Connecticut western news., 1898-02-17
CANAAN, CONN. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY

| CAe captains question i'll bad taste, so she raised her eyebrows and smiled most sweetly. "I shall hope to have & dance with you, Captain Soutter," she said.
 And she had not one, but three. The captain forgot his wrath at the sight of her. When she came from the dressing room into the hallway to join young Milford, the captain was by the door. He looked at her.
 Might I hope to be accorded the second and fifth and ninth, Miss Brad ford!'' he asked.
 "Oh, thank you," said Bessie. She was grateful, and he was quite appeased.
 Now Miss Bradford WAS 8 success. She had what is known as & beautiful time for three whole months. No girl was remembered ever to have received l altogether so much attention. She al ways had lovers and the two don't al ways go together. Captain Soutter loved her, so did Lieutenant Paxton, and so did young Milford. Bessie loved young Milford. A girl who prefers "cit. |" clothes to a uniform is peculiar, to say the least. Bessie didn't say or show whom she loved, except to Milford. She had told him. She had refused Paxton, and she was warding the captain of. But the last she could not do much longer. The captain had good opinion of himself
 He also had a dignity which was not to be trified with. Mrs Gallatin was by no means sure of Miss Bradford, so one day she spoke to her. The process of being spoken to can arouse the worst in girl. But Bessie was in a broken and contrite frame of mind. She and young Milford had quarreled, and she | didn't care what became of her. She might as well marry any old man and sacrifice herself for her family. She made most affecting picture of herself as an offering on the altar of matrimony | and filial duty. She would pine away picturesquely in a year or so, and Will Milford-well, perhaps he would go to | the devil She hoped so. It was under | this pressure that she solemnly promised and swore to Mrs Gallatin to marry | Captain Soutter if he asked her. What Miss Bradford promised and swore she never broke. So as soon as she and young Milford made it up she set about wondering | how Captain Soutter was to be kept from asking her. Yet she could not ar rive at any plan. The captain was an | impetuous southerner, and he was nei- ther over well bred nor nicely discrim- | mating Bessie was worried If it had been that she had promised and sworn anything to young Milford and had had to choose which vow to break, she would not have hesitated- But she had teased him and had only answered maybe, !" for which she now suffered. But fate came to her aid, as it al- ways should and always don't in the case of very pretty girl.
 She was going to another hop, and she was going with Captain Soutter. He | had invited her at the time that she was practicing for the martyr role. As | she couldn't, therefore, go with Milford, she would wear the gown Lo liked, which was white silk For it she had to have white gloves, and her white | gloves were soiled. Therefore they must be cleaned Miss Bradford was an adept at cleaning gloves. She prepared spe- | cial mixture of number of chemicals and powders. This mixture had to be whipped up-as if it had been the white of eggs-very light and frothy. It had a most unpleasant odor, but it was pret- | ty to look upon. Because the cdor was so unpleasant, Miss Bradford opened tho door into the hallway and stood just within it, beating
 There was air in the hallway, and there was none in the Gallatins' quar- Soutter had cold, too, frightful one, If hc had not had, he would have mo- ticed the smell of Miss Bradford's mix ture. He came through the hall on his way to his own quarters on the floor above. Colonel Milford was with him. | The captain didn't like the colonel par ticularly, on account of his being his son. father.
 "Ahl Miss Bessiel What pretty, housewifely picture we make. said the captain.
 Bessie smiled encouragingly.
 "What are we doing? Whipping cream? How good it looks If Hebe would but feed us with ambrosia. | The colonel smelled the a1nbrosia, but he held his peace.
 | ''Il give you taste, captain, If you want it very, very much. Open your mouth wilde. Shut your eyes.
 She put heaping forkful in his mouth. The horrible taste. made him gasp. The gasp made him swallow the froth. Colonel Milford laughed. But Captain Soutter went to his quarters without word.
 Bessie went to the hop that night with young Milford. Afterward, while she and her sister and Lieutenant Gal latin were having their supper Of beer and crackers and cheese, Miss Bradford told them that she was going to marry the pennilCss civilian.
 "But how about Captain Soutter?' walled Mrs. Gallatin.
 Hush He might hear you Oh, ] m awfulIy afraid he'll never speak to me again" And he never did.-Gwen- zJ-1.