The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-09-14

mail was bigger than that Of anybody
else except the commanding officer,
whose missives however, were mainly
official, and the Number CT letters penned
in feminine or childish hands seemed,
like Galahad's godchildren ever on the
increase. Mrs. Blythe came back from
leave BONNER than ever and blissful be-
yond compare in the possession Of secrets
she could not share with even her old
est cronies, yet that leaked out in ways
no man could hope to stop. Ned Law
rence's children were we'll, happy,
thriving-little Jim at Barclays home
with other godsons, two or three,
where widowed sister cared for them
as for her own, so said Mrs Blythe
when fairly cornered, while Ada was at
famous old Connecticut school not far
from the Barclay homestead.
Good heavens' said Blythe one day
in late October "These women have
powers of divination that would be
priceless at police headquarters Why,
they've got hold Of facts I thought only
Mrs. Blythe and I knew-facts that
Barclay would have kept concealed
from every one, but that we simply
can't deny"
And SO, little by little, the details of
some at least of Galahad's benefactions
became known, though no man knew
how many more were held in reserve.
For three long years he lived his SIM
pie, studious, dutiful life at Worth, a
man the soldiers and their wives and
children learned to love and look up to
as their model Of all that was kind and
humane (they we'll nigh worshiped him
at Christmas times)-a man his brother
officers OF the better class honored as
friend and comrade, worth their whole
trust and esteem, and from the armor
Of whose reserve and tolerance the
shafts Of the envious and malicious
glanced harmless into empty air.
There were women, old and young,
who thought him lacking in more ways
than one. The Fraziers said not much,
but looked unutterable things when
they went north on leave and people
asked for Galahad. It Was family ira
dition that he had treated 'Manda very
badly-that is, mamma said as much
but the elder sister had views Of her
own not entirely in harmony with those
Of her beloved parent. 'Manda herself
found consolation by marrying in the
army not two years later, and her hus-
band thinks to this very day that Bar
clay, with all his wealth, secretly en-
vies him his treasure, though admitting
in those lucid intervals to which SO
many lords are subject that perhaps
Barclay wasn't so confoundedly I'M
lucky after all. It was at their quarters
some years later still, at far distant
post, that in the course of an evening" s
call, in company with his host, Lieu
tenant Colonel Brooks, the chronicler
Of portion at least Of this episode of
old time army life, was favored with
the most important facts of all.
"What do you think, said the stout
possessor Of Mrs. 'Manda's matured and
rounded charms as he came bustling
in with The Army and Navy in his
hand, "Galahad Barclays married at
last Here it is, ITO Ada, only daughter
Of the late Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
Lawrence, til y. S. cavalry"
ada Lawrence! That child!'
screamed madam, with eyes and draw,
expansive. "Well, Of alp
But others, who have seen her in bel
happy wifehood, declare that Ada Law
renee grew up to be one Of the lovelies,
of the lovely girls that married in thu
army-and they are legion.
THE END.