The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-08
COLT OFFICER AND CFNIFNANA TALE OF LIFE IN THE ARMY

street life and the district messenger
service had educated Colt
The politician promised. He was
ready to promise anything just now;
and-which was not so much q matter
of course-when he. carried the ward
he kept his pledge.
That was Colts story.
Life hadn't been all roses for him
since then. He discovered that there
were wheels within wheels even in he
United States Army. and that his lack
Of influential friends was q disadvantage
TO him. He might remain a second
lieutenant for a good many years. Put
just at the moment Colt was not caring
4 sudden dazzling light had come over
all he earth 4 woman stood IN the
middle OF the brightness, and he mad
lost all sight OF himself
Colt had never known society The
girls who had visited West Point had
looked on him admiringiy He had not
grown very tail, but every muscle was so
strong and full of action that he could
not but be graceful. At the riding exeT-
cises and in the drill Colt was always
conspicuous. The vther men liked him
for his common sense, shrewdness and
wit Perhaps there were some. knowing
his origin, who we're q little snobbEsh and
patronizing, but Colt never noticed. out
here AT the New Mexican post he was one
Of the best liked men, but I doubt If
there was one who would not have been
astonished If he had known that Colt was
looking at Miss Stanberry-
Miss Stanberry was the daughter OF a
New York man who had invested a little
slice Of his enormous fortune in New
Mexican mines. and had seen It grow into
another fortune. His property had be-
come so valuable that he had come out
TO pay It a visit, and had brought his
daughter with him. There were no
hotels nearer than the one in the little
canyon post, and here they had come.
with boxes and maids and riding horses.
and an exciting sense Of roughing It.
It was sEringtime and the Indians had
made their usual sally from the reserva-
ton toward Mexico. Most of the officers
were out In the field heading them back.
Colt the adjutant, was the OILY unmar-
Tied officer at the post. and SO his atten-
tions TO Miss Stanberry were only nat
uraL When girl is in an army post, of
course any wearer of buttons and blue is
better than none
Colt was living in fairy tale Never.
as long as he lived, would he forget the
morning when ne walked into the little
dining room Of the hotel ard saw her
there. There was q strange brightness
ii all the place, II seemed 10 Colt that
/ IT streamed out at the door before he
reached il. When be was a little boy
he had been taken 10 church and had
been shown the halos about the heads OF
+ the blessed saints; and he saw the same
divine light streaming behind Helen
StanberTy's tightly braided black hair
To her father IL was only the open door
and the sunsbir On the plain: bur Colt
mentally crossed himself For all his
+ early experiences he had the purity OF
heart Of the Irish peasant. He had seer
+ life, and had been disguised with dissi-
patton before he Was old enough *
share in it. He had been sent as q
/ messenger boy into g.Ided bells after
one nights gilt had worn eff. and before
/ IL had been put on for the next evening:
ana tawdrv wickedness was no tcmpra-
ton TO him. There was IL his heart. as
there is In the heart Of every young
man, chamber set apsrt as a sane
tuary for some woman. Sometimes such
+ 2 place Is as full Of rubbish as a glory
hole. but Colts was speckless and spot
less, and Helen stanberry's image was
set up there with q shock as Of worlds
meeting.