The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-04-17
By GWENDoLEN ovERToN

T. - LII a IGxaSg CaD11l.
~ aWENDoLzN ovERToN &,
l,ss..ssss.e, s.<aG
vt was partly noble and heroic self
aInegation u hich prompted Macintosh
to constitute himself the savior Of Bar
clay. but It was also partly hope Of
winning the hundred which the rest Of
the mess put up and which would ena-
Isble hinst pay BY several months soon
ar than he would otherwise have done
for the carved ivory crop. the silver
spurs and the gold cross sabers and
other trides Of the sort that he had be-
slowed upon Miss Cunningham in hap.
pier days Thus is the pure metal OF
our finest actions ever combined in the
coming with base alloy.
Macintosh had been in love with
Miss Cunningham for some time and
was so still. though now he had moth
ing to hope. He had had reason to be-
lieYe at one period Of the negotiations
that he found favor in her sight Then
Barclay had come upon the scene. with
looks, and from the moment that he.
presented himself as a rival for the no.
tice Of Miss. Cunningham Macintosh
began to lose heart. realizing that, be-
sides being far less blessed IN personal
appearance than the other. he had
nothing to expect in the future beyond
promotion and fogies in the natural
rSfd ~,
q He put bis faith to the test, however.
and when it proved definitely adverse
heidi not go out into the world imbit-
tered and scoWling at Barclay and
making spectacle Of himself general
.Iy. He even continued to put the horses
of his troop at Miss Cunning ham's dis
posal, though now she rode no more
with him. yet for all that he himself
would not stoop to putting d spoke in
Barclays wheel he would have been
more than human had he not expert
9nced a certain secret satisfaction at
seeing one placed there. and that By
Barclay himself. This thing came to-
pass surprisingly soon aud in the fol
lowing manner: a
Barclay and his Ii. " had quarrel
one day, and, whether 1t was a relapse
to habits Of his past life flor Barclay
was civil appofntment) OF whether il
was merely to drown despair, certain tt
was that the lieutenant hied himself
down to the officers room and drank
more than was good for him consider
ably more. This was. of course, in the
Old days, as many as five and twenty
years ago, before the service, down to
the last, least commissioned officer, had.
reformed; then finding perhaps that,
though naughty, Whisky-eyen suffers
whisky was nice, Barclay took to
drink regularly and all at once and for
a period of several months. except
when he was on duty, never drew So
5ber breath. His brother officers shook
their heads id decent sorrow and said
that the poor fellow was going the way
Of many better man, since it is al
ways the brightest who have gone be-
fore us and the dullest who are left be-
hind.
Now. there is one thing which every
one has probably observed regarding
the man who is in his cups the best
part Of the time. which is that. besides
being the special care of Providence.
the war department looks after hira
tenderly. and his wife is. generally his
adoring slave.
Miss Cunningham was not Barclays
wife as yet to be sure. but she Woul
4 ~
much the same thing, and in proportion
as his vice took stronger hold upon him
he took stronger hold upon her heart.
Then her parents interfered. and what
with their opposition and menaees and
Barclays entreaties and promises Of
amendment after each new fall the
poor girls had a very bad time. Every
one was sorry for her. The old OIL
GERS got at Barclay and pointed to hid
eousF examples of what his end would
be and to the graves of youths and Of
old men who had done as he was doing.
which dotted the face of Texas and of
1.-The territories in general. Barclay was
sorry. sincerely sorry He pledged him
self to reform and straightway sinned
again.
And here. where all others had failed.
Macintosh stepped in and achieved
success. He had been off on a hunting
leave aud had got back TO the post Just
Iin time to report and dress and go over
TO the mess. Barclay belonged TO the
mess. but he was not there, and Mac
IIntosh. looking around. asked where be
might be.
Sick. said the adjutant iaconicaily,
s. Mea ming
Exactly so. Z
Macintosh opined that it was q con
founded shame and worse. and some
! one else suggested that II would not
matter so much if the absent one were
only Killing himself. but that he was
! killing Miss Cunning ham as well.
&. sa;.,:l't know, objected NJ acI ntosh