The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-12-28
PAGE SEVEN.

fellows pIayi" But his dreary thoughts
persisted. Rupert was colonel In
the regular army OF the United states.
He had been brevetted a brigadier
general after the Spanish war, and
had commanded, not only a.brigade,
but division at one critical time IN
the Philippines; but Tor reasons prob
ably known to the little knot of poll
ticians who hung it up" although In
comprehensive to most Americans,
congress had failed to pass the bill
giving the wearers Of brevet titles the
right 20 keep thei. hardworn aud
empty honors. wherefore Gen. Winter
had declined to Col Winter.
He had more substantial troubles
including a wound which would prob
ably make him limp through life and
possibly retire him from service at so.
II had given him six months sick
leave (which he had not wanted).
end after spending a month on the
Atlantic coast, he was going for the
spring to the Pacific Haley. whose
own term Of Office had expired. had not
re-enllsted, hut had followed him. Mrs.
Haley and the baby uncomplalningly
bringing up the rear II was not fair
TO Haley nor to Mrs Haley. the colonel
felt lie had told Haley so; he had
found good situation for the man.
and he had added the deed FOR little
house IN the suburbs Of Chicago.
II Haley wouldn't rcenlist--thcre
never was better soldier since he
had downeh q foolish young hankering
for wild times and whlsky--if he
wouldn't go back 20 the army. where
he belonged let him settle down. take
up the honest carpenters trade that
he had abandoned, be good citizen
and marry little Nora to some class
mate in the high school who might
make fortune and build her a
colonial mansion. should the colonial
/ sull obtain in the twentieth century.
The colonel had spread a grand
/ prospect before Haley who listened
unrcsponsively. a dumb pain IN his
wide blue Irish eyes. The colonel
hated It. but. somehow, he hated
worse the limp look of IIaley's back
as he watched Il dwlndle down Mich
igan avenue.
However. Mrs Haley had been more
satisfactory, II none the less bewil-
dering She seemed very grateful
over the house and the S30O for it's
furnishing a birthday present, he
had termed It. with a flicker OF hu-
NOR because the day was his own
birthday. His fiftieth birthday It hap
pened to be, and It occurred to him
that man ought 10 do something
little notable ON such an anniversary.
This rounding OF the half-century had
attributes apart: It was no mere an
nual birthday; Il marked the last van
ishing nutter OF the gildad draperies
OF youth. the withering OF the gar
lands. the fading tinkle OF the light
music of hope II should mark mans
solid achievements. Once. not SO long
ago. Winter had believed that his
hftleth birthday would see vide and
benehcent and far.reaching results Ia
the province where he ruled. That
dream was shattered Tie was gen
erous OF nature, and he could have
been content 20 behold another reap
the fields which he had sowed and
tiled: II was the harvest, whether his
or another's. for which he worked; but
his had been the bitter ONCE TO have
TO stand aside. with no right to pro-
test, and see his work go to waste be
cause his successor had feeble brain
and e pnsillanimous caution in place
Of his own doRged will For all these
reasons, az we'll as others, the COLONEL
found no zcst in his nftleth birthday;
aad his reverie drilted dismally from
one sombcr reflection to another until
Il brought up at the latest wound TO
his heart -his fayorite brothers. death.
There had been three Winter broth
ers Rupert Melville and Thomas.
During the past year both Thomas
Winter aud his wife had died leaving
one child, boy Of A. named Arehi-
bald after his fathers uncle. Rupert
Winter and the boys greataunt, the
widow OF the great uncle, we're ap-
pointed Joint guardians Of the young
Archie Tonight IN his jadod mood.
be was assailed by reproaches be-
cause he had not seen more OF his
ward why. he hadn't so much as
looked the little chap up when he
passed through Fairport-merely had
sent him lettcr and some truck from
the Philippines; nice guardian he was,
By natural enonsh transition his
thoughts swerved 10 his own brief and
not altogether happy married life lie
thought of the graves IN Arizona
where be had left his wife and his
two children. and his heart felt
heavy To escape musings which
grew drearier every second. he cast
his eyes about the motley crowd shut
fling over the tiled floors or resting
In the massive dark oaken seats. And
II was then that he saw Cary Mercer.
Al first he did not recognize the face.
lie only gazed iudinerently at two
welldressed men who sat some PAGES
away from him in the shadow OF a
> great tiled column similar to his own.
There was this difference II happened;
the mission lantern with its electric
D bulbs above the two men was flashing
. brightly. aud by some accident that