The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-11-17

that summer, and Merriam was con
coded to be mighty lucky fellow when,
very soor- after the announcement of
Charlotte Hayward's forthcoming mar
rage to Edward Parry, he allowed him
self to be congratulated upon his en-
gagement to her younger sister.
And he had every right to consider
himself engaged. She had accepted his
attentions. his devotions, eventually his
ring and also his presents. He had
called upon Aunt and Uncle Mellen in
New York, the guardians of the girls,
and startled them cut of all equanimity
by the announcement that Miss Hay
ward had accepted the offer OF his heart
and hand conditioned only on their
consent, which he besought them to
give.
81 own I never thought of her marry
ing in the army" said Aunt Charlotte,
as do other aunts and mothers after
their girls have been campaigning at
the Point.
"What income, if any, have you out
side your pay?" was Uncle Mellen's
o-,he-point interrogation.
Nothing, sir"
"WeN, neither has she. That is, what
she has is so small it wouldn't keep that
eXtravagaut child in gloves. You two
had better be sensible and think it
over"
Randy Merriam did think it over. but
all to no purpose. The more he thought,
the more he declared himself hopclessly
and irrevocably in love, and as Miss
Fan took kindly to his protestalions,
and Parry and Charlotte took kindly
to him and sympathized with the sol
dierly fellow, who was evidently much
of n gentleman and so much in love,
it resulted in his being made welcome
at Parry's club, received quite as Parry
was at the Mellers since not oGtener
than once week could he get away
from his duties at the Point, and when
Ned and Charlotte were married. as
they were in state and style early in
the winter, Merriam had many a good
reason for believing that. despite his
poverty, the next wedding reception
held at the Mellen's beautiful home
would be one in which he would be
vitality interested.
Well, he was; but not in the way or
manner expected. In fact. he did not
attend the ceremony or the receptions;
indeed, he was not hidden. A very dis
agreeable thing happened to him with
in month after the Parry-Uayward
wedding. eve that overwhe imed him
with modification and distress, and
caused no little Indignation among his
comrades.
Everybody knew Randy Merriam was
in debt. lie made no secret of it. lie
was eXtravagant in his tastes. had in
CURED Obligations before .goirg on duty
at the Point. and fonnd IT irrno.sihle
to "catch up" there. There were three
or four accounts he had been asked 10
settle, as they had been running some
time, but he put them off from month
to month. hoping that he might soon
be able to obtain possession Of a small
sum OF money left him bv HE villor
relative two years before. II was only
few thousand dollars. yet even that
had been contested. together with a
number of similar bequcsls. and the
legal complications had been as ex-
asperatlng as the laws delay could
make them. One day, soon after Char
lotte's wedding. Merriam was sum-
moned to the presence Of the suner-
lntendent and was regretfullv tclh that
-FOUR OF his cTedituls had united IN an
appeal to the war department. a,.r ,lr
matter had heen referred ,u L.r, ms