The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-10-04

dy bravely spoke:
"Can't, major. / swore on-to-
day."
"All right. my boy, that ends it,"
answered the major, heartily, while
Marion, her eyes trimming, barely
| touched her lips to the glass, and
longed to be on Sandy's side of the
table that she might steal hand to
him in love and sympathy and sister
| ly pride. But he avoided even her
when dinner was over, and was busy,
he sent word, with troop papers
down between-decks, and she felt,
somehow, that that letter was at the
bottom of his sudden resolution and
longed to see it, yet could not ask.
At three bells, half-past nine, she
saw him coming quickly along the
promenade deck, and she stopped her
escort and held out OBTAINING
hand.
you'll come and have little talk
with me, won't you, Sandy?" she
pleaded. "I'll wait for you as long
as you like"
''After I've seen Stuyvesant awhile"
he answered, hurriedly. ''He isn't so
well. I reckon he must have over
done it," and away he went with his
springy step until he reached the
forward end of the promenade.
where he tapped at the stateroom
door, The surgeon opened it and ad-
mitted him.
His eyes were grave and anxious
when, ten minutes later, he reap
peared. Morris is with him." he said
in low tone, as he looked down into
the sweet, serious, upturned face.
''He shouldn't have tried it. He
fooled the doctors completely. I'll
tell you more presently" he added,
noting that Mrs. Wells, with two or
three of the band. were bearing down
upon him for tidings of the invalid,
and Sandy had heard-as who had
not ?-the unfavorable opinions en-
tertained by the sisterhood of his
luckless, new-found friend.
''The doctor says he mustn't be
both-I mean acknowledgements to
get him to sleep, you know" was his
hurried and not too happy response
to the queries of the three. Matter
of business he wanted to ask me
about, that's ALL" he called back, as
|
quiries.
Once in the little box of a state
room to which he and fellow
subaltern had been assigned, he
bolted the door, turned on the cleo
trio light, and took from under his
pillow a packet of letters and sat
him down to read. There was one
from his mother, written on her way
back to Leavenworth, which he pored
over intently and then reverently
kissed. Later. and for the second
time, he unfolded and read the long
est letter his father had ever Penned.
1t was as follows:
IT have slipped away from camp and its
| countless Interruptions and taken room
| at the hotel tonight, dear Sandy, Cor l
| want to have a long talk with my boy
a talk ought to have had before. and
1t is my fault that we didn't. 1 shrank
from it somehow, and now am sorry for it.
Your frank and manful letter. telling
me of your severe loss and of the weak
ness that followed, reached me two days
| ago. Your mothers came yesterday, fond
| err than ever and pleading for you as only
mothers can. 1t is a matter that has
cost us all dear financially. but thanks to
that loving mother, you were promptly
enabled to cover the loss and save your
name. You know and realize the sacri-
| fees she had to make, and she tells me
that you insisted on knowing. I am glad
| you did, my boy. l am going to leave In
| your hands the whole matter of repayment.
| "a young fellow of 20 can start in the
army with many a worse handicap than
debt of honor and determination to work
| it off. That steadies him. That matter
| really gives me less care than you thought
for. 1t is the other-your giving way 20
| an impulse to drink-that fills me with
| concern. You come up like man, ad-
| nit your fault, and say you deserve and
| expect my severe censure. Well. I've
thought it all over, Sandy. My heart and
| my arms go out to you in your distress and
| humiliation, and-I have not one word
of reproach or blame to give you.
| For now l shall tel, you what haS
| thought to say when your graduation drew
| nigh, had We been able 10 master me-
| chanics and molecules and other mathe-
NAUTICAL rot not useful to cavalry Off
! Ger as q binocular to a blind man, and that
I ought to have told you when you start
| ed out for yourself as a young ranchero
| but could not bring myself to it so long
| as you seemed to have no inclination that
| way. Times. men, and customs have great
ly changed in the last 40 or go years. my
| boy. and greatly for the better. Looking
back over my boyhood, can recall 10 day
theirs table. The brightest minds and
bravest men IN all Kentucky pledged each
| other day and night in the cup that some
| times cheers and ofttimes inebriateS, and
no public occasion was complete without
champagne and whisky in abundance, no
personal or private transaction considered
suspicious unless appropriately wet