Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1902-10-01

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laughter.
The lieutenant had just come
home from the Philippines. He
had come back to the beating OF
drums, the clash Of castanets, and
had been received into the arms
OF an admiring peOple-a hero.
The lieutenant took the feting
and dining calmly enough, meet
ing Mrs. Trezevant he took not so
calmly. But the lines OF dissipa-
ton and recklessness rad gwen
place to the bronzed look of the
warrior. If unuttered thoughts
whirled in his brain, if unbidden
words crowded his throat, the SOL
dier's self. restraint held them in
leash.
Mrs. Trezevant sat across the
table from the lieutenant. In the
ROSY light her face was pale and
pure. Her eyes were carefully
guarded by the long lashes that
swept her cheeks.
Just before dinner the lieuten'
ant had been presented to Mrs.
Trezevant.
He ate his soup IN silence, and
the neglected woman who sat
beside him decided that heroes
we're very stupid creatures indeed.
Two years before the lieutenant
had been plain Jimmy Livingston,
and a dissipated chap, who had
lost faith in everything-no matter
why.
1t was a little thing that
changed the current Of his life,
and if you knew him in those old
reckless days, reform your memo
~ Of him, please.
Ore morning as he waited in a
livery stable for a mount he saw
a girl standing in the doorway.
She asked fora mount and a trust
worthy attendant, and he unhesi-
tatingly offered his services.
He knew that the girl had mis-
taken him for the livery man, but
it wasn't in the nature of Jimmy
to let such a lark escape him.
The lark, though, was not forth
coming. The girl was accOmpa-
MED always by an older woman.
They rode together many morn
ings. Livingston rode a little in
advance of them or Just behind,
and a longing for ties he had
relinquished, for the world of his
old friends, old habits, old ambi
tions came to him.
Sometimes the girl gave him g
moments grave looking over.
while her brow knotted not sc
much in disapproval of him as o.
his calling. Once Livingstone
heart leaped, for her eyes had
paid him unwilling tribute
young, clear eyes that brought
him the restfulness Of quiet, har.
bored waters after a stormy sea.
Strange that the earth had
grown sweet once more, that Il
was good to be young and strong.
and to believe again in a wOman'I
white innocence. But this had
come to a fellow who had heard
only a few quiet words from the
lips Of a girl who regarded him al
little more than an upper servant.
who sometimes looked straight
into his eyes with a cool, keer
glance that stung like a whiplash
A morning came when The
ladies rode alone; Jimmy Living
st0n was going as fast as steam
could carry him to serve his cOun
try-and this is how he came t
enter the army.
The hostess of the dinner party
glanced at the silent lieutenan.
with much disapproval-she haC
never thought him stupid before
The lieutenant looked at Mrs
TrezeVant.
He was a gentleman and he ha(
left her without a word, but haV
ing redeemed the past he had hur
RED across the world to End he.
and lay his best at her feet-anC
she was married! Perhaps sh'
had been married all the time.
There had been a night at Sc;
when the men had given up, they
were tired out, 1t seemed useless
to prOlong their agony, for they
were going to die. But out OF tn
blackness and the night, the vast
OF water and swift death tina
doomed, her face shone like q star
The lieutenant lowered above tht
men, he called on them in tht
name Of her that each one LOVED
to fight for life, to refuse to drowI
like rats in u hole; then he rushed
below and his voice came to them
clear and strong-he was singing