CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1903-07-23
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want of something better to d0 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 a way
which was almost guilty. They were
not thinking of him at all. but the sol
| dier 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, ana
| twice in dve minutes he looked secret
| ly at his watch. The door opened, ana
the children of the post came charging
out. a tumbling group Of boys aud
girls, little folks of the plains. soldiers
babes, clear eyed and self reliant. Hea'
ly 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, corpornl7
What reader shall put you inY'
Healy grinned benignantly.
Fur many's the year. Graves" be
said. "the school of the battalion has
been the only wan I've found nicis-
sary. an tactics has bin me RAIDER.
Shure l wuz passin' an looked in upon
yez. It's wearin' Job yez have,
Graves. tachin' them kids. near as bad
as drillin' rockies. I'm afther think
In"
"Aboutr' said Graves. taking up the
door key.
"Ye've a great head. Graves" the
corporal said sweetly. with a dattering
cock of his blue eye. I've 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 natter me like that. Hea-
ly." he said. Il know you're after
something. What IL itr'
mot at all. at allr' cried Healy. sud
denly becoming nervous. IT wuz fist
passin'. But. seein' yen amt busy.
wud yez do me favor. Mr.. Gravesr'
"Mister!" cried Graves. laughing
again.
'T'n be beggin' yez, though. to kape
It to yerself." said Healy earnestly
and plunging headlong into the matter
on his mind. "Its no matther av
shame. but the boys win be betther
not to hear 1t. seein' as might have
to take their foolin' sarious. Wud yes
give me yer opinion on that. Gravesf"
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 / respectfully land. according
to the rules and regulations Of the
service) do entreat"
TITS poethry, yen be afther motto
In" said Healy. beaming with such
schoolmaster's red face and burst Of
chuckling coughs. But wanted yez.
seems ye're well known fur a scholar.
to tuch 1t up a bit. Graves. Yell OBJ.
sarve It don't sing itself, fur it's me
furst attimpt since a boy. Thrue po
ethry shud kim av go to q chune whin
yez rade 1t. ! behave"
"weil." said Graves. my boys usu.
ally read the very best poetry sins-
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:
"In confidence. it's afther bein' that
same. Graves. Is II all rightf'
"Why spoil the sentiment by these
brncketed assurances OF the major Civ,
ing his permlssionr'
Jaw. Graves" said the CORPORAL.
winking shrewdly. "whin ! WIZ youp-
ger an runnin' afther the gurrls twas
mesilf wuz all sintiment, SO 1t wuz.
But lgspariance has larned me that it's
the puracticaI man gifts there. I'm
afther dilicately inshinuatin' to the
lady that she'd need niver fear the
mnyor'll objict. Shure she knows q
soJer requoires to ask lave to marry
sv the commandin' officer But 1t spiIes
the chuue av the poethry. an thats
whut I'm askin'. Wull yez fist drill II
into shape. Graves. seein' ye're a scbol-
ar. which. I behave. includes poethry."
The schoolmaster good naturedly 40
sumed the task and. much to the cor.
poraps admiration, succeeded shortly
In submitting TO the old soldier 4 suf-
ncientiy creditable effusion. when Hea.
ly gratefully took his departure. leav-
ing Graves to chuckle by himself for
long time In the deserted schoolhouss.
As the soldier left and took his way
round the rear Of the buildinga. avoid
ing the neighborhood Of the post trad.
er's and the guardhouse. bis manner
was more suspicious than ever. Ths
twiri Of his stick and the blitheness ~
his whistle were a6ecfedly nonchalant.