The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-01-14


herself upon her knees by her mothers
side and sobbed out the news that Mer-
Ram had told her he loved her dearly
and had asked her to be his wife, and
when the mother drew her to her bosom
and held her there, and mingled her
tears with those. of her beloved child,
her heart went up in prayer to Heaven.
for she knew that which Tremaine
could not understand, that so deep, so
fond, so all-possessing was the love
with which Florence would love, prob
ably did love, that there could be no
listening to reason. She had pinned
her faith on Randolph Merriam and it
could not be shaken.
But neither wife nor daughter knew
that night that, earlier in the evening.
Merriam had sought the husband and
father and opened his heart to him,
told him his whole story, and begged
of him his consent and blessing. 81
did love Miss Hayward" he said; II was
fascinated beyond expression and was
stunned by the abrupt end of our en-
gagement, but all that passion was
killed by the details that have reached
me, and in it's place have grown up an
admiration and love for your daughter
that far exceed anything have known
before. l have had hard lessons, sir;
/ am not worthy the love of one so pure
and true as she, but it shall be my con-
slant endeavor to make her happy"
Tremaine could not answer for mo-
'ment. what have you told her thus
far?" he asked, though not unkindly.
81 told her before was summoned
back to the detachment, after that
shooting scrape up in the mountains,
about Miss Hayward and my broken
engagement, and her prospective mar
riage. / do not think had any bust
ness to do even that-to tell her any
thing that might seem to single her out
as confidante, but the impulse was
stronger than 1 was"
"Was that-the day before the courier
came down with the news of the fight ?"
asked the captain, with uplifted brows.
He was thinking of how Florence had
been found by her mother in tears that
very afternoon.
Every possibly, sir, though 1 cannot
recall the day."
Then. after pause: ANSWER me
this question, Merriam" said the older
officer. IF Miss Hayward were to
treat this man as she did you; if she
were again to come into your life and
say: Come back to me- l do not ask
you what your answer would bel ask,
what would your heart say?"
Nothing. Even if she were not his
wife, l could not think of her again
without aversion"
yet she is accomplished and a
beauty, you say; which my Florence,
they tell me, though l cannot see it, is
not"
"She is accomplished-too much so.
She is a beautiful woman, but l look in
your daughters eyes, sir, and see her
as you see her. God knows l marvel
that anyone can fail to see her except as
you do and as do"
And Tremaine held out his hand.
gripped hard the lean, brown fingers
that clasped in his. essayed to say some
thing that was still weighing on his
heart, but gave it up.
"She is all I have to give, Merriam"
he presently said, but she is all the
world to me-"
And so when Merriam returned to
SedgwiclS to face the volleys of congrat-
ulation and the occasional shakes of the
head with which his seniors said to
him: "She's heap too good for you,
man." he could not but be aware of the
trend of public sentiment, and though
time and again he had said as much to
her, to her parents, to himself, it must
be owned that here was case where it
was not entirely flattering to find the
world of his own expressed opinion.
It nettled him not a little, and even
Whitaker and Mrs. Hayne could not
entirely comfort him. 1t was all very
well to say: "You must remember that
Florence has been the pet of our regi-
ment ever since she was born. declare,
ii makes me jealous at times for my
own babies" as Mrs. Hayne did. 1t was
gratifying and complimentary to his
taste that the commentator of his
gentle fiancee was so general, but, no
matter how conscious man may be OF
his own shortcomings, is it ever COM
fort to find that all his friends are
equally aware of them? 1t must be
| owned that there were moments when
Merriam grew impatient of these com.
ments upon his unworthiness, eX.
pressed or implied, even while his heart
rejoiced over the enthusiastic interest
displayed by all the garrison in his
! wife that was to be.
| And he was very devoted lover
too. Only twice week did the mai
rider go out to the environment, but
Randy wrote to her long, crowded
pages every day, and her letters came
even longer and brimful of love and
sunshine and happiness. He had sem
to st. Louis for her engagement ring
and her delight over it and its beauty
was something delicious to see, though
she properly rebuked him for his ex
tiavagance and warned him never
again to spend so much money in Jew
elry for her while he was yet poor
lieutenant. BY and by, when he. be
| cnme q great general. as surely h