New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-07-21
THE MAJORS RE TURN
BY ANNA BENTLEY.
[Copyright. 1909, by American Press Asso-
oio .. e

icy WC1C OA LILO OlOou
porch of the casino looking at, the
bathers. He was a major in the -th
United States cavalry and had just
come from the far west. She was a
spinster of twenty-eight. She protect
ed herself from the suns rays by an
elaborate parasol, which she held in a
shapely gloved hand. He sat on her
sunny side with the parasol between
them. He changed his seat so that he
could see her face.
"Can you tell me-" he said, stepping
up to her and raising his hat defer
entially, "when this building was erect
ed?''
II cannot" she replied, looking up
at his stalwart figure.
The reason ask he said, drop
ping into confidential tone, sis that
right where this building stands TWEEN
ty years ago today I parted with a
woman who was to have been my
wife. have returned to visit the
spot on this twentieth anniversary"
'You are rare example of con-
stancy," she said sympathetically
SOLDIERS are usually models Of con-
stancy."
'They are? One summer a West
Point cadet proposed to me- learned
| that he had been engaged to three
girls in two seasons"
"Boys. mere boys, those fellows! But
took no general interest in your sex
| while at the Point. I loved when
went there, and when I left spent my
leave before Joining here with the girl
1 loved.'
"And you lost her?'
Eyes" Then, after several efforts to
speak "But the story is too sad to
tell. Her father owned a cottage here
| For aught I know she may still be
spending her summers here
1--WE have cottage and spend every
summer here. IT you will confide her
name to me may be able to tell you
something Of her.
Her name he hesitated. Was it
that he shrank from giving it to a
stranger? 'sHer name is or was Mar
garet Ravens"
How strange!" said the girl after q
brief pause. Margaret Ravens is my
aunt"
He started. Her aunt! Did the
word tell him Of a crusty old maid or
a fat lady with children? Then his
voice trembled as he asked:
lis she married?''
| "No."
| There was pause, during which the
sad sea waves rolled in, saying: eve
are passing on. We are passing on
"What was your class at West
Point?' she asked.
'Let me see," thoughtfully. 'It was
1925. We were graduated in hurry
and sent OF to Cuba"
| "Then you must be in error as to
this being the anniversary Of that
parting. The Spanish war took place
only decade ago.
| did say twenty years? Oh, no;
not twenty, l meant to say ten"
Soldiers are notorious for their care
lessness In small matters, especially
as to time. l suppose they all expect
to be killed and, never grow old. But
this love Of yours for my aunt-how
singular that you should meet me
here"
Every"
| "And how fortunatew
She looked into his eyes to see If he
really considered an opportunity to re-
turn to his lost love blessing. he
kept the secret.
| tSNhof do ho
a battered soldier. She was when we
parted not only beautiful, but wealthy.
She may have kept both beauty and
| wealth.
Not her beauty. Twenty years is a
long while for woman to preserve
that"
"You forget; it is only ten.'
even ten years bring their changes.
My aunt is not beautiful. She met
with an accident She wears a glass
eye"
A pause, after which he said impas-
sively, ''Do you suppose that in an
affair Of the heart any marring Of a
woman's beauty could turn a soldier
/ from his lover"
"a soldier doesn't wait for a WON
ans beauty to be marred or to fade.
/ He doesn't give it time.''
"You speak ironically. Am I to re-
greet having conflded to you a matter
nearest my hearth"
mo. l sympathize with you so
heartily that I am going to reunite you
with your lost love. The cottage over
there with hedge is ours. Call this
/ afternoon for cup Of tea at 5 and
you shall see her."
! What passed through his mind be-
tween IL and 8 no one knows. Did he
really wish to meet one who had