The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-04-25
A BREYRTI BACHELOR. j

There are more things in the servic,
than brass buttons and dashing cal
vary-men, and dying at the post o
duty, and the rest of the stock phrases
Of romance. There are few fixet
principles and some prejudlces which
it Is just as we'll not to run up against
because the service can, take revenge
upon occasions. Ordinarily q moder
ate amount Of tact and common decen
cy will take you through until yor
have learned those things which are
set down in neither the drill-manua
nor the regulations. But Miss Hadley
had only beauty and pure cheek. Sh'
came from somewhere down tn,
southern way-Los Angeles, or Sar
Diego, or something, to visit tht
Strongs at Angel island And from
the moment she set foot upon the land
ing she began to make herself unpopu
lar. She had had visions Of stepping
ashore among group of kneelinl
lleutenants, rather than after the fash
ion of the accredited paintings Of the
Landing of Columbus" or the rJesuit
Fathers" But the lieutenants were
busy, or they were taking maps, or sit
ting on their front porches, with theil
feet on the ratings. They crossed the
bay to the city daily, and graced every
cotillion and function worth speaking
of, and beautiful girls were not new
They had never even heard that Miss
Hadley was beautiful. They were In
deep darkness concerning the local
bellies of-wherever 1t was, down
South.
However, several of them met bel
at dinner that night, and the rest call.
ed afterwards, as is TIE custom. Miss
Hadley did not know it was the Gus
tom. She thought 1t was all on hel
own account, and. that the. post was
beginning to come to its senses, which
made her yet more arrogant Some
dispositions thrive upon being made
much of, returning courtsey with good
coin; the latent meanness of others
warns to life as the snake on the
woodchopper's hearth. AS if there
were not enough unattached men to
occupy her, she turned her attention
rointedly to La Roche, and when she
saw his wife vince she redoubled her
energies. ..1-
La Roche was French, and f1irta-
tious, and clever. And, whatever else
was to be said of Miss Hadley, she was
clever, too, in worldly sort of way.
But Mrs. La Roche was stupid, and
blushingly aware of her stupidity.
Still, she was good-hearted little
thing, and had done kind turn. to
everyone in the garrison at one time or
another, and 1t reseted seeing her
made jealously wretched. her pale eyes
filling and her lips quivering, as the
beauty drew La Roche to a remote
corner and leveled her batteries upon
him. Everybody vas scandalized-
and the feelings of the bachelors were
hurt. 1t was just little too insolent.
So they sought punishment to fit the
crime, and this was what they devils
ed:
There was one man who had not call
ed that first night. It was Proctor,
the adjutant. He had been over In
the city at dinner. When he came
back by the first boat in the morning,
deputation met him at the warf and
carried him off to his quarters and
told him what was expected of him.
"I'm not sure that I like the part,
though, you know" said Proctor,
when they had explained. They
impressed upon him that the dignity
of the service demanded it--also that
it would be very good for the girl.
Proctor said it would fall through at
once.
"We only want it to last a day or
two," said the deputation.
On that undertaking he consented.
"But I won't lie. you know" be told
them. "You'll have to do any OF
that.n
at won't be necessary they assur-
ed him. "If she asks-whloh Is un-
likely-=we will say with one accord
that you are brevet bachelor" You
will not find the definition OF that in
the tactics.
So Proctor went over to the Strongs'
quarters and found Miss Hadley, got
ten up in the sort of a morning robe
that it is not customary to display to
the gaze of several hundred soldiers,
more or less, in corner OF the -porch
with La Roche. Proctor ousted him
in abont ten minutes He fought
openly dwelling upon the charms OF
La Roche's four small children, the
"details Of the cunning things they
said, and of the last attack of Group OF
the youngest, how its Dada had
nursed it and how the babies loved
him. Miss Hadley laughed. That
hurt La Roche's self-esteem, and ne
went home. a- -
Then Proctor started In to do .as he
was bid. It was q pleasant game
enough, Miss Hadley could be agreea-
BILE when she chose. She was,the one
man.at-a.time stamp of CIR; and 10,
the once Proctor was the man. He
stayed all the morning, also TO
luncheon, also all the afternoon: Part
of the time they played together on
the mandolin and guitar, and for the
rest they talked. Then he stayed to
dinner, and until some time after taps.
When Official duties called him on ne
was back again surprisingly soon.
or course there was the chance ID
this kind of thing that Miss Hadiey ,
might grow sick of him. But he took
it. There was the better chance tina,
she would be very much flattered, ano
Proctor believed that he was the sor'