The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-28

Copyright, 1902, by Daily Story Pub. Co.
Every member of the Post staff was
proud of the majors editorials. Even the
! foreman of the composing room, who was
always opposed to the policy of the paper,
| whatever it might be, and with fine sar-
| casm invariably spoke of the editorial
force as the brains department, fire.
quently volunteered the statement that the
| majors editorials were good stuff
, In the estimation of his co-Workers on
the Post the major was more than a
talented writer. He was a genius-a man
of ripe scholarship and profound erudi-
ton; captivating and persuasive in argu-
ment, graceful in diction, original and
brilliant in the use of metaphor, invulner
able in logic and singularly gifted in the
art of clear, concise expression. Moreover
We were impressed by the sincerity and
honesty of his opinions.
Whenever a topic of national impor-
lance was under discussion in the press
we always felt that the final and authori-
tative word had not been said until the
majors editorial appeared. After that, al
| though the discussion might be prolonged
| indefinitely in the columns of other pa
pers, we regarded it as a closed incident.
| The major was a prolific producer or
good stuff" but he was not a reliable
| producer. His 'infirmity," as we kindly
| termed his abnormal craving for drink,
| would incapacitate him for days at a
| time, and during his periods of inebriety
! he would always absent himself from the
| Office. The other members of the Posts
staff were little family of young men
| who looked up to the major as to a
| father, and we often were saddened and
| Inundated by the spectacle of the normal
! ly erect and soldierly form of our chief
| editorial writer Imply staggering through
| the streets.
| The metamorphosis that drink worked
| in the major was almost Incredible. Aris-
| tocratic ancestry and generations of Gull
| ture had given him features Of singular
charm. They would have seemed too fine
| and delicate for his robust Insecurity Of
| mind and physique had it not been for
| the strengthening influence Of an aquiline
nose and an aggressive gray mustache.
Drink REDEEMED his face intensely and
| distorted his features beyond any recog-
milton of gentle birth or breeding. In
stead of the kindly dignity and courteous
bearing which were his distinguishing
traits when sober, he became voluble, con-
tentious and dogmatc when lin liquor =
The majors "infrmity' was neither In
herited nor the result of dissipation IN
youth. Nearly all of the officers of the
volunteer regiment with which he served
in the Civil war were drinking men,
but the major, who had won his title by
conspicuous bravery in battle, was among
the exceptions. He was singularly free
from the practice of petty vices which
the soldier is apt to regard as privileges
of his calling. So, when the cause for
which he fought had triumphed, he came
marching home to the girl he had left
behind him, wholly worthy Of her pure
love and the confidence she had given
him.
Everyone in the little village where the
| major and his bride were born and rear
ed felt a sympathetic interest in their
love affair, and it was the unanimous
opinion, from the village parson to the
Jenkins of the local paper and his sister
gossips in petticoats, that they were the
fairest couple that had ever stood be-
fore the altar rail of the village church.
Less would have been known of the
perfect affection that existed between
them during their marriage life, for af-
| fiction such as theirs is undemonstra-
tive except in privacy, had it not been
for the failing health Of the wife a few
years after marriage. Her malady was
a form of consumption from which she
| frequently rallied through changes of
| climate, and for considerable periods OF
| time apparently regained her health
Throughout her illness, the major gave
her the ardent devotion of a lover. The
care of the invalid made it impossible
| to conceal from the eyes Of others the
| tender glances so full Of meaning, the
| gentle pressure of hands, the chaste
| caress, and the delicate acts Of courtesy
and affection that evidence the survival
| Of the lovers passion after marriage
| Not long after the curtain had dropp-
| ed upon the final scene of this beaut1-
| full life drama, the majors friends no.
ticed the signs Of his approaching ''in-
trinity To one whose Intimate friend.
| ship gave him the right to speak Of it
the major explained and partly excused
his conduct by stating that he had re.
Gently Joined the Loyal Legion and 9
Grand Army post, and that in celebrat
ing these events he had taken a drop to<
| much.
! 1t was as much of surprise that h,