The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-11-12
NO. 10.

cation and with serious faces, in pro-
phetic tones deplored those national
complications and calamities that had
sent to Minersvale one so powerful, and
so ready, to work evil in society, as
was that subaltern who delighted to
be addressed as Mr.. Adjutant! 1t was
declared to be such a pity that he was
not down south getting his whisker-
less head shot off.
Look at him! It's awful to see the
way he is trying to dazzle that dear
Stella Zenith! 1t is terrible to think
that one of our very brightest and
most lovable young ladies should per-
NIT herself to be cajoled by him! One
would never have thought it of her.
What can make her mother so blind as
to allow such goings on? 1t is a pity
that her father don't horsewhip him,
or that some young gentleman of hon
or does not make hero of himself by
calling the shoulder-strapped scamp
out and sticking his own sword among
his ribs in search of his wicked heart!
He don't intend to marry her and he
will only break her heart!"
Those who knew the family best did
not wonder at the apparent non-inter-
ference of Mrs. Zenith, for they knew
that no opposition could deter Miss
Stella unless she could see for herself
that she was wrong. What she desired
to accomplish she was sure to compass
in defiance of hindrances if she was
satisfied that it was right; and she did
her own reasoning as to what was
right and what was wrong.
| AS for the adjutant, he was at first
attracted to Miss Stella by desire to
| fathom her eccentricities. He had no
suspicion of the fact that in his pres
ence she carefully conformed herself
to that course that would be sure to
| captivate him.
l do not wish to be misapprehended
to Miss Stella's detriment She was
without hypocrisy. Nothing could
have induced her to that. She was
simply wise observer of people; an
accurate reader of character; and
she saw that by indulging herself in
her oddities unrestrained; by doing
whatever she felt prompted to; by
being her most natural self always,
regardless of conventionalities, she
would be most successful in attracting
his admiration, and as she admired
him she sought to secure his highest
approval. She was shrewd enough to
be herself, natural and uncurbed
Serious love making was as foreign
to the adjutant's intent as was suicide.
He contemplated the one quite as lit
tie as the other. If, when he left his
quarters to make that first call on Miss
Stella, one had suggested matrimony
to him, he would have responded that
matrimonial engagement was an in
tangible possibility of the indefinite
future and a question that could not
arise for LIN until the war was over
and he settled prosperously in busi-
ness.
How very little we know of our own
future! How very little we know of
our own minds! 1t was not fort
night till the adjutant asked Miss S.el-
la to become his wife and embraced
her as his plighted bride. This result
was but one more evidence of Miss
Stella's power to mould others to her
own wish.
The adjrtaIt proposed to remain in
the army till the war was over; possi-
bly, afterward. He told his affianced
that as they were both so very young
he thought they should defer their
marriage till peace was established and
lie settled to the business of his life,
whether that should be in the army OF
in some civil pursuit.
To this Miss Stella verbally assent
ed, but with a mental reservation,
that if the war ended before their mar
riage, the country was at that moment
much nearer peace than the authori-
ties on either side suspected.