English fel,
low I'll never be able to clear 1t all
my life. Then, if | don't exchange
for India, l can't keep my place IN the
service at all, and besides, Nellie, with
the old regiment quartered at Thomas
town, it would be mighty hard for me
to see another man fishing my salmon
and shooting my birds and sitting in
my chimney corner every day of the
week, with his great ugly face look
ing over the pew at you on Sundays
| couldn't doit, Nellie, not even to re-
main near-near the friends I've
known ever since | was baby. Sc
that's all about it, and you mustn't
make it harder for me than | can bean
do you see?'
1t was a good thing that Aunt Ellen
called them in to supper at this mo-
ment. Nellie had one of her teasing
fits on her, trying by this means to
hide her heart break at Teddies de-
parture, and her perversity tried poor
young Blake sorely. He had prom
ised her father, the rector, that he
would not, by word or act, reveal his
feeling toward her. They had been
children together, almost brother and
sister, for nearly twenty years, since
Teddie first came to Moyliscallan, and
this state of things must be maintained,
Mr.. OMalley decided, till Teddie's
fortunes should bear closer and more
satisfactory inspection. Perhaps a
few years of Indian soldering, while
the old castle was let to a rich Eng
lish tenant, might put the said fortunes
on their feet meanwhile, lingering in
the old rectory garden was danger
Gus occupation, and Aunt Ellen did
wisely to ring the supper bell out Of
the window.
Presently the parting came. 1t was
Sunday evening, and the rectOry kept
early hours. Supper was over, and
the O'Malleys were making their fare
wells to Teddie, the almost son Of the
house, for he had to get back to Thorn
astown that night and start for Eng
land next morning.
There's something | want to take
with me-" he announced, stoutly, be-
fore them all, "a lock of your hair
Aunt Ellen, and another of Nellie s
You know you two are the only wo'
mankind l have or ever have had
Give me each a bit of a curl, and III
have them put in lOcket together
and wear it on my chain. and you
won't be sorry to think I've got ii
when I'm away from you.
He looked at the rector as he spoke
1t was all open and above board, and
the old gentleman nodded and reached
down pair Of scissors from the man
tleshelf, which he handed to his sister
Aunt Ellen cut her little lock care
fully, as BELTS lady of fve-and-fOrty
whose hair is still abundant and orna.
mental, if not so bright as it has been
Nellie whisked her bunch of curls over
her shoulders and shipped off thick
brown ringlet. Teddie twisted them
together in his pOcketbook and said
with a feeble attempt at joke
They'll go with me everywhere and
br;no mo hack To Moyljscallan. Don I