Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-11-14
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. Captain Braba3on 3
a BY 3. N. CROkER DE
1 j:NiIItary'Romance.of. South.. .afrca X
BY 3. N. CROKER
Observation-Disclosures ( Observation-Disclosures


mand. and assumed a certain amount of
VI. and gayety that batied
mrs. brabazOn aud deluded Miss Jane.
Sne was modern Spartan girl, and yet.
outwardiy busy in the village. active i'll
the house. smiling and cheerful, nwardly
wearing her heart out with achin. recol-
iections, bitter sense of humiliatio and
unavaiiing regrets. Pride came to her
assistance. and enabled her to bear up
nobiy IN public, to present a cool, nat
ural, seif-pOssessed appearance to the in
quiring optics Of Mrs. Brabazon. enG IL.
kindly but curious and puzzled ones OF
Miss Jane, who one day suddenly made
up her mind that she would speak to
Esme quite seriously" and opportunity,
for once, trod upon the heels Of resolve,
for at that very moment her niece walked
Into her sitting room. charged with .
message from a sick pensioner.
"Esme, my dear. you are the very per-
son l want; have just been thinking Of
you. said her aunt. Thinking Of you
and Miles"
Esme coiored vividiy. and sat down
with her back 10 the light. and then said.
indifIerently: What is it. Aunt Jane
suppose you know"
know! l know nothing. my dear:
and l want to know everything" She re-
turned, emphatically.
You have not heard, then, what he
has written said her niece, in a hard
strange voice, as il she were repeating IL
well-iearned but difficult lesson And
it is all entirely at an end between us.
there is no engagement now
Bless my heart, Tut. tut. tut. Esmr.
l thought better OF you. Come. now
now-I really thought better of you-uay.
| think better of you, You are no, going
to punish him alw4!s for his unlucky
mistake. Come over here and sit beside
me, my dear. and tell me all about it,"
The truth is, then, Aunt Jane. and
suppose you ought to know" gulpins
down a huge lump in her throat as sk.'
spoke, that it was not | who broke oii
the engagement; it was Miles"
What! What do you say?" said Mis-
Jane, in a low and horrihed tone of voice.
, 1T is impossible"
1T is quite true, Aunt Jane, and il yoa
wish you may see his letter: nothing
can be-plainer."
His letter breaking it off! l can't be-
lieve it. He must be mad. Most ex-
.raordinary-most unaccOuntable! What
You have done something. Esme! What?'
He says-he says" bringing out the
words reluctantly that he is poor, and
has no prospects: in short. he would have
no money, and-and-he hopes some rich
er and luckier fellow will take his place.
she concluded, her lips Iuivering; she was
looking at her aunt through a mist OF uu-
shed tears.
.But this is mOnstrous" exclaimed thr
cid lady. suddenly pausing in her walk
and surveying her niece hercely. and
you-you-are taking it so coolly-so-sO-
unnaturally Oh, you young people of the
present day have no feeling. but l eau
tell you that it's a dreadful blow to me,
q dreadful blow. | would not have bc
lieyed it of Miles. And, as TO the money.
IL had only known recommending her
walk, and dropping short. incoherent SEN
tences about mo use to me. now Teddy :
gone. The two l liked. Rich. old. child
less woman. Too late now.
Esme gazed at her aunt helplcssiX. as
she took up her dropped stitches andAon-
dered much that she had taken her news
SO very much to heart
Il am very greatly upset. Esme. !
don't know when I've heard anything
that has put me out so much.
Then please don't talk of it any more.
Aunt Jane" said Esme. rising and speak
ing with strange cOmposure. Come Out
into the garden and show me your new
crocuses; we have none out yet. I'll fetch
vour bonnet and shawl from the lobby; II
will do you good to take turn
II was a curious sight to see these two
The bent and now intirm old lady. and the
tall. slight, upright girl-siowly pacing
The gravel walks, arm in arm. in silence
They represented the rising and waning
generations, with more than forty years
between them; and yet one chord vibrat-
ed alike in both their hearts. one idenu
cal topic filed their minds-Love. And
although. in the case of the elder lady. II
was hut the old. faded, forgotten story
seen pale and faint through the moonlight
of memory, and in the ease OF the other IL
was a dreadful, glaring. recent reaht!
that pictured itself in her unhappy mihd
! a fellow-feeling united the aunt and niece
| in a manner that each was sensipie o'
| in her inmost soul. Miss Jane now Degaf
tn understand her niece. and to put anotn
or Interpretation on her studied piacie
| m;en She was not really cold aud cal
] i,rs as she seemed. She felt Miles De
fect;on inst as she would have felt suct
a thing herself, sensitively. yet secretly
.,d the good lady's anger burned no.
,,,;,b;n her. as she reflected on her ne
nbew's conduct; and as she stood on ne'
| 5oo-stens- spectacles on nose. and grave
| 10 watched her favorite niece out througi
| the little white gate, she muttereo thr'e'
! 70 herself and Lady Louisa. Most uhac
| countable, most upaccountabie' most u"
| accountable"
CHAPTER XXI.
| rh. lives of some families are IKE
! -, In vbich. without being exactly stag
p.nt nothing occurs TO ruff1e the surlh.'
| - ,h. water from years end TO year
| and and then comes quick series -
.romnIous splashes, like naugnty ovy
.h-o,vino stones. As regards the braoa
IONS. Teddy's enlistment was Splash nuu
no, ono which was followed Dy :,
,"a,cr her disastrous engagement
49,. marriage, and now II re"n'n.
.. EIorian to make some sa ,
onS II which he accomplished IN 'n'
following manner: .t.dIv. in tim<
" s;nnn, one day. Never before nau ~ ~
aa Iol h;s home in the bleak monu -
.s ,aSol' nd Esme said to him. haii p..y
'ruIIy. as she helped him ON s.ad FOR til,
icoat: ITO what are we in1, n.;Ss, Wha
Honor of this visit. Lonoon
has brought your ~. missus ha
.T will tell you after ;,nnressively
I.one 70 bed" he returneo o.in in ,
81 s shall 20 up and come down sst;red W
.smokius jacket: after sne "-'
will have q talk. .t.ring at hin