Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-09-14
LIEUTENANT CLOVER.

l. dow and gazed out at the empty
parade. He walked to his desk, and
AdJt- Caldwell Clover who was sign
ing orders, glanced out of the corner Of
his eye and saw that the colonel was
pulling his mustache.
Then the colonel sat down and said
rather sharply, Are you busy,
Cloverf"
It was not customary for the colonel
to address the officers by their names in
this way. He was supposed to address
Adjt. Glover as lieutenant, and TO say
that the young man was surprised
would be placing 1t mildly. OF course
he didn't object. In fact, It pleased
him to have the colonel speak TO him
familiarity, only It was so unexpected.
Il am not busy. colonel" said the ad.
jutant.
How old do you think am
Clover?" asked the colonel.
why, l don't know, colonel" STAN.
mered the adJutant, mot any older
thsn-than you ought to be-
The colonel was slicing n sheet of
paper with the paper knife. "I want
you to do something for me. Clover. I
have come to depend on you so entirely
for everything that l am going to put
This personal matter in your hands. l
want yeu to write a proposal of mar
riage to young lady for me-"
The colonel was much embarrassed
His face was red under the tan.
"A proposal of narriagev' echoed the
adJHant
nv Nra hnI 4nI1 T
afraid of a woman, l would have laugh
ed at bim. l tried to speak TO her about
1t Last night at the hop, AID when she
looked at ME with those steady brown
eyes of hers 1 couldn't say word
Then It's Miss Lacey2' said the ad.
jutant.
1T is Miss Lacey
Very well, colonel" Adjutant Clover
received the order just as he would
have received an order TO appoint a sub
stitute captain for the recruits or any
trivial thing of that sort, and he turned
TO his desk as the colonel went out
There are those who think an sdiu
tant has nothing else TO do save Isteh
to thirty seven bugle calls day and
look his best fam reveille to taps 1t is
mistake. He has a thousand and one
things TO do. He oversees guard mount.
Ie selects the coloners orderly. He
writes letters and signs papers, and
now Adjutant Caldwell Clover of
Troop Y is asked to write proposal
Tor his colonel 10 Agnes Lacey.
When Captain Lester went east and
returned with a golden-haired young
wife, Lieutenant Glover danced with
the bride at the reception given them.
Il am sure shall not be lonely here"
she said to him. Il find II all so new and
interesting, and then in the summer my
sister is coming to me-" They We're
promenading then. and she looked up
at the six feet of handsome manhood
beside her and said: You will like my
sister. She is not at all like me. She
Is almost as tall as you are and inde-
pendent and brave" And from that
night Lieutenant Clover looked for
ward TO the coming of Captain Testers
fair sister-in-law.
Alice Lacey reached the post in July
Mrs. Letser had been watching for the
coach, and when it appeared on the
brow Of the hill Lieut.. Glover handed
her a pair of fieldglasses, and when at
last the rumble of the wheels was
heard they walked across the parade.
and It was Lieutenant Cloyer's hand
that opened the stage door and then
reached up to help the girl alight.
When he took off his cap TO her and
then escorted herself and sister to the
caDtain's quarters, Agnes Lacey felt
that all her sister had written about
the courteous young officers of the post
must be true.
The summer was quiet one at the
post. There were n few dances; some
rides over the prairie, a picnic or two,
and long, quiet hours on the verandas,
and then one day there came news OF
Captain Testers transfer to another
post 1t was on the day before the one
set for his departure that the colonel
gave his adjutant his peculiar order
When the colonel had gone. Lieuten-
ant Glover leaned back in his chair and
clasped his hands behind his head. He
was to propose to Agnes Lacey for the
colonel. He thought over all the hours
he spent with Agnes, and his face grew
tender and his lips quivered little as
he remembered that to morrow she was
going away, tneh ne salu 10 niuSeH.
What's the use of my feeling like
dog in the manger2 She wouldn't mar
~ me. She'll never think of me again
after she leaves here" He took up his |
pen, then hesitated as he dipped ii in
the ink. MY, but 1t will be lonesome
when she is gone" Then he went on !
writing and when the letter was finish !
ed he forgot and signed his own name |
instead Of the colonel's, and then laugh |
ed as he saw his mistake. He had to |
write the letter all over again then. /
This time he signed the coloners name |
and called the orderly and sent him to !
Miss Lacey with the letter. And when |
It was done he walked up and down the
room, and all that evening he felt like |
a Gagged lion. What would her answer |
be? Had the colonel received It? Once /
or twice he took up his cap to walk |
down past the captains quarters, then
he threw Il down again OF course she |