Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-12-19
Father and son exchanged chances.

ne pullCu UuIOuSu, tnduhS ~ 0AO
devoted nursing he got," continued
Laurie, unconscious of the interest his
words aroused. 81 never saw that
man down until yesterday, when he
collapsed as though shot,
Chow was that?" asked Gilbert in
constrained voice.
"Well, you see, it was this way.
He's very reticent. Still, we all knew
he was devoted to some girl at home,
though he never mentioned her name
or spoke about her; couldn't get him
into the slightest Irritation with any
one. When we came back together,
he spoke for the first time to me
about his affair.
"'You see: Laurie, am such com :
plete wreck. Should I marry a girl
when she might have to nurse me-?
And, then at best, Pm not whole
man; will have but one sound arm
and only part of one leg to offer to
her.
''By George, felt for the poor devil
when he talked like that. Well, I
suggested to try her and see what she
thought about it. Write and offer to
release her. He caught at the idea.
But I wouldn't write as though plead
ing with her. would not want to be
married out of pity, but would just
state the facts and leave her free to
decide,' said he.
s'And what do you think she'll
write?' l asked him.
al think that she is too faithful to
give me up he answered, and 'pon
my word-scar or no scar-he looked
ONLY wished his sweetheart could have
seen him."
"And then?n asked Gilbert, as Lau-
RE paused in his narrative.
ooh, then he wrote, abiding to his
being a wreck, and referring to the
account in the papers, and yesterday
her answer came. was in his rooms
when he got her note, just short one
but he turned white and said, bitter
ly: 'She writes that my views upon
the subject of our engagement ending
meet her own. She releases me, ev-
identity without regret, thankful to be
free from what might have been a
burden TO her, I tried to cheer him
up. He gave me one look, such as
you see in hunted beast as you shoot
it down, and, by Jove, he keeled right
over 1 was in a fearful funk, and
called his man. He came round pres
emily and begged me not to mention
the subject again."
Laurie, for Gods sake, explain
matters little more! - cried Gilbert,
who had risen from bis chair in great
excitement.
The major stared at his friend in as
Eyes, SIR" cried the general, equal
ly reused, 'syou don't know how much
depends upon what you have been
telling. Colonel Lawrence is engaged
to my daughter, Mona"
sThe devil!" and the eyeglass fell
from it's habitual place.
"And here's news of his engage
ment to another woman"
ITO another woman?" echoed Lau.
RE, evidently in hopeless amazement.
''The nurse VINO took care of him.
There is a f1aring account of it in to-
days paper.
'eIt's all a lie!" cried Laurie, FUN
bling for his eyeglass and almost
dropping his lisp. 'They have mixed
our names up. 1t is I that am en-
gagged to the nurse, Miss Sterling,
whom I just mentioned. Lawrence
has never looked at any other woman
nor had a thought except for his
fiance. can swear to that"
s'But his letter." began the general.
Gail his COMPOUNDED chivalry, wish
ing to give Miss Mona a chance to be
free of an invalid. Why, he's more of
a man now, with legs and an arm off,
than half the whippersnappers one
meets every day."
'sWhat is to be done?" cried Gill
bert. envy sister is nearly broken
heartfelt
"And Lawrence ditto. There's just
one thing to DO. Where's the time
table?'' and the major was on his feet,
the mantelpiece.
What do you mean?" asked Gill
bert.
ssI mean to take a train to New
York tonight if there's one that will
get me there"
Nonsense"
ssDo you think I am going to see
Lawrence, who saved my life at the
risk of his own, go through another