West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1898-01-13

family. III he be married, creates n
break In the family circle which Is as
sincerely mourned as would be the dcA
parture for "A far distant point of a
member of a home circle in private life
The remaining members of n military
family suffer sense OF bereavement
which can scarcely be conceived by
those not familiar with garrison life,
and the departure of n member Is ns
sincerely mourned as II bound 10 those
TO whom he bids an indefinite farewell
by ties of blood.
A prospective addition 10 the militia
ry family Is always a matter of much
comment. When the accession Is to
be that of an officer of more or less
service In the field. his coming Is
looked forward TO with great pleasure,
for in almost. II not quite, every In
stance he will be known 20 some VI
the officers at the post. In some Of the
labyrinthine movements Of the great
army machine they have been thrown
together at different posts. then sepa-
rated by the official order and sent,
unmurmuring, to meet the exigcncies
Of the service at widely separated
points. When II Is announced at
post thnt Capt. and Mrs. Sinclair
are To bc stationed there. those who
have never met the expected arrivals
| are enlightened as To their personal
appearance, traits OF character and suA
! cial attachments by those who have
! been with thom at other posts, and the
officer und his lady are received with as
warm recognition by those who have
never before seen them as by their
friends of old
| But IL Is different when the IN.
| nouncement Is made that "a ncwly crc-
ntcd officer will soon knock for adIpis-
sion Into the garrison family. lie will
| como a. n stranger TO NIL. Those Off
GERS who themselves in turn stepped
from the door of the academy at West
Point into the field of active service AS
the expected newcomer Is about To do,
| ere we'll aware OF the mild form of
torture which awaits them. They
know that Mr. Graduate will burst
upon their vision clad In natty attire
which the purifying brcczcs have not
yet-had time to purge Of the odot of
the tailor shop. he will not have been
In the garrison day ere his trunks
will have been eInpticd of their con-
teuts. and the love trophies they con-
tain exhibited To the seemingly patient
group who sit meelsly listening 10 the
pretty young man as he boasts OF his
conque'is In the rosy field Of love.
They will smile scrcncly as his yelvetv
tongue purls on, and the time-dimmed
canvas Of their own memory bright
ems and presents FOR their ediflca ton
the day when they. too. came gliding
into the service arena in the same state
of innocent insanity. They will not
tell him so in words, bat viii mentally
say TO him:
"a sad case, n very sad case, my dear
boy. but you will get over IL. Just a
little campaigning. little Of the hard
ship incident To border military life
will wear the academy glitter from
you, and you will develop Ia time into
man of more sturdy mold whose as
pirations will crave something more
substantial than the melody OF soft.
ly sung love ditty or the Riggilng smile
of a simpering schoolgirl. Those
withered bouquets bearing the distin-
gushing names of Rose and Blanche
and Agnes and Katie and other fair
uniform wOrsliipcrs now SO precious TO
you. will soon find lodgment I'm the
coal scuttle; those daintily perfumed
notes will go upward In the smoke Of
the CRATE; the oft-lCissed photos will lie
neglected In your trunk In the store
room, and tho memory OF the dear but
terfiics who cared little for you, but
who loved 20 lutter around your rrav
uniform and hurl glancss OF defiance at
pointing rivals. will be but as a hazy
dream, which you will not In your fua,
turcr sense care for memory TO produce
la too strong coloring. You will not
be so fastidious IN dressing for the sad.
die and tho field as You were Ia dress
ing for the ballroom. or 10 keep an np.
pOintmcnt with the latest plump
qunil who had fallen a victim 70 your
military air and brass buttons. Enjoy
your trophies while you may, my boy.
for stern duty will soon bid you shake
Oft thc aspect Of the beau and don the
more earnest air Of The soldier"
Lieut.. Vandever came, and was az
once located In bachelor quarters and
listed for duty. Capt. and Mrs Colby,
MS the oldest In point OF residence
nt the post, announced q reception I'm
honor Of the new officer, and on tho
evening designated tho parlor of the
Colby quarters was we'll Hiled with
officers and ladies'. Lieut. Vandevcr
was introduced TO all, and was cordial
~ welcomed into the society Of tho
garrison. lie proved to Je quite
hahusoIne young gentleman ana nad
brought with him n smile which had
no doubt played sod havoc with maid
euly hearts at the alma mater on the
historic Hudson, yet beneath the sur
face there seemed TO lurk AN imperious,
tyrannical, n not cruel nature. which
tho smiling face could not entirely con-
ccal lie was studiously polite IN his
demcanof toward tho ladies hnd on
. j MnHWnFnH a.. -
mot among the gentlemen. but sort
Of repeliaut glance which At times shot
from his eyes went for toward smotb.
ering the warmth with which both
gentlemen and ladies would have glad.
" welcomed him.
Alice was at the party and was es.
quisitely lovely In her dress Of purcst
white. She was the especial Idol OF
Eae ladies' II tie carr. .on. and fhera