The Delta independent., 1898-10-14


evening where he happened to be, for
Hodge held the floor and talked for
hours about Barclay. and what ne had
to tell was interesting indeed. so much
so. said Brooks. that some Of it was
probably a preposterous lie. To begin
with. said Hodge. Captain Barclay was
rich. very rich. fabulously rich per
haps. nobody knew how rich. and no
body would have known he was rich at
all Judging from the simplicity and
strict economy Of his life. In fact. it
was this simplicity and strict economy
that had given rise to the belief that
existed for a year or two after he join
ed the Thirtieth that he was hampe.ed
either with debts or with dependen. rel
atives. Relatives they knew he had, be-
cause sisters sent their boys to visit him
at Sanders, and he took them bunting,
fishing. etc From these ingenious neph-
eva the ladiee learned of others. neph-
ews. nieces. EiCters, cousins, aunts.
who wrote long letters to Uncle Gal.
aud the mail orderly said he left more
letters ut Captain Barclays quarters
than ut anybody else's.
So Fort Sanders dropped the theory
ents. and that held good for the first
year Of his service with them He had
joined from the volunteers. where he
had risen to the grade of major. He
was '.pious." said Hodges-wouldu'
drink, smoke, chew. play cards or
swear-thought they ought to have
services on Sunday. He left the roister-
ing bachelors mess room after reach
ing the post and had ever since kept
house, his cook and housemaid being
one old darky whom he had "accumu-
lated" in the south during the war-a
Larky who had been well taught in the
household of his old master, and who
became extravagantly attached to the
new Hannibal could cook. wait at ta-
BILE and tend door to perfection. but he
had to learn the duties Of second girl
when his master Joined the ] hirtieth
in far Wyoming, and that was the only
time u Lrcach was threatened. Hanni-
balls dignity was hurt. He had been
body servant in the antebellum days,
butler, cook. coachman aud hostler, but
had never done such chores as Marse
Barclay told him would fall to his lot
when that reticent officer set MP his
modest establishment Hannibal sulked
three daya aud even talked Of leaving
The lieutenant counted ous . goodly
sum, all Hannibal's own. aud told him
that he would hnd the balance banked
In his name in the distant east whenev-
er he chose to quit: then Hannibal
broke down and was speedily broken in
All this had Hodge heard when the
danes Of Sanders and those Of Steele or
Russell were comparing notes aud pic
nicking together along that then new
wonder Of the world, the Union Pacific
But all this was only preliminary to
what came later.
Little detachmcnts. horse and foot.
were scattered all over tho line Of the
brand new railway while It was being
built Every now and then the Indians
jumped their camps and working par
ties, and in the late fall Of 1867 Barclay
had sti6 and plucky fight with band
Of Sioux: he was severely wounded. but
beat them OF. aud was sent east to re-
cupera;e Now came particulars Hodge
could not give. but that letters could
and did 1t was while Barclay was con
valescing at Omaha tarracks that he
met Miss Laura Waite. q beautiful
girl and garrison belle She was ten
years his junior This was her first
winter in army society She had spent
her girl years nc school and now was
having simply . heavenly time, " IL
her letters could be believed Her father
was field officer Of cavalry with rather
Q solemn way Of looking at life. and her
mother was said to be the explanation
of mnch Ct his solemnity. she being ~
volatile as he was staid She. too. had
been beauty and believed that beauty
q permanent fixture But Laura was
fresh and fair. sweet and winsome light
bearted End joyous. and the father for
. time took more pride in her than he
did in his sons Major Waite was IN
command of the cantonment from which
the relief party was sent when the news
tachment were "corralled Major
Waite became enthusiastic over the Do
tails Of the cool. courageous. brainy dc
fense made by the young officer against
tremendous odds. cosered him with all
manner Of thoughtful care and attention
when he was brought into the canton
ment. and when the wiuter eoou sct in
and the camp broke up and Waite went
back to Omaha barracks he took Bar
clay with him 90 his hos,se instead Of
the hospital. and the rest followed ~
the night the day
Barclay spent q r;onth under the ma
jor's roof, won his esteem and friend
ship, but lefs his heart In the dauRb
ter's hands n ever . man devoeedly
loved beautiful. winsome young GIri
that man was 4albraifh BARCLAY. II ev
er . girl's father approved Of . man.
that man was BARCLAY. and u ever
man had reason 20 hope tbss his suts
woald win favor IN fatber'e eyes thss
mar was BARCLAY vet % did NOS Ma