The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-03-20
HEALY walked
round the wire fence at the
corner where the little school
hO11Sn StOOd with tho ola hOrato

want of something better to do. Yet he
turned his head now and again and
eyed the long verandas of the barracks
and the men kicking about a football
on the frozen parade ground in way
which was almost guilty. They were
not thinking of him at all, but the SOL
der twirled his stick and whistled
with unusual loudness, an apparent at
tempt to convince observers that he
was merely enjoying the fresh, cold
wind that whistled over the brown
plains and REDEEMED his thin and leath-
cry cheeks. One eye, however, he kept
sharply on the schoolhouse door, and
twice in five minutes he looked secret
~ at his watch. The door opened, and
the children Of the post came charging
out a tumbling group of boys and
girls, little folks Of the plains, soldiers
babes, clear eyed and self reliant. Hea-
~ walked more quickly round the cor
ner and presented himself at the side
door of the school, out Of sight Of bar
racks and parade ground. Graves, the
soldier schoolmaster, was clearing his
desk and preparing to follow the
youngsters.
"Hello!' he cried, looking up at the
tall, straight, redheaded figure in the
doorway. Coming to school, corporal?
What reader shall put you in?"
Healy grinned benignantly.
eur many's the year, Graves" he
said, 1.-THE school of the battalion has
been the only wan I've found nicis-
sary, an tactics has bin me RAIDER.
Shure wuz passin' an looked in upon
yez. It's a wearin' job yez have,
Graves, t'achin' them kids, near as bad
as drillin' rockies, I'm afther think
in"
"Aboutv' said Graves, taking up the
door key.
"Ye've a great head, Graves" the
corporal said sweetly, with a fattering
cock of his blue eye. 1--WE bin hearin'
the major towld the chaplain to lave
yez be, as yez knew more than he did"
Graves laughed and sat down.
when you fatter me like that, Hea-
w. he said, II know you're after
something. What is itY'
"Not at all, at ALP cried Healy, sud-
denly becoming nervous. II wuz list
passin'. But, SEEM yez amt busy,
Wud yez do me favor, Mr.. Graves?"
''Mister" cried Graves, laughing
again.
"Tll be Begin yez, though, to kape
it to yerself," said Healy earnestly
and plunging headlong into the matter
on his mind. ''Its no matther ay
shame, but the boys will be betther
not to hear it, SEEM as I might have
to take their foolin' sarious. Wud yez
give me yer opinion on that, Graves?"
Graves took big sheet of foolscap
from the corporal and read aloud:
Sweet girl, accept a lowly heart,
Which now thy lover with the majors
permission) lays at thy feet,
For from thee, oh, darling I cannot dwell
apart!
Be mine I respectfully (and, according
to the rules and regulations of the
service) do entreat."
Its POETRY, yell be afther MOTTO
in'," said Healy, beaming with such
pride that he failed to observe the
schoolmaster's red face and burst of
chuckling coughs "But wanted yez,
seems ye're we'll known fur a scholar,
to tuch it up bit, Graves. Yell OBJ
sarve it don't sing ITSELF fur it's me
furst attimpt since boy. Thrue po-
ethry shud kim av go to chune whin
yez rade it, behave"
"Well,". said Graves, "my boys usu-
ally read the very best poetry sing
song, corporal. Is this "a declara-
tion?'
Healy blushed; at least his neck
grew even redder than was customary.
But he drew himself up very straight
indeed and answered boldly.
'1n confidence, it's afther bein' that
same, Graves Is it all right?"
why spoil the sentiment by these
bracketed assurances of the major Civ
ing his permissionY'
Jaw, Graves" said the CORPORAL.
winking shrewdly, "whin I WIZ youn-
ger an runntn' afther the gurrls twas
mesilf wuz all sintiment, so it wuz.
But igspariance has larned me that it's
the puractical man gifts there. I'm
afther dilicately inshinuatin' to the
lady that she'd need niver fear the
mayor'll objict. Shure she knows a
soJer requoires to ask lave to marry
av the commandin' officer. But it spiles
the chune, av the POETRY, an that's
whut I'm askin'. Wull yez jist drill it
into shape, Graves, SEEM ye're schol-
ar, which, behave, includes poethry."
The schoolmaster good naturally as
sumed the task and, much to the cor
poraps admiration, succeeded shortly
in submitting to the old soldier a suf-
fciently creditable effusion, when Hea-
" gratefully took his departure, leav-
ing Graves to chuckle by himself for q
long time in the deserted schoolhouse.
AS the soldier left and took his way
round the rear of the buildings, avoid
ing the neighborhood of the post trad
er's and the guardhouse, his manner
was more suspicious than ever. The
tw1rl Of his stick and the blitheness Of
his whistle were affectedly nonchalant.
He could not, though, If such were his
purpose, avoid all notice nor help meet
ing some one. He was almost beyond