The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-08-17

modest establishment. Hannibal sulked
three days, and even talked OF LEAVING
The lieutenant counted out goodly
sum. all Hannibal's own, and told him
that he would find the balance banked
in his name in the distant east whenev-
er he chose to quit; then Hannloal
broke down and was speedily broken in.
All this had Hodge heard when the
danes of Sanders and those OF Steele or
Russell were comparing notes and pic
nicking together along that then new
wonder of the world, the Union Pacific.
But all this was only preliminary to
what came later. 90
Little detachments, horse and foot.
were scattered all over the line OF the
brand new railway while it was being
built. Every now and then the Indians
jumped their camps and working par
ties, and in the late fall Of 1867 Barclay
had stiff and plucky fight with band
OF Sioux; he was severely wounded, but
beat them off, and was sent east to re-
cuperate. Now came particulars Hodge
could not give, but that letters could
and did. It was while Barclay was con-
valescing at Omaha barracks that he
met Miss Laura Waite, beautiful
girl and garrison belle. She was ten
years his junior. This was her first
winter in army society. She had spent
her girl years at school and now was
having "simply heavenly time, " if
her letters could be believed. Her father
was field officer Of cavalry with rather
a solemn way Of looking at life, and her
mother was said to be the explanation
Of much Of his solemnity, she being as
volatile as he was staid. She, too, had
been beauty and believed that beauty
a permanent fixture But Laura was
fresh and fair. sweet and wlnsome. light
hearted and joyous, and the father for
a time took more pride in her than he
did in his sons. Major Waite was in
command of the cantonment from which
the relief party was sent when the news
came that Barclay and his little de-
tachment were "corralled." Major
Waite became enthusiastic over the de-
tails Of the cool, courageous, brainy de-
Tense made by the young officer against
tremendous odds, covered him with all
manner of thoughtful care and attention
when he was brought into the canton
ment, and when the winter soon set in
and the camp broke up and Waite went
back to Omaha barracks he took Bar
clay with him to his house instead of
the hospital, and the rest followed as
the night the day.
Barclay spent a month under the ma
jor's roof, won his esteem and friend
ship, but left his heart in the daugh-
ter's hands. If ever a man devotedly
loved a beautiful, winsome young girl,
that man was Galbraith Barclay; if ev-
er girls father approved Of a man,
that man was Barclay, and if ever
man had reason to hope that his suit
would win favor in a fathers eyes that
man was Barclay, yet it did not. Ma
jor Waite's reply to the modest yet
most manful plea of Lieutenant Bar
clay to be permitted to pay his address
es to the majors daughter surprised ev-
cry one to whom Mrs. Waite confded
it, and they were not few The old SOL
der begged of the younger not to think
Of it, at least just yet. But when it
transpired that the younger had been
most seriously thinking of it and could
think Of nothing else, then the major
changed his tune and told him what he
did not tell his wife, and that only be-
came known through the fathers own
Incorporate language long months aft
er. He told Barclay he knew no man to
whom he would rather intrust his
daughters happiness, but he feared, he
believed, she was still too young to
!; know her own mind, too young to see
in Barclay what he saw, and he urged
that the young officer should wait. But
Barclay knew his own mind. He was
} able, he said, to provide for her in COM
fort either in or out of the army, which
few possible aspirants could say. He
would listen to no demur, and then at
last the father said, TRY your fate if
you will, but let there be no thought of
marriage before she is 2O-before she
can have had opportunity of seeing
| something of the world and of other
/ men-not these young whippersnappers
) just joining US here
l 1t was surprise to him that Laura
) should accept Mr.. Barclay. She came
to him, her father, all happy smiles and
. tears and bushes, and told him how
/ proud and glad girl she was, because
she thought her lover the best and no.
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