The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-11

- now operating IN Sohth Al
= = = RIGA, Is under solemn pledge
not to return to England alive.
and thereby hangs a sto-y the Ike OF
which has never been equaied In drama,
fiction or actual life
Three persons took this solemn pledge.
They all used the same words-I DO
hereby solemnIy pledge myself not TO re-
turn to England alive"
One OF these persons was Col. Gatacre.
Another was Col. Gatacre's wife, who
died recently In Southern California.
The third person was Capt. Fitzgerald.
formerly of her majesty's service. now a
resident Of America.
Some years ago Col Gatacre was or
dered to Dublin 20 take command Of the
Eighty-eighth Connaught rangers. then
stationed IN that city. He took with him
his beautiful young wife. She became
q favorite with society Military society
- always NJ : premium. and military
belle 10 the beile Of all bellies. Mrs. Cat
acre became . military belle. and the
NEXT thing 20 II, n military toast" Col.
Gatacre himself was popular In his dig
nIfsd way-~a calm. stern man, scrupu-
iously technical In his observance Of the
station he occupied and OF those with
whom he associated. His wife he treated
with the soldicriy chiyalry Of man who
was m sure Of her position as he was OF
II. whatever apparent iaxaties she might
indulge IN by way OF diversion from the
loneilness that she sometimes felt as a
result Of his enforced absence from her
society.
There WAS 4 certain handsome guards
man IN ono Of the Dublip regiments at the
fims Col Gatacre and his wife we're there
"a certain handsome guardsman named
Fitzgerald There are always certain
hn nd rfsn rAu (r. 49, - ~.
kind--in the true ones az well as In the
fictitious. They were IN the true ones
before fiction was born. and they will be
there after fiction IL dead. unless fiction
and the last man die simultaneously, as
Is not unlikely Anyhow. there was a
certain handsome guardsman In the plot
Of Col Gasncre's strangely true romantic
tragedy He was a captain OF the guard
ana social Hon. Good looks were n
small part OF his porsessions--he was dis.
finguished by birth and by fortune; an
nristocrat with large estates, a brave man
and strong one: a soldier for the love
OF nxhting, and one whom no woman thus
hood
Mrs. Gatacre was the social queen Of
military Dublin In those days. but Col
untncrr was not the social king On So
cfcty's throne ths queens consort haa
70 ~ Of society's own selection. society
chose Capt fitzgerald
tms day Cox Gatacre found society wb,.-
perinS This would not have intar.s,a,,
VII y ,ne whispering hadn't ceased tbe
'hvnsht az came within sarshot whsn
= pe.ust'd several times and had b.c,ns
un'hiesaR SADLY OF personal Significance the
.us"nat tapped one OF the whispercrs an
.s. .a"s'aef anu demanded to know what
49, SUNS on that ise might not properly
.r.sE
me colcnei, SO he carefully broke ire Iat.
yer heart with rumor -as friends nav.
= nApit OK doing The rumor connecte,
Of the guard captain
u was only suggestion of eourx. ana
inc coionefs frisni hsecd there was no,h-
snS W ", but ttAt was what p~es,Ie were
- AMI the eoianefs friend. neglect
- y. s'na thHt ne was one Of tho peo-
pss himself. sympatheticaIiy Thought the
soionel ought 10 know about II
The eelunel grimly ASSURED his fy,aaa
snAt nj last he did know about Il, ana
Nhs very much obliged for the knowieaea
thsn ne turned his hack on the friend
AMI went TO crave an audience with p,Ib-
Inns social queen
The interview between husband and wife
vas brief and, In effect. something ike
Il am informed madam. that vou are
~ love with Capt. Fitzgerald lis Il true7.'
1T IL true"
thank you for your eanaor. II vii,
prevent any unnecessary rofnnlieatlapn
y may preclude the Necessity ~ my kiu.
ms tnN, Ftzgeraid That will DEFEND
ot course. WON his being equally candid,
ana uron both of sou being whiting 10
aasae ps ths terms ] shall make for all
What are the terms. Cot. Ciatncrey~
Thst cart fitzgerald shall leave The
him" ~"
And your
shal leave England forever
tenr commission IN the armys''
That can b. srtWnwed--l viii be trana.
tefred 70 colonial post neniea thia
iaxor from my sovereign. who alone Is
let me 20 serve. shan reaixn nav eet,s.
mission and 50 abroad aa ouscast. IN.
iaHkei by country. a. I am otherwise
desraded by my wife
Il am sorry I could not heip Il. VII,
do ANYTHING you ask. ani I shan BRAY Tor
Your forgiveness when I am gene a~Av
t~ ! VIII stay aud let let Capt fgtnxes.
AID go, VIII s'ay-er. better stih viii
80 with ya0.~
"you win So WITH cant ErsENersd ara
as far away from ma as 10 San take voa
leu must both pietgr Yourselves nayep -,
return 20 England alive reg him thts
COR ma Tel sisn aisa " ever / sea Ntvn
again rha& kia hiul That i All II L.
ear sOesihy~rny geesshy 81 yoa.r
The gvosih0 Of hashana 20 Ais vlss,
Does Mai Gen. 0asAcr~ hero Z the saiith
African war, remember a. Re tlttnsrn
9fons the frontier ~ battle today taa
Dublin ccicusl's strange leaxatAsfns vears
axe nom the queen q ppbgin society
Sape. tftnserals vas a xvntlaaAe that
-. Ia was what society celfs a gentleman
iis aT,sleeeiat~a the feelings % tha man he
had wrvnssf. and being aAie 20 aus hirn-
self IN his place, asarativeiy. he decided
that Col GAtacre haA devised the most
sensi@e Arrangement possible II What
nlght haVe become an open scandal with
It's inevitable tragedy, &c make aat mat
tsrs worse. Certainly tho situation en-
tsssled All The clements ~ a fatal aonssatte
irssrogli9 IN hsEa hfe. Capt F1tEwvvaiA
reeosnizea that Il was only the prlae az
col 0atAcre which had prevented him
r-osu taxing the course common In such
s@airs ofher husbands he knew haa
been proud, and their pr5de had spurre.4
them on .athSr than dsterrea them from
avenesnS their wrongs IN hAoodshed. Col
GAtacres pride r0ss above the common
kind. and Capt. fftEgeveH respected ID.
kiiEgefaid was not coward. Il was not