Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-30

I was so young, and he had a hard life
in front of him. He had quarreled with
his uncle and was practically cast off.
Mother, can't you guess: | have seen
him again. love him!"
The bright head was bowed and hot
tears splashing down.
sRead this, mother. He wishes me
to meet him today in the park, and he
says he has some great news to tell me.
He is better off"
"But what is he now, Marjorie;'
"He is in the guards, n. Their.
''ln the guards" said the poor lady,
b~ewildered. "Then he must be very
we'll off indeed"
"No, mother, no. He enlisted. He is
only a corporal"
"Only a corporal" !" cried Mrs. Beau
champ, olasping her hands. "ln a dread
full red coat! You have been seen out
with him Good heavens, Mariorie"
"Oh, mother, dom be so Mortified! |
call him my pillar box, and he says J.
was the bravest girl he knew to meet
him, and after I did he said he would
come and see you and explain. And
am to marry him. And. after alp
winding up her incoherent speech dra-
matically-''it isn't the coat that makes
the mani And, mother, may | go and
meet him and bring him back?'
"Oh, Marjoriev' cried her poor moth
or, "what would your aunt say? | sup
pose l must consent to seeing him. He
certainly writes a charming letter.
SIN the face of everybody, not
ashamed" said Ferguson a little quiz
zically, as he and his sweetheart got up
from their chairs in Rotten row. She
looked up half shyly at tho tall, hand
some guardsman.
"And now that you know everything,
Marjorie, will you forgive my putting
you to such a test?'
81 love you, she whispered, blush
ing holly. But, oh, how glad mother
will bel"
They were walking along gayly, she
the perfection of dainty prettiness, trip
ping along at his side, many curious
and even inquisitive chances following
the pair.
"Look, Charlie" cried Marjorie, her
face dimpling into mischievous laugh
ter; ''there's auntie just passed us, driv-
ing. Look; she's turning back to look
at us. Oh, her face! Isn't it a picture?''
Lady Hamilton alighted from her
carriage simply trembling with indig-
nation. She swept into her sisters
room, her silk dress knocking down a
table, q vase and solne books, the plumes
in her bonnet nodding formidably.
Helena" she cried, something too
terrible has occurred. Your daughter
my niece-is out walking with a COM
mon soldier"
"My dear Eliza, I can explain" fall
tered Mrs. ~Beauchamp. "Don't-don't
be angry. The young man ison his way
here now
Son his way nowl" almost shrieked
Lady Hamilton. "You are going to let
a nan in a red coat and white belt en-
ter this housed Helena, you should en-
ter a lunatic asylum. This-this is ap-
palling."
They heard a joyous little laugh.
And Lady Hamilton rose to face them.
Mrs. Beauchamp felt faint from emo
tion. What could be wrong when Mar
jorie wore such a lovely look? And a
CLEAN of mirth in her eyes too. And
the mother saw one Of the finest looking
fellows she had seen in her life fill up
the doorway with his tall figure.
"Mother-auntie-let me introduce
you to my lover, the guardsman, and
soo to be my husband-the Earl of
Desart."
"Please forgive me, Mrs. Beau
champ" he said in a winning way. 81
claimed my discharge today, only to
take orders, though, in another service"
And here Marjorie's hand was clasped
in his.
Lady Hamilton a year later presented
the son and heir with a silver mug and
a box of tin soldiers. -Forget-Me-No