The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-06-26
POLLY AT the POST.


young; a mere, conceited boy" she
confessed to her aunt
| Good family, and rich" sighed Mrs
Captain Wales, looking despairingly Al
The irrepressible Pauline.
/ While am pretty and poor" pout.
ID Polly.
She went to the window and stood
| gazing over the mesa down upon the
| dat-topped adobe houses and out tc
| The brown, stoggish Rio Grande. 81
| .ove that dusty, half Mexican town
where was born, Aunt Marie. Often
Jack Marley and I have ridden over
burrows up the steep sides. have not
seen Jack for five years. He went to
Princeton and to Vassar. A year ago
. we planned to meet in New York, but
the day he graduated came the terrible
| news Of the failure of the firm of Mar
ley & Willis and the suicide of his faith
ar. No one has seen Jack since the
1ews was told him.
THE disgrace brought on your fatn-
sr by his senior partner caused his
death and left you alone in the world -
remarked Mrs. Wales Indignantly.
Here q servant announced the adj
vent of Lieutenant Bradley. Pauline
put pink nose in her golden brown
:resses and went smilingly to greet
11m.
Jack Mason" LIS company clerk
could not sleep. A year ago he had
oeen swallowed up in the darkness of a
New York recruiting station. That act
lad brought him back to Ell Paso to
meet daily the lovely companion of his
,hildbood on terms Of such inequality
hat she, the niece Of his captain,
,ould not acknowledge a recognition, #
It We're possible to know him after five
years. Handsome Jack Marley was
we'll hidden by a name and uniform.
The gray light Of dawn was streak
ng the sky when drowsness overlook
he tired soul of Jack Marley. He was
awakened by the firing of a gun. Then
he bugle rang out loudly Sergeant
Cassidy shouted Fire CALI" Jack was
put the back door Of the Office in a
minute.
Company L had charge of the horse
art. Some one shouted Captain
Wales house, The horsecart was
started in that direction at breakneck
speed. AS soon as the ladder arrived
IND was placed against the burning
louse, Jack mounted. The fire was
burning ffercely on the top floor The
blinds were shut, and the windows also.
Surely every one was out Of the doomed
house.
What was the crowd below shouting?
The captains niece!" Save Miss
Whilst" Hurriedly Jack turned to the
window. Twice he was beaten back by
The rush Of flame and smoke, but he
finally entered.
The dense clouds Of smoke that had
.nyeloped the building parted for an
instant and the figure of a soldier was
seen at the window holding a limp, girl
ssh form. A wild shout went up from
The assembled crowd. Soldiers on the
adder tenderly received the uncon-
scious girl and her rescuer was lost to
view in the smoke. Afterward efforts
were made in vain to find the brave
soldier who had risked his life to save
The captains niece.
Polly knew her rescuer In a brief
interval OF consciousness when she
had awakened to find herself in sea
of fame, she had recognized her boy
over, and cried out, Save me Jack!'
Lieutenant Bradley wondered why his
suit was SO suddenly frowned upon.
Polly took sudden fancy to solitary
ram bles over Franklin mountain. In
spite of her aunt's protestations, willful
Polly had her way.
Pauline sat on a rock near the top of
The mountain Below her on ledge
Of rock over the :yawning cfasm of an
Did mining shaft stood a young SOL
der.
I cannot permit it. Polly. You are
running risk Of social ostracism by
meeting an enlisted man.
Il have waived the consequences,
Pauline smiled, rougishly.
My heart has been on fire ever
since received your note to meet you
oy the Mexican mine. VOW each
netting shall be the last Our regiment
will or 10 he r
shall win my way to sufficient rank to
claim YOU.
"Ah, Polly! Are you alone?" I'm
needed, up the slope, had come Lieu
tenant Bradley.
Without a word the man standing on
The ledge of rock plunged into the I'M
snown depths of the disused shaft be-
fore the officers head appeared above
the crest OF the hill. White and hor-
rifed, Polly sprang to her feet.
Pardon me, If frightened you, Miss
Willis, said the young lieutenant.
With an effort she mastered herself
Jacks sacrifice should be in vain,
Hark!" She seized his arm. Didn't
you hear something groan !? Run for
help. Some one Is in that shaft"
Your uncle is half way up the hill
Some strikers are with him. I shall
call them, but think you are mis-
tax
Pauline stood on the rock and
watched the strikers. AS they raised
= limp and bloody form from the
mouth of the shaft, she tainted.
Two years later found Pauline pref
tier than ever and more of a care to
her indulgent aunt, who could not get
Polly married off" Mrs. Wales and
her niece had been in Manila only
few days. The captain and several
officers had been doing the honors Of
the great city Of the Orient. Pauline'ss
4 flirting eyes" captured hearts by the
score when she drove on the Luneta
In the afternoon. Us
MY dear said Captain Wales to
Polly, who was viewing the beautiful
aharbor from Fort Santiago, ~ wish
to present my favorite officer Lieuten-
ant Mason, prominent for magnificent
courage on the field Of battle. Lieu
tenant, my niece, Miss Willis
Jack she cried, and held out her
hands impulsively to the bronzed Of
fcer. Si
Polly. He seized 5f her hands nnd
kissed her flushed cheek.
We have met before exclaimed
Polly.
$50 1t would SEEM said the Cap
tain dryly, while Mrs Wales smiled
upon the young couple. AT last a man
had found favor in Pauiine's eyes.
II VT
fg = a. L 81.