The Iola register., 1901-08-09

scoundrel, get out of my sight before I
Kill you! Go. ! say, you audacious viii
lain, or I'll crush you as would n
snakel Begone!"
Selling a sword that lay near by, he
rushed at the young soldier and would
have run him through had he not
hastily retreated through the door.
The grim old warrior was terrible in
his wrath. Pacing to and fro across
the room he raved and swore and
slashed his sword about, his face pur-
pie with passion. Then new idea
seemed to strike him, and pausing in
his mad march he said:
why, the fellow is surely crazy. lie
Z is as mad as March hare and must be
looked after or he may harm some one.
What an old fool | was to fly into "a
| passion over the irresponsible rawlings
of an insane man lla! ha! hal ha!
Why, damme, | should laugh over his
absurd fancy instead OF wanting to
kill the fellow. Alice! Alice, saw"
a side door opened and. pale as a
ghost and trembling in every limb, his
daughter entered. She had heard it
all, and her heart was well-nigh
broken. Seeing her agitation. the old
man placed an arm affectionately about
her waist, and, drawing her tenderly
to his bosom, said:
There, there, my little treasure.
don't be frightened. 1t was nothing
but poor insane soldier who imugines
himself to be in love with you, Ila! ha!
ha! ha! Isn't it ridiculous? Come, sun
shine, don't trcmble so, for the poor
fellow has gone and cannot harm you.
! will at once order his confinement in
the guardhouse until he can be re-
moved to an asylum. Kiss your old
fool father, little sweetheart, and dis
pei your fears"
Throwing her arms aDout MS neck,
she kissed him fondly, and, in voice
choking with sobs, said:
"Oh! papa, dear, darling papa, would
you doom your little Sunshine to life
of unhappiness? | know the gentleman
who was just here. He is man of
honor and integrity, and love him as
! love my lifer
The old father cast her from him and |
would have fallen to the floor from the |
shock had he not clutched his desk for |
support. Gazing upon her trembling.
covering form he said hoarsely:
Are you, too, crazy? Speak, girl! |
Are you, too, raving lunatic? What!
You bestow your love upon u worthless
private soldier! Oh, my God, this is too
much! Would you disgrace the honored
name you bear, a name upon which
there has never yet rested a stain, by
lowering yourself to such depth? Get
out OF my sight this instant, and never
dare to enter my presence again until
you have repented of this mad folly
and are ready to ask my pardon for the
gross insult you have flung in my face
But, father, in the name of heaven,
in the name of my spirit mother, listen
to me-"
mo, not word. Leave my sight, or
] may forget that you are my child and
curse you! Begone, say, this instant!"
Sobbing violently the poor girl left
the room and fastening to her own
chamber threw herself on the bed and
gave way to her grief in the most pit
eous cries and moans.
Col Sanford paced his room like
Gagged lion,/ Twice he sat down and
wrote an order addressed to the officer
OF the day instructing him TO place Pri-
vate Brown under arrest and confine
him in irons in the guard house, and as
often tore the order into fragments
and cast it with an oath into the waste
basket. He knew of no military law
which made 1t a crime for soldier to
TALL in love with a pretty girl.
When her first burst of grief had
spent itself Alice arose, and going to
-he stables mounted her pony and rode
away over the mesa to the southward.