The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-10-23
Capt. Blake'$ ~e
a Bcf1e Coming.
ATS you that's cruel, Teddie
L

hTT'S you that's cruel, Teddie
Blake!"
Cruel, Nellie, dear-Nellie, you little
demon! Why, [ wouldn't touch a hair
of YOU head, barring the bit 1 want
to cut off to carry with me to India,
and you're teasing the life out of me
with your contrarinesS, and making it
much harder for me to go than even
you dream Of"
And what do you want to go for?
leaving your home and your regiment
that you were so proud of, and the peo-
pie that know you, and the girl"-here
Miss Nellie breaks down with a little
sob, and it is all Teddie can do to re-
member his promise to her father, and
keep his two arms from going round
her.
And the girl-what?" he says, husk-
lily; for the life of him he can't resist
that much.
That was brought up with you and
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 it, if you please,
once and for all. My uncle's dead
(Heaven rest his soul), and he's left the
old place to me, but it's up to the Chin
ney pots in debt, and unless 1 let it to
the English fellow I'll never be able to
clear it all my life. Then, if l don't
exchange for India, 1 can't keep my
place in the service at all; and besides,
Nellie, with the old regiment quartered
at Thomastown, 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 all his great ugly
face looking over the pew at you on
Sundays! l couldn't do it, Nellie, not
even to remain near-near The friends
I've known ever since l was a baby. So
that's all about it, and you mustn't
make it harder for me han 1 can peal
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 mean to
hide her heartbreak at Teddie's de-
parture, and her perversity tried poor
youns Blake sorely. He had promised
her father, the rector, that he would not
by word or act reveal his feelings to-
ward her. They had been children to-
gether, almost brother and sister, for
nearly 20 years, since Teddy first came
to Moyliscallan, and this state of things
must be maintained, Mr.. O'Malley de-
cided, till Teddie's fortunes should bear
closer and more satisfactory inspection.
Perhaps a few years of Indian soldier
ing, while the old castle was let to a
rich English tenant, might put the said
fortunes on their feet; meanwhile, lin
gering in the old rcetory garden was a
dangerous 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 farewells
to Teddie, the almost son of the house,
for he had to get back to Thomastown
that night and start for England next
morning.
There's something 1 want to take
with me-" he announced stoutly before
them all, "a lock of your hair, Aunt
Ellen, and another of Nellie's. You
know you two are the only womenkind
[ have or ever have had. Give me each
a bit of a curl and I'll have them put in
a locket together and wear it on my
chain, and you won't be sorry to think
I've got it when I'm away from you"
He looked at the rector as he spoke.
It was all open and above board, and
the old gentleman nodded and reached
down a pair of scissors from the mantel-
shelf, which he handed to his sister.
Aunt Ellen cut her little locB carefully,
as BELTS a lady of five-and-fG+ty, whose
hair is still abundant and ornamental,
If not so bright as it has been. Nellie
whisked her bunch of curls over her
shoulder and shipped off a thick brown
ringlet. Teddie twisted them together
in his pocketbook and said, with a
feeble attempt at a joke: They'll go
with me everywhere and bring me back
to MoyIiscallan. Don't let me find
you've been, either of you, flirting with |