The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-11-02
Major Angelo
lorlgInal.l

II before the beginning and returneu
after the close OF hot weather l was
not there In vacations. During this pc
Rod understood that my sister had
love affair. but since she was older
than / and l was at an age when nei-
Their my sympathy nor my judgment
was in demand very little was said TO
me about the affair.
A few years later the Spanish-Amerl-
can war broke out and I, being lieu
tenant In the national guard, went out
to fight the dons. In the very first en-
counter Ia which l took part was
wounded and taken prisoner. ! had the
good fortune TO be located near one of
the best Spanish hospitals, to which !
was taken and treated with every at
tentlon. One morning the officer Of the
day went through the ward where !
was lying in company with the sur
geon. When the officer passed my bed
| noticed that my face caught his at
tentlon. Indeed he stared at me as II
he had known me before. The next
day | received basket Of fruit to
which was attached the card Of Major
Adelberto Angelo.
Major Angelo came to see ME every
day after that and loaded me with at
tentIons. Naturally ! became very
fond OF him. I endeayored to gain from
him the cause Of his having noticed
me and of his attentions, but failed
sigually. He declared that 1t was the
result of fancy. The intimacy lasted
ave weeks, at the end Of which time |
was discharged from the hospital and
very soon after exchanged.
The next time saw Angelo he was
lying ,nortaily wounded on the battle
field. We were pressing the Spaniards
before Santiago, and having cleared
way directly in front of our regi-
ment with a Calling gun we pushed
forward over field. Stepping over
what supposed was corpse, !
glanced down to be sure that should
not touch 1t. and looked into the livld
face OF Major Angelo. 1t was not per-
missible for me to leave my company
but | did. STOPPING. raised his head
Angelo opened his eyes. and loving
smile told me that he recognized me-
| saw him try to move his lips to speak.
but the effort was failure. Then be
| fell back-dead.
/ went home, like most Of my com
| rades, sick. but 1t was not long be
| fore was on my feet again and
| Joined the family In October 10 Wash
ington. My sister had for some tima
been going into decline, and my
mother forbade me to excite her with
accounts OF nay war experiences, espe-
cially my stay IN hospital. When
went Into Adele's room to greet her
after my long and evenfful absence.
I was puzzled at the look she gave me
| X was hungry look, look as II
| might have news to tell her that She
| longed to hear | was shocked al hel
appearance. and saw that she was
1 doomed. She wished me TO talk about
! the war. but / agreed with my mother
| that 1t would not be well to do so. and
though Adele kept turning to It.
held TO other topics. Indeed. on &C
count of my sisters condition. | was
not asked to recount wars horrors, al
most OF my comrades were. and | wat
glad Of It Such experiences are NOR,
agreeable to the narrator when mel
lowed By distance. and in my case
| with the shadow OF death over us.
did not wish to dwell upon them.
One day was sitting by Adele'l
bed chatting with her ON ordinary top
ics when she said suddenly:
You were wounded and taken to /
hospital when you were In Cuba
weren't your"
YES"
/ "And a spaniard was very kind t,
your
i Yes. But you have heard nothing
about It from me or from father d
mother, because have not told then
word about It, How did YOU
A Hush. Don't tell them that men
toned it,"
"But tell me-
At the moment mother came into tn
room and broke In upon my question
The next time was alone with Abel
endeav0red to reopen the subject. bu
an expression passed over her fac
that warned me to desist, and / neve
referred to It again.
One evening between day and dar
J ! was passing through the lower hal
when ! saw figure Of man com
: IN at the front door. Since his bac
was to the light. could not see hl
face, but It was familiar. He appear
ed to be gentleman and Wake
through the hall as II perfectly fami
far with the premises For this reaso
did not regard him as thief, but pei
-mitted him to go where he liked, 70
lowing him from a distance. He noun
ed the staircase, and noticed tina
though there was but the bare wood /
! walk on his step was so light that
I did not hear IT. He was considerable
| In advance of me and had turned an
disappeared down the upper hall b
fore reached the top Of the staIrcas,
When did reach 1t be was nowher
to be seen. He must have entere
some room ON that floor, and sine
Adele's was one Of them I hurried Il
ward 1t. Just before reaching her doc