The state herald., 1900-11-23

sdored one. n blushing maiden of IS.
The old-fashioned farmhouse. with
white. oaken floor. and the boys with
their sweethearts. and the jolly old
fiddler who played half asleep. only
swaking to call out In deep. stentor-
lous tones:
Swing partners to place"
The lamps swinging from the ceiling
flooded the scene with the most bril-
liant light.
Gay laughter and Jest told OF light
hearts. and happy faces glowed to the
soul-stirring music OF the Irish Wash
erwomaa." sawed of by the fiddler.
Jacks love. like all true love. did
not run smooth. In fact. love begets
: Its own misery. &c was madly jea,-
GUS when she smiled on Sam Brown,
and In swinging partners Sam held
her hand too long and squeezed It too
ardently to suit the Jealous lover.
"Queenie. you're a nirt." he de-
rlared. Il saw you wink at Sam
Brown
She turned on him with proud,
flashing eyes. and said:
Don't be surprit,d I'd II l call you an
other. You kissed Susie Bell"
That's not true"
Yes. you did: for heard her tell
Mary Courtwright"
1T Ia false. Quecnie." he cried. In
Lis Indignation. Susie Bell was a
round-faced. ugly country girl with no
attractions. and tongue given to mis-
chief making.
The dance went on. and the lovers
quarrel with II. As Jack and Queenie
whirled In tho giddy maxes OF the
dance nat silly. childish quarrel
waxed hot. enhancing her beauty with
every angry word she uttered.
At last, as the "set was over" she
ridde,ly jerked the betrothai emblem
from her finger. and thrusting 1t into
his hand said:
Here is your ring; you can marry
Miss Sue"
With n heavy heart the angry Jack
Long don.ed his topcoat and winding
his muiier nbout his neck to keep the
chill November air from his throat.
went out Into the night never to look
upon the face OF that adored being
again.
Hc heard from Quccnie occasionally,
and at last that she had gone east to
NE. How far east or what part OF
tho east. he did not know, and was
too proud to ask.
She was lost to him forever. and he
grew melancholy. lie went west. to
be as far from her ms possible. and en-
gagged In business at a frontier town.
with cowboys and ranchmcn for his as
sociates.
Then came the mutterings OF war
with Spain.
lie had always loved the weak. and
sprsng TO the nrrt call to arms Rough
riders were wanted. and he had learned
TO mount the widest broncho.
He enlisted. and hurried on 10 tn,
front. Al Santiago he landed, and In
the march to the city was In the iirat
skirmish.
Then came that noble charge on San
Juan hi. lie led the charge amid
uuSt sHH H'hts hkhNHk INV nan Hlhn
until struck down. faint and bleeding.
hc lay on mother earth 10 die.
"uucenie. Quecnie. oh. my long lost
loved one. shall never zee you motcy"
he was heard 10 murmur. as borne
away from the ncld. Somehow ther,
was nomsthing In this plteous cry
which touched tho hearts OF those who
heard H. A newspaper man who was
near sent with mis- report the following
brief sentsneei
"a soldier. wounded and dying.
while being carried from the neld
was heard 10 escialm with his last
breath 'oueenic. Quecnle. oh. my
long lost loved one'' No doubt ,his
piteour appeal wruns from noble
heart was to come faithlcss awcet.
heart who had deserted him years be.
FORE
THIS simple little paragraph had
been copied and fccoplcj, and dis.
cursed, AMI made the theme for count.
less stories aud ballads.
But Jack, who uttered II, didn't die,