The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-04-18
A BREYET BACHELOR.

There are more things in the service
than brass buttons and dashing cal.
vary-men, and dying at the post Of
duty, and the rest of the stock phrases
of romance. There are q few fixed
principles and some prejudices which
it is just as we'll not to run up against
because the service can take revenge
upon occasions. Ordinarily 8 moder-
ate amount of tact and common decen-
cy will take you through until you
have learned those things which are
set down in neither the. drill-manual
nor the regulations. But Miss Hadley
had only beauty and pure cheek. She
came from somewhere down the
southern way-Los Angeles, or San
Diego, or something, Ito visit 5the
Strongs at Angel island And from
the moment che Het foot upon the land
ing she began to max e herself unpopu.
lar. She had had visions of stepping
ashore among a group of kneeling
Ileutenants, rather than after the fash
ion of the accredited paintings of the
"Landing of Columbus" or the Jesuit
Fathers" But the lieutenants were
busy, or they were taking maps, or sit
ting on their front porches, with their
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 it was, down
South.
|. However, several of them met her
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 it was all on her
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.
La Roche was French, and flirta-
tious, and clever. And, whatever else
was to be said of Miss Hadley, she was
clever, too, in q worldly sort of way.
But Mrs. La Roche was stupid, and
blushingly aware of her stupidity.
Still, she was a good-hearted little
thing, and had done kind turn to
everyone in thegarrlson at one time or
another, and it reseted seeing her
made iealously wretched, her pale eyes
filling and her lips quivering, as the
beauty drew La Roche to remote
corner and leveled her batteries upon
him. Everybody vas scandalized-
and the feelings of the bachelors were
hurt. It 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. 1t was Proctor,
the adiutant. 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.
HsBut I won't lie. you know" he told
them. "You'll have to do any OF
that"
SIT won't be necessary" they assur-
ed him. ''If she asks-which 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 Strongss
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 ,porcn
with La Roche, Proctor ousted MIN
in about ten minutes. He; fough'
openly dwelling upon the charms o.
La Roche's four small children, tine
details of the cunning things they
said, and of the last attack of Group o,
the youngest, how it's Dada" nae
nursed it and how the babies l0Veo
him. Miss Hadley laughed. ina.
burt La Roche's self.esteem, and De
went home. rs. 49, -
Then Proctor started in to do as fs
was bid. 1t was a pleasant game
enough. Miss Hadley could be agreea
BILE when she chose. She was the one
man-at-a-time stamp of girl, and I9l
| the once Proctor was the man. ae
stayed all the morning. also u
luncheon, also all the afternoon; Par
of the time they played together Oh
the mandolin and guitar, and for tn'
rest they talked. Then he stayea u
t dinner, and until some time after Taps
: When Official duties called him OH III
was back again surprisingly soon. :,
OF course there was the chance II
this kind of thing that Miss Haaley
might grow sick of him. But he t9oi
it.. There was the better chance Una
: she would be very much fattereo' any
!. Proctor believed that he was; was; tne sof
.. .