The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-10-16


latin, was doing her duty by Miss
Bradford. The former was not at all
pretty. The latter was very, very
pretty-which is so much more charm
ing than being very, very beautiful.
But Mrs. Gallatin was married and
Miss Bradford was not This came Of
the fact that Mrs. Gallatin had visited
ct Fort Preble and had captured an
unfedged lieutenant by maneuvring
and a miracle, and that Miss Bradford
had spent her twenty-one years in q
small Maine town.
Boys in the village had been in love
with Bessie Bradford, but she had not
been in love with them, and she had,
moreover, decent appreciation of
her own value and knew she was far
too good for such as they. There had
been a college youth, also, once; but
he and she had quarreled before the
end OF his summer visit. And now
Bessie was one-and-twenty and the
family worried. It worried itself into
a state where even the raising of a
mortgage on the home did not seem
too great a thing, if it would but in
sure her marriage. With the money
thus obtained she was sent across tile
continent, with instructions to get
herself welded before she came back.
She was told to marry a general if she
could. If not-anything, down to q
second lieutenant. But rank was to
be the primary consideration, Miss
Bradford agreed. She picked out a
very nice general, mentally. He would
be about fve-and thirty, and hand
some and dashing. That years went
with rank was one Of the things the
civilian novels of army life she had
read had not taught her. Besides,
she was romantic-as very pretty
girl should be. So she promised that
grade should govern her choice. Then
she departed to visit her sister at the
Presidio.
Lieutenant and Mrs. Gallatin lived
in the building known as the "Cor-
rail-" If the Corral were in the city,
it would be called tenement. But
Uncle Sam doesn't quarter his officers
in tenements. The Gallatins were
cramped for room-very cramped,
They had three children and second
lieutenant's pay. So they were poor.
Therefore, taking Miss Bradford in
was mot pleasure, It was duty
But Bessie felt the unpleasantness
OF the situation the very day of her ar
rival.
Captain Soutter is going to take
you to the hop this evening, Bess."
Mrs. 'Gallatin said; Bessie was cutting
paper bird-cages for her niece. Mrs.
Gallatin was mending a pinafore.
"I've promised to go with Mr.. Mil
ford" answered Miss Bradford, stop.
ping and looking up from the scissors
"Mr. who?"
"Mr. Milford. Colonel Milford's
son, who lives in St. Louis"
"Where have you met him." The
"him" warned Bessie that she was
running on rocks.
"On the train. We got acquainted.
He's in business in st. Louis, and he's
coming to visit his people because he's
jim bad health. He is o very nice
man"
"Man! He must be about twenty
three. A perfect boy. And his bust
ness is being a brietless barrister.
Now. let me tell You one thing, Bes
sic. You must learn from the first
that the civilian son of an officer is no.
body at all in garrison. You will |
hurt your chances badly with the Of
ticers by going with him. How did
he know there was to be hop?'
Bessie finished. opening the cage,
gave it to her niece with kiss, gath
cred the scraps Of paper in her hand
and threw them into the waste-basket,
Dlasped her fingers behind her curly
brown head, and answered leisurcly:
HE didn't know there was to be one
tonight. He asked me to 60 to tho
FIRST one there should be after our ar
rival"
Mrs. Gallatin thought how very,
very pretty Bessie was and wondered
i her husband contrasted them.
Gle probably will never think of it
again. Captain Soutter is going to
,all to ask you, this afternoon, and
you'd better accept"
"Can one go with two men out here
-ante-nuptially?"
Don't be vulgar. You needn't
consider the Milford boy"
ooh! but I must, Genevieve, you
lnow. promised" Miss Bradford's
zig gray eyes were guilelessly ear
lest.
Give no doubt that pose is taking
With the men. But you can't make
1our devotion to promises succeed
nth me, dear. I know you too we'll.
can't remember that they worried
'ou,, with the boys at home"
'This promise doesn't worry me.
Tot little bit.
"Well, I should suggest that you