The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-09-08
LOVE IN TWO WARS.

headquarters tent. "Well, nowl This
thing is getting more and more to be
sort Of resurrection Of the dead and the
life of the world to come
Here an orderly arrived, keeping step
in very creditable style with tall,
rather slim, light haired youth for
whom Lieutenant Colonel Bascome had
sent, whose square jaws had only just
begun to take on the brown Of a first
week in camp. Both the enlisted men
saluted
''Lee Shepherd, sir; Company f.
I'm l thought it was something
else. Lee Shepherd p Lieutenant Colo
mel Bascome ruminated.
Nelly looked at her father with de-
cidedly quizzical yelling of her pretty
eyebrows, as II to ask why 1t should be
funny that young man enlisted in the
local regiment Of the national guard
lived in that neighborhood.
81 suppose haven't seen you before,
chr" her father went on, still address,
ing Shepherd. "You belong to Com
pany F. How long have you been in the
regiment"
1.-TWO years, sir"
"Well, haven't seen much of Com
pany F, have +? That's 80. Are most Of
them as fine fellows as you, eh?"
Shepherd blushed to the tips of his
ears, and the orderly grinned The en-
barrassed young man had no words for
reply.
"Well, that's all Thank you," said
the commanding officer.
And the two enlisted men saluted and
went their several ways.
"What made you do that, papa?"
Nelly asked as soon as they were out of
hearing.
"What? Ask that youngster his name?
| don't know, my child. exactly l had
some sort of notion that had seen his
face before. But-Lee Shepherd-I new
er knew anybody of the name of Shep-
herd-Shepherd. His face and his whole
look are certainly familiar to me. But
am getting old. daughter. That's the
whole of it. "
The girls trim blue serge was seen to
move leisurely down the line of tents
and disappear around the corner. Nelly
Bascome had taken an idea into her
head, and the idea was taking her for
walk She took the turning which she
thought would lead her to the quarters
of Company F, and she was very nearly
right in her guess.
She was looking for Lee Shepherd and
was soon face to face with him.
Lee smiled at the girl with an ex-
preston of perfect understanding. She
was little surprised that ne showed no
surprise at her visit.
Mr. Shepherd. she said Il don't
know whether ought to apologize for
troubling you
"You ought not, Miss Bascome, "
said Lee There is no call for an apol-
ogy-hardly even for an explanation. -
"Ohr'
mo know what you want to ask
me- "
"You do?" said Nelly, in some SUR
prise.
You wait to know if | know why
the lieutenant colonel called me back
just now. He doesn't know any one of
the name Of Shepherd, does hep
"No, he doesn't. Why did he call
you back? Why did he ask Your name?"
well, Miss Bascome, if you ask me,
and if you promise not to spoil my
plan
what plan?"
my plan is to see whether your IA
theirs memory will go OH troubling him
about me until he finds out. Will you
III 4.
you leave?"
Il promise. said Nelly, delighted at
being able to solve the mystery SO soon,
well, then, here's the whole thing
in nutshell. Pm very like my grand
father. Everybody tells me that. Then,
you see, this hat, | suppose, briags out
the likeness. They used to wear hats
like these, you know.
"Who used to ?" said Nelly WHO
was your grandfather"
why, my grandfather was John
ny Reb Both my grandfathers were.
But your father is thinking about my
mothers father. old General Good
lowe.
"Oh, that's it. is it? l remember
now. y"
Ever hear the lieutenant colonel
speak of the time he was prisoner of
war on parole in North Carolina?"
"Of course have, and Colonel Good
lowe had him there at the old place"
That's right, and my mother used
to play cribbage with him when he
couldn walk on account of his sprained
knee. Did he ever tell you that
Nelly shock her head smiling. But
is your mother still living?" she asked.
Il should so much like to meet her. "
Eyes, " sad Lee She would like
to meet you.
How do '-ou know"
well, to be quite candid about it, I've
been disobeylng orders from home.
came north three years ago to go into
the cotton spinning business. Then
joined The regiment, Company +. But
! never wrote your fathers name home
until we were called out for this war.