Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-11-16
BLUE FOR CONSTANCY
THE STORY TOLD ny THE LoCKEr.

THE STORY TOLD ny THE LOCKET.
Patmore was good-looking fellow,
whose faults were that he used too
much perfectly unintelligible acad-
envy French, and that he took himself
over-seriously. The former, time
would probably remedy; but the lat
ter meant that at the close of his
career he would be one of two things,
according as the Fates-in the guise
OF his superiors, from his captain to
tie adjutant general and the presi-
dent of the United States-should
deal with him. lie would either be-
come an efficient officer Of consider
able rank and renown, or a dis
gruntled martinez of the service-go-
-the-dogs-and-politician type.
The love at first sight was entirely
upon Miss Barrett's side. Patmore
himself was not thinking about any
thing Of that kind. Not that he was a
prlg or a cynic; only that his interest
In housekeeping was directed to run
ming the troop mess, and his affections
centered in pointer puppy which he
was training to hunt and to eat sar-
dimes. But he was at a three-com-
pany post, remote from everywhere.
Miss Barrett was the only girl, and
he was the only bachelor-except a
surgeon who hated women and was
getting on in years. So, after time,
he reached the conclusion that he
ought to be getting married and set
Ting down. He was not living riot
ously, for the facilities were few, bu.
very young men may be relied upon
to pass through that stage, as pup
Ply does through distemper. And Pat
more was only fve-and-twenty years
old, and the crabbedness of the sur
geon was fearful warning to him.
That was the first step. The next
was to persuade himself that he loved
Miss Barrett. The order ought prop
erly to have been reversed, but he did
not think of that. Besides, he was as
susceptible to abject alteration as the
next man. And it might, therefore,
have resulted in his taking the ire
vocable step, had not a purely i'm
personal war department come to the
rescue by removing him and his regi-
ment from the station where they had
been too long, to much more desir-
able one, the Pacific coast.
Capt. Barrett's troopers went to the
Preside. 1t was the first time in his
experimentation, except for West
Point, had been confined to little
middle-west town-that Patmore had
been near big city for any length Of
time. Life took on a new meaning in
his eyes-and so did Love. For he
met Miss Tyndall. Miss Tyndall wa:
only beautiful and clever; whereas
Miss Barrett was nice little thing,
and good to her mother and the
younger children, and would have
made a man a good wife. But Pat
more was young and foolish, and did
not think Of all that. He had not
seen Miss Tyndall dozen times be-
fore be was very badly in love with
her, and did not care in the least who
knew it.
Miss Barrett was the last to do So
but once knowing it, beyond any rea.
sonable doubt, she set him free
There was quite little scene. She
bad wept for days and nights, and thu
fountain of her tears might well have
been dry. But she wept again now
"You used to love me-" she tcld him
81 know you did" Patmcfe knew
otherwise in the light of the present
"Yca used to love me, but you dom
any more"
Patmore had an uncomfortable
feeling that be had not behaved JUS
right, and he protested.
Miss Barrett caught the false rin(
of it, and smiled through her tears
a smile of pity for herself and him
DTS no use," she said; "do you sup
nose I can't see that you love her
And she probably loves you. How
could she help it?" She held out al
nnostentatious little ring to him, an(
her hand shook painfully. "You ar
free. she told him. "But if you eve
come back to me, I shall be waiting
for you, always"
Pstmore rather approved ola won
ans loving that way. Itisjust as vel
Gov . man TO have an anchor buoy il
80 mort But, though he babe be