The Delta independent., 1898-10-14


blest man sho ever dreamed, OF except
her own dear old dad For time Waite
took heart and hoped for the best and
believed her and her mother. as indeed
they believed themselves and when
Barclay went back to Sanders at the
end Of January he was q very happy
man and Laurs for week very lone
ly girl Then youth. health. elasticity.
vivacity. opportunity. all prevailed.
and she began to take notice IN very
Joyous fashion She did not ut all reccs.
nixs the doctrine pseached by certain
mammas and certain other damselR
that she as M engaged girl should holl
aloof now aud give the other girla. ~
% pretty. . chance. The barrncks weTs
gay thss winter; Laura dancsd viii,
si,e gayest. and when Barclay gos lenvs
In April and came down for fortnight
he found hinssclf much in the way ol
two young Renticnaen who danced de-
jightfully, . thing he could nos do CO
all Yet he had sweet hours with his
sweetheart and grew even moro deeply
in love, 20 beautiful was she growing.
and went back to Sanders . second time
thinking himself happiest Of the happy.
OF bound 20 te. when. In the coming
autumn. he could claim her as his own.
But Waite was troubled. He was to
take tho field the LIST Of May; his troops
would be in sntldlc and on scout away
to the west all summer long; his wife
and daughter were to spend those
months Ut the seashorc and In shopping
for the great event to come in Novem-
Der. He had . long. earnest talk with
Barclay when once more the devoted
fellow came to sce the lady Of his love
on the eve Of her departure for the east.
but Barclay looked into her radiant.
uplifted eyes aud could not read tho
shadow Of coming events. Of which shs
was - ignorant a. he.
In May he led his men on the march
70 the Big Horn. and in June she led
with Ca let Lieutenant Winn the ger.
man at tho graduation hop ut West
Point Then Winn was assigned 70 du-
ty, a. was the custom Of the day. one Of
two or three young graduates chosen as
assistant Instructors during the sum
mer camp. He had an hour to devote to
drill each morning and . dozen 20 de-
vote to the girls and Laura Waite. with
her lovely face and form. was tho talk
Of the brilliant throng Of visitors that
summer. She and her mother returned
70 the Point - guests Of some old
friends there stationed. . visit which
was not on the original programme at
all Winn took the girl riding day aft
er day and to hops week after week
The shopping for the wedding went on
between times, and Winn even escorted
them to the city and took part in the
shopping. In fine. when November
came. in spite Of the furious opposition
Of her father. in spite Of his refusal to
attend the ceremony OF to couutenance
it in any way, Winn. vice Barclay,
honorably discharged. appeared as
groom and bore his bride away to q
round Of Joyous festivities among army
friends in New Orleans and San Anto-
nio before their final exile to the far
frontier. From chat day to this no line
had ever come from the angcred and
aging man. even when Laura's baby
girl was born. Funds he sent from time
to sime-he knew he'd have % do that,
- he told her mother and she told her
frieuds-sud then. JUS - more funds
were mech seeded becsase Of pressing
claims Of cfcdIsoss Wbo~e bills had not
been paid frum previous rcmiftances,
Wiun being mach in the field and Lau-
n becoming disbsrur grnerzi in his
abseace. the major s1s!deuly died. Ieav-
ing . 0alI life insurance fos his dis
cpBsDlsts widow and sothine 20 speak
Of for bis chiIdrea- They had sucked
hin dry durssR BIZ bssy life
Ths Wisos ~ - Invite Mr. Hoige
- ds9oe1 aoA Wese ~ btidea so meet
IN. Laass ~ aiIl - light mouruinR
Sos ~ fasheR. - SR dsys she rezlly
esag1 ~ ltselD - -Ba1cS's ssvsl,sSoes