The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-03-01

TO bitterness, is neither here no
there. The principle remain th'
same, and it is an entirely admirable
one.
The case Of Miss Barrett Is one IL
point Miss Barrett was the daughter
of Captain Barrett, and she loved Pat
more almost at sight-that is TO say
from the first week that he came
fresh from the Point, into her fathers
troop 1t was natural enough that II
should have been so.
Patmore was a good looking fellow
whose worst faults were that he used
too much perfectly untintelligible
academy French, and that be took
himself over-seriOusly. The former,
time would probably remedy; but the
latter meant that at the close Of his
career he would be one Of two things,
according as the fates-in the guisc OF
his superiOrs, from his captain to the
adjutant-general and the President OF
the United States-should deal with
him. He would either become an elf
cient officer of considerable rank and
renown or a disgruntlcd martlncnt
of the service going to the -dogs-and-
politicians type. Always provided, Of
course, that he lived long enough to
become anything.
The love at first sight was entirely
upon Miss Barrctts side. Patmore
himself was not thinking about any
thing of that kind. Not that he was n
prig or a cynlc; only that his interest
In housekeeping was directed To run
ming the troop mess, and his affections
centred in pointer puppy which he
was training TO hunt ana to eat sar-
dimes. But he was at three company
post, remote from everywhere. Miss
Barrett was the only girl, and he was
the only baChelor-exccpt 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 settling down. He
was not living riotously, for the facill-
ties were few, but very young men
may be relied upon to pass through
that stage, ms puppy does through
distemper. And Patmore was only
fve-and-twenty years old, and the
crabbedness Of the surgeon was fear
full 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, be was as
susceptible TO abject alteration as the
next man. And il might, therefore,
have resulted in his taking the ire
yocable step had not purely impcr-
sonal War Department come TO the
rescue by removing him and his rcgi-
ment from the station where they had
been too long, TO a much more dcsir-
able one the Pacific coast.
Captain Barrctt's troopers went TO
the Preside. 1t was the first time in
his experience which, except for
West Point, had been confined TO lit
tie Mlddle-West town-ihat Patmorc
had been near big city for any length
of time. Life took on n new meaning
in his eycs-and so did love Foc he
met Miss Tyndall. Miss Tyudall was
only beautiful and clever; whereas
-
and good tc her mother and the young
or children, and would have made n
man good wife But Patmorc was
young and foolish, and did not think
of all that. He had not seen Miss
Tyndall n dozen times before he was
very badly in love with her, ana did
not care in the least who knew IT,
Miss Barrett was the last To do So
but once knowing IL, beyond any rca-
sonable doubt. she set him free. There
was quite little scene She had wcpt
for days and lights, and the fountain
of her tears might well have been
dry. But she wept again now. You
used to love me-" she told him. Il
know you did patmorc knew other
wise in the light of the present. You
used to love me, but you don't any
more"
Patmore had an uncomfortable feel
ing that he had not behaved just right.
and he protested.
Miss Barrett caught the false ring of
1t, and smiled through her tcars-a
smile of pity for herself and him.
ITS no .se,' she said; do YOU sup
pose | can't see that you love her?
And she probably loves you . How
could she help ity' She held out an
transformations little ring to him. and
her hand shook painfully. You are
free" she told him. But IL YOU ever
come back TO me, shall be waiting
for you. always"
Patmore rather approved of q WON
ans loving that way. 1t is lust ms
well for a man to have an anchor.
buoy in ,ome port But. though he
bade her keep the ring i'm token that
what he had given ne did not recall
and though he went forth from her
presence with an air of injured dig
nifty which was calculated to cut heI
&c the heart. his relief was so great
that II was not TO be mistaken. by
way of Furnishing himself for it he at
tended strictly to official duties. ant
did not pass out of the post. even
of the week he went in TO see Mis-,
Tyndall
She was curled up in heap Of cush
ions. reading a love-story in n picture
magazine, and she was gotten up very
effectively i'm tea gown Of pale SKY
blue. Miss Tyndall always wore SIX,
blue. The weekly society sheets, whicl
said things about her In every othe
issue. called her the "Blue Behe.
Sometimes the things they said wer,
not altogether kind. but she was 4
very vice girl. for all that. and Il wa