The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-09-30

WSSAS AdS lniSeu pleasure
VSSEW Miss Bradford's
S@sN~. sister, Mrs. Gal.
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
at Fort Preble and had captured an
unhedged lieutenant by maneuvring
and miracle, and that Miss Bradford
had spent her twenty-one years in n
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, n decent appreciation of
her own value and knew she was far
too good for such as they. There had
been 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. 1t worried itself into
state where even the raising of n
mortgage on the home did not seem
too great thing, if it would but in
sure her marriage. With the money
thus obtained she was sent across the
continent, with instructions to get
herself welded before she came back.
She was told to marry general if she
could. If not-anything, down to n
second lieutenant. But rank was to
be the primary consideration, Miss
Bradford agreed. She picked out n
very nice general, mentally. He would
be about five-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
abe departed to visit her sister at the
Preside.
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 not pleasure. 1t 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 birdcages for her niece. Mrs.
Gallatin was mending pinafore.
"Tve promised to so 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
chin" 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
in bad health. He is very nice
man."
"Man! He must be about twenty
three. A perfect boy. And his bust
ness is being briehess 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
ficers 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,
clasped her fingers behind her curly
brown head, and answered leisurely:
HE didn't know there was to be one
tonight. He asked me to 60 to the
first one there should be after our ar
rival"
Mrs. Gallatin thought how very.
very pretty Bessie was and wondered
if her husband contrasted them.
"He probably will never think of it
again. Captain Soutter is going to
call 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"
sob! but L must, Genevieve, you
know. l promised" Miss Bradford s
big gray eyes were guilelessly ear
nest.
''I've no doubt that pose is taking
with the men. But You can't make
your devotion to promises succeed
with me, dear. 1 know you too well.
! can't remember that they worried
you, with the boys ut home"
"This promise doesn't worry me.
Not n LITTLE btu