The true northerner., 1897-10-12

"Yes?" said Bessie; "you are in our
vicinity. then?"
"a little above you in the world.
live upstairs. When you want me you
have only to pound ON the ceiling"
'The-what is it?-quartermaster?
The quartermaster mightn't like me to
wear out his ceiling"
"You fatter me by the implication,
Miss Bradford. But I'll settle with the
quartermaster If you will only pound.
For instance, will you pound tonight
when you are ready for the hop, to which
it is my dearest wish to be permitted TO
escort you?"
II would be only too delighted, If 1t
were not that have already promised
| to go with some one else"
"Why, who on earth can have asked
you already?" he cried.
Miss Bradford had a cool little north
ern air, when she liked. She considered
the captains question in bad taste. So
she raised her eyebrows and smiled
most sweetly. II shall hope to have a
dance with you, Capt. Soutter," she
said
|
ond and fifth and ninth, Miss Brad
ford? he asked.
"Oh! thank you," said Bessie. She
was grateful. and he was quite ap-
peased.
Now Miss Bradford was a success.
She had what is known as beautiful
time for three whole months. No girl
was remembered ever to have received
altogether so much attention. She al
ways had lovers-and the two don't
always go together. Capt. Soutter
loved her, so did Lieut.. Paxton, and so
did young Milford. Bessie loved young
Milford. A girl who prefers 'cit."
clothes TO a uniform is peculiar, to say
the least. Bessie didn't say or show
whom she loved, except to Milford. She
had told him. She refused Paxton. and
she was warding the captain off. But
the last she could not do much longer.
The captain had a good opinion of him.
self
He also had dignity which was not
to be trifled with. Mrs. Gallatin was
by no means sure of Miss Bradford. So
one day she spoke to her. The process
Of being spoken to can rouse the worst
in girl. But Bessie was in a broken
and contrite frame of mind. She and
young Milford had qusrreled. and she
didn't care what became Of her. She
might as well marry any old man and
sacrifice herself for her family. She
made a most affecting picture of her
self as an offering on the altar of matri-
mony and fllial duty. She would pine
away picturesquely in year or so. and
Will Milford-well. perhaps he would
go to the devil. She hoped SO. 1t was
under this pressure that she solemnly
promised and swore to Mrs. Gallatin to
marry Capt. Soutter II he asked her
What Miss Bradford promised and
swore she never broke.
So as soon as she and young Milford
made it up she set about wondering how
Capt. Soutter was to be kept from ask
ing her. Yet she could not arrive at
any plan. The captain was an impetu-
Gus southerner and he was neither over
well-bred nor nicely discriminating
Bessie was worried. If it had been
that she hadI promised and sworn any
thing to young Milford and had had
to choose which VOW TO break she would
not have hesitated. But she had teased
him and had only answered maybe. "
For which she now suffered.
But fate came to her aid-as it al
ways should, and always don't in the
case of very pretty girl.
She was going to another hop. and
she was going with Capt. Soutter. He
had invited her at the time that she
was practicing for the martyr role. AS
she couldn't therefore go with Mil.
ford, she would wear the gown he
liked, which was white silk. For it she
had to have white gloves, and her white
gloves were soiled. Therefore they
must be cleaned. Miss Bradford was
an adept at cleaning gloves. She pre-
pared a special mixture of a number ot
chemicals and powders. The mixture
had to be whipped up-as if it had beer
the white of eggs-very light and
frothy. 1t had a most unpleasant odor
but it was pretty to look upon. Be
cause the odor was so unpleasant Miss
Bradford opened the door into the hall
way and stood just within it, beating
There was air in the hallway, ant
there was none in the Gallatins' quar-
ters, as the baby had a cold. Capt
Soutter had a cold, too-a frightfu
one. If he had not had he would have
noticed the smell of Miss Bradford's
mixture. He came through the hall OF
his way to his own quarters on the
floor above. Col. Milford was with him
The captain didn't like the colonel par
ticularly, on account of his being hi.
sons father.
"Ahl Miss Bessie! What a pretty
, housewifely picture we make" said tn,
. captain.
Bessie smiled encouragingly. q
what are we doing? Whipping
cream? How good it looks. If Heb'
would but feed us with ambrosia"
! The colonel smelled the ambrosia, bu-
he held his peace.
. It'll give you taste, captain, If yoJ
| want IL verv very rn1lrh Omen vOu-