Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-10-28

A WILL AND THE WAY

Existence under the guardianship Of
some one who is doing his duty by you
is not an unmixed pleasure. Mics Brad
ford's sister, Mrs Gallatin, 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 charming than being very, very
beautiful. But Mrs. Gallatin was mar
ried and Miss Bgadford was not This
came Of the fa1 bat Mrs Gallatin had
visited at Fart 4eble and had captured
an unfedged lieutenant by maneuvering
and miracle, and that Miss Bradford
had spent her 81 years in a 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 9
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 mortgage on the home
did not seem too great thing, If 1t
would but insure her marriage. With
the money thus obtained she was sent
across the continent with instructions
to get herself welded before she came
back. Those things are treated as bust
ness In New England hamlets. She was
told to marry general If she could It
not, anything, down to a second lieu
tenant.
Lieutenant and Mrs Gallatin lived
in the building known as the Corral. II
the Corral were in the city, it would be
called tenement. But Uncle Sam does
not quarter his officers in tenements
The Gallatins were oramped for room
very cramped They had three children
and second ieutenant's pay, SO they
were poor. Therefore taking Miss Brad
ford in was not pleasure. It was a du-
ty, and Mrs. Gallatin would not have
been New Highlander if she had not
done her duty.
But Bessie felt the unpleasantness Of
the situation the very day Of her arrival
Captain Soutter is going to take
you to the hop this evening, Bess, y Mrs.
Gallatin said Bessie was cutting paper
bird cages for her niece. Mrs. Gallatin
was mending 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 Mi1ford's son,
who lives in St. Louis
where have you met him?' The
sthim" warned Bessie that she was run
ming 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. -
"Manl He must be about 80. A per-
feet boyl And his business Is being a
briefless barrister Now, let me tell you
one thing, Bessie. You must learn from
the first that the civilian son of an off,
Ger is nobody at all in garrison. You
will hurt your chances badly with the
officers by going with him. How did he
know there was to be a hop2''
Bessie finished opening the cage, gave
it to her niece with . kim gathered the
scraps Of paper in her hand and threw
them into the wastsbasket, clasped her
fingers behind her curly brown head
and answered 1eisurely: HE didn' t
know there was to be one tonight. He
asked me to go to the first one there
should be after our arrival. :"
- 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
better accept"
"Can one go with two men out here
|-antenuptially2"
Don't be vulgar. You needn't con-
slider the Milford boy"
"Oh, but I must, Genevieve, you
know. I promised % Miss Bradford g
big gray eyes were guilelessly earnest.
GIVE no doubt that pose Is taking
with the men, but you can't make your
devotion to promises succeed with me,
dear. know you too we'll I can't re-
member that they worried you with the
boys at home.
'"This promise don't worry me; not
little bit. -
"Well, should suggest that yor.
take my advice and be less fippant.
RpcO11ont that Won xx,o,.o not copt xuou