Charlevoix county herald., 1908-07-11

ly from their feet to the Hudson. With
a reckless disregard Of regulations, the
cadet had unfastened the top hook
Of his collar and, with his hands
clasped behind his head, was gazing
at the girl who was
opening a box of candy. 1t looked like
he regulation arrangement on Fir
ation," but 1t was not.
She arranged her skirts comfortably.
Tilted her parasol at an angle which
shaded the cadets head as we'll as
Ter own, and then said: Now, AL
an, you promised you'd tell me all
tbout it, There's no reason for put
ing IL Off"
The cadet rubbed his close-cropped
lead thOughtfully. I'll tell it on one
cndition--that you don't interrupt
I'm going to start in by saying
hat you don't know the girl, but that
he's wonder! 1t all happened about
F., year aad a half ago-when she'd
lecn coming up to the Point for sew
rel months. TO hops and things. She
vas the gayest little fem you ever
aw-always cracking jokes and
angling like chime Of bells.
You know our set Of six fellows,
nj how we always hang together.
Vel, we were together on this propc-
,t;cn all right! We thought she was
bout the funniest little girl that ever
anne along. She was always saying
ome;hing you didn't think she was
-oiag to. I remember she was the
My girl | ever saw who had some
hing new 20 say when we told her we
a'led our room-mates on: wives.
Wei. q year ago last fill, when !
ras a second-class man, ! was sitting
I my room one evening. bcning On
nath. I'd been working Ike a horse
rying TO. max my calculus. and wa
s grouchy as bear My wife was
'ot any company, for he'd been doing
rea' ever since two o'clock, and had
,urned in so dead tired you Conldnt
ave walked him with an AK. | was
;etting lcnsscmer and lonesomer, and
ceiling more and more as though ]
wanted a blowout of some kind &c
put some life into me. when there was
I whoop at the door and tho five fel.
lows Of the gang came in, al talking
At once. Puddenhead had letter.
waving II in the air, and the only
thing could get out of them was that
Eelen was engaged. had two Helens
IN the string about that time, and |
was considerably excited till after
about five minutes they got smoothed
down enough for me to make out that
they meant this girl I'm telling about
| hadn't thought OF her at all.
She wasn't the kind you'd ever think
Of as SOLDERING down enough to get
engaged. Puddenhead had had let
ter from a girl in Bridgeport, where
Helen lived, and she said Helen's en-
gagement to a cit named Beardsley
was just announced. Well, We were
great pals Of Helen's, and we were
sore that she hadn't told us anything
about il. Puddenhead said: Think Of
her nerve! She's coming up to hop
tomorrow night just as though moth
ing had happened. She thinks she's
going to fool us. Well just let her
know that she can't get ahead of us
with her practical jokes. Let's meet
her as the bus comes up to the top of
the hill and shout out "congratula-
tions!" till they can hear us on the
other side Of parade ground
Il was just going to say | was game
for that, when Big Marshall began
jumping up and down and hollering:
L got you beat! l got you beat! /
got an idea that beats that all to fraZ-
zles. Let's all six Of US never let on
we've heard thing, and then all pro-
pose to her, heavy-tragedy style. dur
ing the hop-take on as though we
we're broken-hearted, and then have
the laugh on her the next day
Say, that struck us all right, all
right! We just went into the air.
I'VE could hardly wait for the hop,
and when my dance with Helen came
| proposed to sit it out on the balcony
overlooking the Hudson, and | fairly
shivered for fear she'd want to dance;
but she didn't, and we went down the
stairs together, me beginning to put
on the proper solemn air.
ut was moonlight-a warm October
evening. The Hudson looked like a
black diamond with rubies all around
it where the lights OF the shore
cleaned. There wasn't a cloud in the
sky, and just the sweetest autumn
smell in the air. Oh, it was the proper
Suggesting, all right! l lifted Helen
up to the broad balustrade-same way
| had lots Of times beforehand then
turned and gazed down the river. try
ing to look romantic. l won't tell you
what / said to her, but you can just
bet it was red-hot! I told her she
was the only one In the world for me
that l had my future all fixed up
with her in the midst Of II, and 1t
would be the death of me to unfix my
ideas, that / would quit the service
IL there wasn't any hope for me.
Say, 1t was a good thing l was
ioaoi-n IN aOofnot tho In