The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-29

the process was complicated by small hu-
Mutations. 1 was deliberately instructed
to look round the corner Of the street first,
and TO observe if the airy gate were
ajar, which was, it seemed, the signal Of
love and freedom. Mott was infinitely
explained to me-that 'Melia's missis OBJ
jected. for 'Melia, too, was straight" but
that cook was "a s~piteful thing, and make
remarks"
1 had never felt so painfully conspicuous
before as 1 did when pursuing these tao
tics. The area gate was, fortunately. open;
but 1 have reason to believe that the cook
who made remarks. excited by an instinct
Of disaster, devoted a portion of her "even-
ing out to lowering on the horizon"
As-the next embarrassing detail Of the
car~te-dupays-I looked down at the kitch-
en- window, a small white face with fearful
dark eyes looked up. I thought, as 1 de-
scended the steps with a blatant clatter
of spurs, that 'Melia was prettier than L
expected, and exceptionally refined; 1 could
well imagine the effect of such fragile
charms On the big, soft-hearted Merrick.
She requested me. with dignifed reserve,
to enter her pantry, lest we be seen from
the street-not that she was afraid, ever,
Of anything she did. But that ook-
When we were there, amongst the table
glass and dinner napkins, L touched her
small cold hand-which looked very small
to clean knives and carry big dishes-and
assured her that Merrick had thought
about her to the last moment. On this she
lost all majesty and broke into a tempest
Of sobs. with her head among the spoons
in the plate basket. Coming to herself,
her ooD over ona ~ op1 her anron lifted
half way to her overlooking eyes, she
begged my pardon in a small plaintive
voice. Would 1 tell her, she besought, all
that Merrick had said, over again? When
this was thoroughly done she murmured,
with her head on one side and a clearly
dubious glance from under her long lashes
at my red Jacket and spurs:
He says you're quite a gentleman, sir
Merrick had never admitted so much to
me, treating me. on the contrary, with a
strict eQuality-"and I'm afraid you must
have thought me very rude"
Reassured on this point, she asked if she
mightn't send him something nice to eat,
or to amuss hina. She also wished to write
and say how veTy, very, very much she
loved him.
L replied cautiously that suitable food
and-and recreation were supplied in the
er-jnstitution; and she would hardly care,
would she, fer the Governor to read that
sort of letter?
She tossed her head and said, tartly,
mo. indeed!' seeming to consider me, in a
measure, responsible for prison rigors. but
presently forgave me and added timidly
that it was very kind of me to come, and
in a little soft voice-she would pray for
me as we'll as for dear Dicky.
1t was a dull October day when Merrick
returned to the regiment. He ooked thin
and subdued; but, as nobody asked him
awkward questions, but all, on the con-
trary, assumed that he had just returned
from a pleasing country visit, he soon
cheered up. He stoutly declined many lib
eral offers Of beer, intoxicating himself in
stead with the contents of a bulky parcel
sent to my care for him., with Directly he
arrives, please written in a neat feminine
hand inside.
Bolam, the religious trooper, whom I had
secretly warned of Merrick's virtuous re-
solve, swooped down on him at once, and
next day bore him to the soldiers home
which he himself frequented. Merrick went
like a lamb, but had the strained aspect of
a man who faces unknown perils. He re-
turned relieved and happy, having, it APP
peared, played draughts, looked at papers,
smoked, had coffee and cake and generally
enjoyed himself fine
He continued to attend this institution.
describing it as 'bang up" He took 'Melia
there to tea. and to the subsequent Sunday
service. She, it appeared, was equally en-
thusiastic as to the home and the ladies at
its head, with a dark reservation as TO the
~housekeeper's assistant, whose eye she
characterized as bold"
When Merrick had pursued these i'm
proved courses for about three months he
one day said to me abruptly, with a hoarse
laugh. as if forcing himself to a severe
obligation OF friendship:
I'm not goin' to the 'ome tonight" Yet
he had a festive air.
"Going to see 'Melia?"
NO" He cleared his throat. Then it
came out in a burst: Coin to a Major
Gen'rals 'ouse, TO say a few words about
the 'home-me an two or three other
chaps-to a lot o. swells they want sub
scriptions from to make it bigger. I do
funk it most awful, young un, an that's a
fact. Amt got no gift that way, like
Bolam."
L AAaAACa AgAA NAdN OooC-AO at
tempted it. He glared at me.
Hope Nv a scrap o. gratitood In me-;
that's why! But, 1 say" with a renewed
burst of confdence-'It do make me sweat,
every time think Of it!'
1t was not from him 1 afterwards learned
what took place, nor how the modest Mer-
rick was the hero Of the hour. The draw
ing room meeting had all the emotionless
propriety of such gatherings. A polite au-
dience in silk and braodcloth listened to
the reading of a report and the abstract
generalities of an educated speaker or two.
Then the chairman called Oh one or two
OF "our soldiers" to give a personal testi-
mony. The call came before it was ex-
pected. An R.. A. sergeant, an experienced
orator, had not yet arrived; Bolam had
been detained in barracks; but my eye
witness described TO me how, when the ap-
peal was made, Merrick jumped UP from
the corner in which he had squeezed him.
! self, and. ~perspiring in nervous agony,
nobly INDICATED that bit of gratitude of
which he had spoken.
A vivid description was given Of how he
plunged to the front. shoulders martially
squared and face white as a sheet, his spurs
catching in the ladies' dresses, and with
what infinite difficulty he Unanswered his
long legs behind the speaker's table as his
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