Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-06-25

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Gene, as he pulled and tugged with
his high stiff collar.
The door bell rang, and in moment
the familiar voice of Judson was in.
quiring for Gene.
Tell him to hurry; the girls are
crazy to see him."
In a few moments he was under
going a counterfeited enjoyment of
greetings, and took his place beside a
young lady whom he could see but
dimly. She had been presented to
him as Miss Hurdman. The CONVEX
sation naturally drifted to the war,
but it was with noticeable effort that
Gene was induced to participate in
the discussion.
"And you have been with the -
Illinois, Mr.. Brockway?" said Miss
Hurdman, plunging into the subject
very near her heart.
Eyes, 1 started with the boys"
growled the soldier.
"How strange; I had a very dear
friend with that regiment. L had
known him but a short time" she
continued, with a concealed smile,
"but 1 had become very much attached
to him, and the thought of his being
so far from home and the object of
Spanish treachery has given me an
interest in the war which otherwise 1
would never have felt"
The tender and sincere manner of
Miss Hurdman in referring to her
friend appealed rather strangely to
young Brockway, and he frightened
somewhat as he quizzed his clever
charmer as to her soldier boy.
"Was he a private, Miss Hurd-
man?"
"Well-yes, believe so," she
drolled, feeling her way out of rather
dangerous corner of the converse
tion, "but was it really true that you
had nothing to eat but bad beef,
which made you sick?" she added,
seeking, with some adroitness, to
generalize bit.
"Our provisions were served la
CARTE" joked Brockway, "but not
with the pomp, perhaps, of our Chi
cago Delmonicos. But your friend,
has he returned to the States?"
"No-that is, not that he has told
me. 1t has been so long since I have
received any news from the company
that am getting much alarmed. And
had you no cream for your coffee, and
did you often sleep out Of doors all
night, Mr.. Brockway, by the banks of
rivers where crocodiles and things
were crawling and swimming around?"
rambled Miss Hurdman, with embar-
rassed desperation.
"The heat and swamps of Cuba
were our deadliest enemies, Miss
Hurdman, but what was the name of
your friend, OF what company was he
a member? Perhaps 1 may know
something of him"
"Are you folks still talking warp"
exclaimed Judson, whose previous at
tentions had been so absorbed that
he was not aware how his timely in
terruption had saved the day for
Mamie.
81 must tell you good joke on
Gene" continued Judson. "It comes
from his own comrades, girls, so I
know it must be true. When he was
sick and out of his head in the army
hospital the only thing he ever said
was, BE good boy and come home
again."
"Well, any fellows mother would
tell him that" laughed Brockway.
The thrill which swept through one
OF the hearts in the carriage at that
moment was known to Mamie Hurd-
man alone. "Could it be possible
that this was the fellow" she thought;
''and still those were the very words
I used" anu she secretly wished that
it might be he. When she spoke she
leaned lovingly to the shoulder of the
young man by her side and softly
whispered in his ear:
"Gene Brockway, your mother
never told you that. 1t was l."
A double wedding took place that
fall, for Gene begged the privilege
from his friend Horace, who was to
marry zella Raymond, the fourth
member of the happy driving party
which attended the reception. Chi
cago Times. Herald.