Connecticut western news., 1898-02-17
A WILL AND THE WAY


 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 Bradford was not. This came of the fact that Mrs. Gallatin had visited at Fort Preble and had captured an unfiedged lieutenant by maneuvering and miracle, and that Miss Bradford had spent her 21 years in small Maine town.
 Boys ill the village had been in love with Bessie Bradford, but she had not been in love with them, and she had, moreover, a 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 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 busi- ness in New England hamlets. She was told to marry general if she could If not, anything, down to second lieu tenant.
 Lieutenant and Mrs. Gallatin lived in the building known as the Corral. If the Corral were in the city, it would be called tenement. But Uncle Sam does not 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 Brad ford in was not pleasure. It was du- ty, and Mrs. Gallatin would not have been New Englander 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, i" 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.'' D
 Where have you met hin?" The "him" 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 $ in bad health. He is very nice man. ''
 Man! He must be about 23 A per feet boy! And his business is being a brief1ess barrister. Now, let me tell you one thing, Bessie. You must learn from the first that the civilian son of an off cer is nobody at all in 8 garrison. You will hurt your chances badly with the officers by going with him. How did he know there was to be a hop?"
 Bessie finished opening the cage, gave it to her niece with a kiss, gathered tho scraps of paper ill her hand and threw luSn luLO luC WdSltUdGhCIJ CltloPtu HUI fingers behind her curly brown head and answered leisurely: "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 ii her husband entrusted 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 -antenuptially?"
 Don't be vulgar. You needn't con- slider the Milford boy"
 "Oh, but I must, Genevieve, you know I promised" :" Miss Bradford $ big gray eyes were guilelessly earnest.
 ''I've 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 a little bit
 Well, I should suggest that you take my advice and be less fiippant. Recollect that you were not sent way out here to fiirt with penniless civil ians and small boys"
 ''If I forget, remind me, will you I'll make you little red silk flag, il you like. I can make flags. I made one for fair at home once. You might draw it from your bosom and wave il when you see me about to run off tht track you have all so kindly and labo riously laid for me to run on. I'll teacl you the signals. MT. Milford and studied them from the back of oul sleeper. think there's some one at tht docr, sister dearie"
 It was Captain Soutter, come to form alize the hop arrangement. He wa obviously very glad that he had come For Miss Bradford was pretty-extraor dinarily pretty.
 ''I am happy ill being a near neigh bor of yours, Miss Bradford" he tolt her. He forgot, as men will, how oftel he had curse d the i'll luck which thrcv him within hearing distance of tn Gallatin trio of infants.
 "Yes?" said Bessie. "You are in ou vicinity, then~'
 "A little above you in the world. live up stairs. When you want me, yol have only to pound on the ceiling,
 ''The-what is -quartermaster The quartermaster mightn't like me t. wear Cut his ceiling ''
 "You fiatter me by the implication Miss Bradford. But I'll settle with tn Q. M. if you will only pound. For in stance, will you pound tonight whei you are ready for the hop, to which i is my dearest wish to be permitted L escort you?'
 He forgot what he had wished whel Mrs Gallatin had asked him to perform this act of courtesy toward the coming sister. Hut then he had looked at Mrs. Gallatin and had judged from her oi the sister.
 "I would be only too delighted if il were not that I have already promised ll- II