The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-01-28

! iess;oa, loving catdcor lie and always
: stealing OF To-: & day al AvonGaie when
he could manage &c escape the routine
OF his Office. lie arrived il high spir-
It's with his friend, Major Laurie,
! Just returned frol1 Porto Eico. The
two :nel had not met fo- nearly ten
! years, and each seemed equally glad
: 10 1enew his college friendship. As
! soon IS t2ey were alone the General
! Poure;; out his indignation and woe to
his son, who was naturally much in
censel at the behavior Of Mona's
! fanca.
Pity that yoar friend is an officer
aad just home from the war; it will
keep the wound open," added his
father.
"Confound it, 50 it will; I am deuc-
! ctliy sorry fer Mona. 20 wonder she
is cat UP, but as Laurie is sure to know
Lawrence, We must be careful not to
show him that Lawrence has hurt US.
Mona is pluczy enough and mustforce
herself to be jolly for couple Of days
till Laurie takes his departure.
! Jolly! Poor girl, how can she be?"
| sighed the General.
''i should like to wiring that rascal's
neck" exclaimed Gilbert, impetuous-
j., "and he Of all men, whom we sll
| liked so much"
"Tha5 is just where it hurts So"
answered his father.
"By George" exclaimed Major
Laurie, (atte- excusing herself early
N the evening, Mona had left the
three men in tie billiard room smok-
ing.l Slut Miss Mona is stunning. II
I were not engaged 10 the dearest girl
y lie world, Z should lose my heart
to your sister,
':I aid not know We had to congrat-
ulateyoa old fellow
"When does the happy event come
off,
."Ve3S soon; you'll be invited"
-: tsyy-t I fshseEE8
estcd.
"a Miss Sterling, whose nature
! NSLt44CS AS- LsitOO, law A.O" - --S-
since size was girl"
s'Rather anxious time for Ler when
you were wounded," suggested the
General.
"Gh, but Twas not in much danger,
you know; now some fellows got so
cut up you would hardly recognize
item. There WAS poor Lawrence
(both his listeners started)-one leg
clean gone, tbs other up to TIE knee,
one arm OF, and scar across MS face
and the plucky chap just smiled
through il all"
Father and son exchanged glaaces.
"Ge pulled through, thanks to the
devoted nursing he got, continued
Laurie, UNCONSCIOUS Of the interest
lis words aroused. II never saw
that man down until yesterday, when
he collapsed as though shot"
"Eow vas tha*?' asked Gilbert, IN
constrained voice.
"Well, sou see. twas this way; he's
very ret;cent, still, We all knew he was
devoted to some girl ct home, though
he never mentioned her name or spoke
about her; couldn't get him into the
slightest filtration with any one. When
we cane back together he spoke Tor
the first tine to ne about his affair.
:Eou see, Laurie, I an such g wreck;
! should I marry gial when she might
have to nurse me? and then, at best,
f: Tn not a whole man; will have but
one sound am and only part OF one
leg to offer her BY George, I felt
for the poor devil when he talked like
that. Well, I suggested to try her
and see What she thought about it.
Write and oiIier 10 release her. He
caurht at the idea. But I wouldn't
write IS though pleading with her; I
would not want to be married out OF
ply. but wcu!d Just state the facts
aud leave ner free - decide, said he.
And what DO you think she'll write:'
7 asked him. I think she is too
! faithful 70 give ne up he answered,
; ald. 'pon ry wo:l-sca- OF no scar
he looked so proud ard handsome as
! lie spoke, only wished lis sweetheart
could have seen him"
; ::And then?" asked Gilbert, as Lau:
! RE rauscA n his narrative.
: s'Oh, then he wrote, allHdl1g to hla
! being a wreck, and referring to the &C
count in tie papers, and yesterday her
answer cane; l was n his looms when
! lie ro5 her nota-just short one, but
! he turned white, and said bitterly,
/ She writes that my'views upon the
subject OF our engagement ending
meet her own; she releases me, evl-
IDENTIFY without regret, thankful to be
free from what might have been bur
den to her I tried to cheer him up;
lie gave me one look, such as you see
in a hunted beast as you shootit down,
! and, by Jove, he keeIed right ever. I
was in fearful funk, and called his
man. He cane round presently and
begged me not to mention the subject
again
"Laurie, for Gods sake explain
matters little more" cried Gilbert:
vao had risen from his chair in great
excitement.
eyes, sir, cried the General, equally
roused. :'yoa don't know low much
! depends upon what You have been
telling. Colonel Lawrence is engaged
70 ,ny daughter Mona"
'i,le miscilief:" and the eyeglass
dropped from its Dabitual place.