The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-10-12
! Did She Meet Him?

[Original.l
During the closing years Of the nine
teenth century an old widower with q
daughter had q summer residence on
the eastern end Of Long Island. Evelyn
Cameron not having a mother, being
devoted to her father, and he very care
full of her, had not to her nineteenth
year seen anything of the world. In
June of that year she was invited to
60 with party to West Point to attend
the graduating exercises Of the cadets.
Her father with much trepidation con-
sented to her going One would have
supposed they were parting, the one
to go around the world.
To girl who has never seen any
thing Of life, especially Of military life.
West Point in the month Of roses is a
fairyland. The broad plain, encircled
with mountains, the river bending
around on the other side, the sounds of
martial music, men in uniform con-
stantly Fastening hither and thither, all
give a picture such as civil life never
affords. Among others, one of the
graduating class, handsome, manly
young fellow, every inch soldier, was
introduced to Evelyn, and the mingling
Of their two young hearts was as COM
plete as 1t was sudden. At the end of
her visit Evelyn returned to her father
at the seashore and when they were
clasped in each others arms she knew
that new world had been opened to
her, a new love lad come to her COM
pared with which the old was as twi-
light before the rising sun. But not
dreaming that the new would shut out
the old, she told her father all. He bore
the news manfully, but the moment
Evelyn had gone to her room he sank
into chair and groaned.
Lieutenant Victor Paine received
leave after graduating and spent it by
the ocean with Evelyn. If the towering
hills. the beautiful plains and bend
ing river had been inspiring to the
lovers, the roll Of the waves was equal
ly SO But there was a muttering Of
coming war storm far to the south
that tinged the eternity Of waters with
sadness. To the soldier it appeared
but family; to Evelyn it darkened the
world. When it broke it found the
young soldier full Of enthusiasm, while
it seemed to suck the life from the girl.
One would have thought that it was
she, not he, who was going to deaths
camping ground.
The parting tooa place at rustic
seat built betweec three trees. From
there path wound down through a
wood to tho fllsge and the railroad
Again and < ala he strove to unwind
her arms. Then he said:
"Think Of my return. This cannot
be long war. 1t will be ended before
you 60 back to town. l will write you
when am coming and you will meet
me here-here where we are parting.
Then we will have a wedding, after
which there will probably be no part
ing for years."
Her arms relaxed, and, placing her on
the seat, after one more embrace the
young man hurried down the path.
Then came the battle, Las Quasi
mas, Ell Caney and others. As the
news was received with list Of killed
and wounded, though her lovers name
was not among them, each report gave
Evelyn blow from which she failed
to rebound. May there not be love so
strong that it reaches beyond things
material, cropping into what is spirit
tn no
ture she said nothing of it; the only
evidence of presentiment was the con-
slant and increasing blight. Letters
came with as much regularity as could
be expected from a soldier in the field.
Frequently number would come to-
gether, when Evelyn would shut herself
in her room or so down to the seat
where she had parted with Victor and
read them agai. Nnd again.
Her father y>,ched her anxiously.
He did all re ccA,d to divert her mind,
but he coul.. ~ do much and what he
did was wiA ! fleet He dreaded to
have her !, "a the parting and ex-
pected TWISTING place, for when she re-
turned she was always the more drOop-
ing. Finally, when the Spaniards sur
rendered and all was over, she sur
prised him by not going to the place
at ALL
Just before the end Victor wrote that
he had been ordered on duty which
would prevent his sending letters with
any regularity. From that time no
news came from him, while the troops
sailed for home, and one day a feet of
transports appeared on the horizon.
Evelyn watched them first with glass,
then with her naked eyes while they
approached, and saw them pass on to
the eastward, They were making for
MOntauk Point.
Toward evening Evelyn went to the
trysting place. She did not return at
dusk and her father went to look for
her. 1t had grown SO dark that he
could not see plainly, and he called to
her. There was no reply. Seeing
something white on the rustic seat the
old man. sure 1t was his daughter,
called again, but still there was no
reply. Reaching the place, there wac
Evelyn sitting on the seat, her back