The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-10-11
THE REASON WHY.

we were sitting together, three OF us.
IN quiet corner Of the smokehoom at
the club. discussing Charters, his sud-
den dislike to violets and his broken en-
gagement
Tell you what it is, you fellows"
draWled Delamere The and Charters had
Just returned from South Africa with the
Composite regiment, there's more in it
than meets the eye. He was awfully in
love with the girl, Ioli'i you know;
thought her an angel, and-and all that
sort Of thing. Besides he's no cad; the
last man i'll the world to jilt the woman
She always wore violets. if you remem-
Der, just a bunch like this touching his
button-hole), tucked in her belt; never
saw her without them. Hang it all! I'm
not troubled with sentiment. but the look
on his face lately brings COMPOUNDED
lump into my throat. He used to be such
a jolly chap. and now Here the
speaker picked up the poker and relieved
his feelings by savage onslaught on the
Ere)
THAT he's not to blame III take my
solemn OATH" said l. "Hc's-''
who's not to b!ane?'. inquired Ian
guild; well. bred voice behind US.
chap? Sit down; What will you have?'
Thanks, nothing at present." dropping
into the chair Fitzgerald had drawn up
for MN. Who were YOU discussing 50
earnestly:: addressing me, but looking at
was this way: Yon zee: old Il' chap, we e
were talking about buttonlloies, don't you
know, and it cropped up about your sud
den dislike to violets, er-and-er-''
i understand" quietly. "Of course
You've all heard about it, and how badly
treated the lady (from her point of viewj.
Well, you're my three best friends, so TN
tell you the truth, and nothing but the
truth. You believe that?'
~ course from us all heartily
IF 1t won't upset you, old chap" gem
thy from Delamere.
May be a relief" answered Charteris,
60 Delamere) Rather played iona
than to your David
Yes, we were great pals on the voyage
olt. We were both leaving the women
we loved behind us, and there was some
thing SO fresh and ingenious about the
BOY that l took keen interest in him,
we never mentioned names. but used to
confide in reserved sort of way with
each other about our respective lady
loves. 1t appeared that his was rather
inclined to grumble at his small income.
and he'd often say in chaff he wished he'd
possessed mine. and perhaps she'd think
more of him. Then he would pull himself
up, saying he was cad to talk like that.
She was miles too good for him-the tru-
est, .purest, sweetest, etc. The last mail
received before reaching the Cape brought
our letters, and inclosed in his was a
bunch Of viOlets. He was as proud Of
those flowers as if they'd been precious
stones. She has worn them,' he said,
showing them to me, and they shall new
~ mo
placed them in leather letter-case she
had given to him, and wore them next
his heart.
There is no need to dwell upon our
voyage; it is sufficient to say that we all
arrived fit and we'll, and were ordered to
the front at once. l had been busy all
day looking after my kit and things, SO
had not seen Damer, though 1 heard he'd
mad mail letter, and wondered why he
hadn't been in to tell me, when about IL
clock he burst into my room with
race like dead mans, and, dropping into
a chair, covered his face with his hands
and completely broke down. 1 saw he
had had nasty shock of some kind. so
=! mixed stiff bands. and made him
drink it.
presently he pulled himself together,
begged me to excuse him, and ask no
questions. or course, obeyed, and per-
suaded him to lie and try and sleep, as
we were leaving at an early hour in the
morning. 1t was awful to hear him toss
and groan all night. Then remembered
the mail and guessed why, and cursed
the woman (for woman l felt sure it
was) who could treat such good fellow
as Damer badly. He seemed better the
next day, but there was a frozen look
about his face that gave one the heart
ache. We'll, we had, as you know, plenty
Of fighting, and he was always in the
thick of it, absolutely reckless and devil
me-care. Owed and over again we ex-
pected to see him fall, but he seemed to
bear a charmed life, and only laughed
when we implored him to be careful. The
night before Sanna's Post he came to me,
said he'd a presentiment he would be
killed the next day, and no arguments
on my part could remove it. Would, I
do him favor, and, in case of his death.
send the violets and letters he always
carried about with him to the lady whose
signature lay at the foot Of the latter? =
''Of course, I promised, and chaffed him
for giving me the trouble when he would
be able to do so in person. but he only
shook his head. ard, with a close hand
clasp, we parted. I'm not going to enter
into details over that unfortunate Sanna's
Post affair-the newspapers have done
that and not altnppfhQr RI nl1r crodif-Iu1<