Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-08-19
AT The POINTERS,
EY ROLAND WHITTLE.


Dust long enough for the man in the
hall to take off his rubbers, for the
rain was pouring in torrents, and Pa
cific avenue was swimming in
gurging river which over-fowed the
pavements and went rushing down
the steep hillside.
But you can't take one minute and
half and segregate it, as it were; it
belongs to a whole series preceding
subsequently 80 seconds. Still one min
ute and half, even the one and a half,
may be a turning point, may mark
a crisis; so thought Mildred Arrow
Swaith as she sat waiting in the
drawing room, wondering who had
come.
She had left word that either of
two men should be admitted, the favor
eG gentlemen being respectively Cap
tain Henry Gilman, of the Eighteenth
United States Cavalry returned from
Manila on sick leave, but now well
and strong again; and the Rev. Carton
Wilton, assistant priest at the Episco-
pal Church of st. Sigismund.
The favor with which the clergyman
was regarded was Of very recent
growth, and, perhaps all the stronger
on that account. Miss Arrowswaith's
affections, as rule, were of strength
In inverse ratio to their duration, and
the newer the lover, the more intense
her feelings. Among her friends, the
more charitable called her impetuous,
the less well disposed f1irt.
There had certainly been some rea-
son for the accusation in the case of
the gallant captain. His attentions
had been notorious, and such was the
coyness of the lady, or the discretion
of the soldier, that no announcement
of their engagement had yet been
made, and many heads were
shaken and lips pursed by those who
were anxious that Mildred should
make up her mind as they would
like to have a shy at the bird on
their account, if she did not want it
for her particular cage.
eff the captain had asked me
month ago." sighed Mildred to her
self 81 should have known just
what to do, but now I feel SO differ
emily. AS a matter of fact, I don't
think that l really like him at all
now"
The fact is, it was Lent, and the
captain belonged to a pre-Lenten
period. Just as artists divide modern
art into pre-Raphaelite and a subse
uuent period, so this damsel of the
Twentieth Century half-nymph, half
nun. separated her likes and dislikes,
her social activities even, by the Lit
any or Ash Wednesday, Besides, GER
tain rumors as to the behavior of the
gallant captain had been retailed to
her by sympathtic but not altogether
disingenuous companions. 1t was
limited in mysterious whispers that he
was frequently seen in the company
of a certain chorus girl of we'll
known burlesque company at an hour
when all good people should be in
bed
These rumors would have been suf
ficiently disquieting at any time; but
in Lent they were absolutely fatal
to the captains chances. Still he
was a glorious dancer and witty cav
alier, and unde" ordinary circum-
stances might have redeemed himself
"He is so handsome" she unused,
"and what a splendid time we had at
the Carnival. There never was a
finer Romeo, and he is so deliciously
naughty, too"
Hereupon pensiye melancholy
caused by her recollection OF the sea-
son overcame her. and she looked
thoughtfully at the little gold crucif1x
which depended from her chain, and
which she took out regularly every
Ash Wednesday. There was roman
tic little story attaching to the same
crucifix, but that belongs to another
chapter, and one not pertaining to the
special lessons appointed to be read
in Lent.
II wonder why / promised to see
him again? / am half afraid to talk
to him." she murmureas but he