The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-05-04

copyright, ROO by F Tsnnyson Neely.l
Engaged to herl Do you suppose l
could have been--been such an ass if
she would have had me? No! She
she had too much sense"
1t was full n minute before Arm
strong spoke again. For few seconds
he sat motionless, gazing steadily into
Gray's handsome, blushing face; then
he turned once more and looked out
over the Pasig and the Scared level of
the rice fields beyond. And the long
slant of the sunshine on distant towers
and neighboring roofs and copse and
wall, and the unlovely landscape
seemed all tinged with purple haze and
tipped with gold. The blare Of bugle
summoning the men to supper seemed
softened by distance, or some new,
strange intonation, and gave to the ug-
lest of all our service calls the effect
of soft, sweet melody; and there was
sympathy and genuine feeling in the
deep voice as he once again held out
his hand to Billy.
Forgive me, lad, for I judged you
more harshly than you deserved"
One lovely summer-like evening some
five weeks later, in long, heaving surges
the deep blue waves of the Pacific came
lazily rolling toward the palm-bordered
beach at Waikiki. bursting into snowy
foam on the pebbly strand, and, softly
kissing, swept like fleecy mantle up the
slope of wet, hard-bcaten sand, then
broke, tapping and whirling, about the
stone supports of the broad lanai of
one of the many luxurious homes that
dot the curving line of the bay TO the
east of Honolulu. Dimly outlined in
the fairy moonlight, the shadowy noun
tains OF the Waiana range lay low upon
the western horizon. Eastward the
bare, bold, volcanic upheuyal of Dia-
mond Head cleaned in bold relief, re-
fecting the silver rays. Here and there
through the foliage shone the soft-col-
ored fires Of Chinese lanterns, and far
Their away, along the concave shore, dis
tant electric lights twinkled like an
swering signals to the stars in the
vault of blue, and the riding lights" Of
the few transports or warships swing
ing at anchor on the tide.
From a little grove of palms close to
the low sea wall came the soft tinkle of
guitar, and now and then burst of
joyous song, while under the spreading
roof Of the broad portico, or lanai, the
murmur of voices, the occasional ripple
OF musical laughter, the floating haze
of cigarette smoke, told where party
of worshipers were gathered, rejoicing
in the loneliness of nature and the
night.
Ii was a reunited party, too, snd in
the welcome of their wiDsome hostess,
In the soft, soothing influence Of that
summer cline, and through the healing
tonic OF the long sea voyage, faces that
had been saddened by deep anxiety but
a few weeks gone smiled gladness into
one another now. A tall gray-haired
man reclined In an easy lounging chair,
his eyes intent on the clear-cut face OF
a young soldier in trim white uniform,
who, with much animation, was telling
of an event in the recent campaign.
BY his side, her humid eyes following
his every gesture, sat tall, dark,
stylish girl, whose hand from time to
time crept forth to caress his-an evil
dent case of sister worship. Close at
hand another young fellow in spotless
white, his curly head bent far forward,
his elbows on his knees, his finger tips
joining, was studying silently the eff
feet of his comrades story on another
"A fair girl whose sweet face, serene
and composed, was fully illumined by
the silvery light of the unclouded moon.
Coming by transport, via Honolulu
''Gov's" cabled message had brought
father and sister TO meet him at these
famed Crossroads Of the Pacific" and