Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-06-07

NtIhdliNbS WIN nIIl IN lily mo- I
love an ideal, and Of ali the men
have met Dick comes the nearest to
filing IT, He may not prove him
self---be may turn just as the papers
describe him, rowdy and a ruffian
j do not know. But, II he's gen
tleman,---I know that he Is brave
and manly,--if he is of good In
he Is Of my class, don't you see, |
think do not know. And that is
all, Bessie. II began with his red
hair. Ever since have been able TO
see have worshipped red hair. do
not know why, but I had to yield
to It. Dick was my ideal boy, and /
held to him during his absence while
his hair became auburn; but the
habit Is fixed. shall be dreadfully
disappointed II he does not succeed
in life-and come back to me"
But the ring, Mabel" persisted
Bessie.
"A birthday gift from papa, YOU
goosie. Mr.. Breen selected 1t and
sent It with the bill"
Either the benebCent efYect OF the
formula or youth and good health
sufflced to bring to Mabel. as the
weeks passed, composure OF mind
and self-control sufficient for the
small orderings OF her daily life; she
received and read her own letters.
One from Breen, written at Key
West, and dated August &. began
with condolences, which no matter
how heartfelt the sympathy of friend
| for friend, can only be expressed In
few stulti6ed phrases Of hackneyed
English; then followed more bust
nesslike news. derived at first hand
from the wrecking party that had
raised the sunken steam launch In
| the Santiago channel, to the effect
that the tide had washed all the
| bodies away and that the chances
we're against their being recovered;
then the writer. drifting into the
slap dash style Of man writing hur-
this to say.
Il have spent an hour with Dick
Halpin at the hospital ashore here;
he Is doing we'll, considering that he
was shot full Of holes. half-drowned.
rammed by big. fast cruiser. and
then nearly roasted alive--in the
language OF Seaman Morrisey. of
your town, who kept the hotel
know him? Morrisey said to me at
Guantanamo that Dick wuz acook-
in all right, but there bein' no one
there to turn him an haste him
proper like, he got scorched on one
side Dick will pull through with
out doubt. but he Is mentally, in a
bad way. He thinks that II he had
asserted himself-think of It, a sea
man against an oficeN-that he
might have prevented your brother
from going into the harbor AS a
properly educated and superior mind
ed graduate Of Annapolis should do,
took that conceit ous Of him; but
there remains to him this--that your
brothers death furnished him with
his opportunity has resulted
In a typewriter letter from q GER
tain high official at Washington. and
he keeps 1t under his pillow. taking
It out to read occasionally you
cannot imagine what this letter
means to a bluejacket OF the navy
but over 1t all Is his accusing con-
science. that. to get this letter. he al
lowed your brother to die. In fact
he did not; he would have been open
TO court martial and disgrace had he
interfered as he thinks he should
but Of this l cannot wholly convince
him: 1t Is for you to help me when
you see him. Your admonition 70
come home an officer had a strong
influence on Dicks action that morn
ing. and his daredevil attempt to run
four batteries IN broad daylight, and
certain admissions which he has un-
consciously let slip, prove TO me
well, I am saying too much. VIII
you please say to Miss Fleming
when you see her, that have learned
that Dick had not been home since
he left four year ago until this sum
mer? It is very likely that Dick and
war will surely end soon, and he Is
almost able to travel, and I, on de-
tached duty, can easily obtain leave
Mabel read the letter to Bessie
then said: Father will invite them
here, for he was with George wher
he died Shall you be here wher
they come. Bessle?"
BESSIE shivered, flushed, and
steadied herself.
NO, Mabel. he will bring Dich
home, Of course, and he will come tC
you first. But shall be in my owl
home"
CHAPTER XLVI.