Evening journal., 1909-07-24
What She Taught Him

ttAS VI ioNc anu u uldn nuOuiu ucai
with them according to their own
methods. Donovan was stationed at
Fort Monroe, where he studied at
the artillery school by day and firted
with the girls at the hotels during the
evening.
Among other girls he saw a great
deal of Lorella Bertrand, the daugh-
ter of a retired army officer living in
Washington. Miss Bertrand was quite
young and very unsophistcated. Cap
tain Donovan was the first grown man
who had ever been especially attentive
to her, and her poor little head was
soon turned. He was her constant at
tendant at dress parade in the after
noon and in the evening was always
seen sitting In one of the luxurious
chairs opposite her at the hotel where
she was staying with her parents.
Then one day came Miss Olcott,
New York belle, and whisked most of
the young officers of the fort in her
following, as a train of cars will draw
papers on the track flying in the air
after It. Captain Donovan at once be-
came the favorite, and he made no
more of transferring ,his attentions
from Miss Bertrand to Miss Olcott
than Of changing his uniform Of khaki
to full dress. Poor Miss Bertrand met
her first attention and her first deser-
tion very near together, but II the lat
ter troubled her she did not show It.
Outwardly at least she accepted the
situation, and, as she was just grow
ing into attractiveness, she found no
difficulty in filling up her time with
other officers.
From Fort Monroe Captain Don
ovan was ordered to the Pacific coast.
He remained there three years. when
he was transferred to the war depart
ment at Washington. On the evening
of his arrival at a reception Of the sec
retary Of war he met Miss Bertrand.
Three years had filed out her figure
and stamped beauty on her face. She
was the same retiring, gentle creature
that she had been when Donovan had
first met her, and when he approached
and spoke to her, after q slight appar-
ent embarrassment, she received him
not unkindly. AS Donovan surveyed
her critically from head to foot he re.
gretted that he had not taken her when
she was ready to fall into his net.
However, not being troubled with back
wardness, be manufactured a cock and
bull story about his conduct, limiting
at excuses greatly to his credit, and
asked permission to call and explain.
Miss Bertrand told him that she would
be at church the next wednesday, aft
ernoon at o'clock and he might see
her there.
Donovan went from the reception to
the Army and Navy club. where he
met Major Price, with whom he had
passed some time IN the Philippines
when they were both subalterns. They
sat down together at a table for re-
freshment, and Donovan, who was al
the moment full Of his former love
spoke to Price Of having met her. Price
smoked in silence while Donovan gave
him an account Of his attentions Il
Miss Bertrand, his switching off to fol
low Miss couldn't help it: sh,
was such a stunner"-and ended b.
telling of the appointment between
himself and Miss Bertrand the mex
afternoon.
"Oh, she wouldn't hurt any ones feel
ings for the world" said Price. "She'
a lovely girl and has recently inherite,
a fortune from her grandmother"
The two officers parted with expires
sions of satisfaction at having met aft
er so long an absence, and the mex
afternoon at 4 o'clock Donovan wen
to the trysting place. The street befor
the church was filed with carriages
which surprised the captain. who coul
not understand how so many peopl
would attend service on a week day
Then, seeing a canopy stretched fror
the sidewalk to the church door, b
concluded that some friend of Mis-
Bertrand was to be married and thi
and not the ordinary service was wha
had brought her to church
He had scarcely entered when
wedding march came rolling out fror
the organ. Who should Donovan Sc
proceeding as the groom down sid
aisle but his friend Major Price. A.
founded, he turned to the correspond
ing aisle opposite. and his wonder wa
tenfold at seeing in the bride the lad
he had come to meet, Miss Bertrand
Donovan was entering a pew at tn
moment and caught at It's back I
steady himself. In a twinkllng he sa'
himself from being about to be lifte
into heaven cast down into hell II
stood during the wedding service SUI
, porting himself on the back Of the PEE
, in front Of him, and when the brid
and groom walked out through II
center aisle passing within few fe,
OF him, he stared at the bride like
condemned man at his executione
But she mercifully kept her eyes to ii
front
Captain Donovan went to his room
a sadder and a wiser man. He ha
firted with women who had vente
upon him the wrath Of a woman scor
ed. Their treatment had only fatterC
his vanity. Providence had sent Il
gentle Miss Bertrand to teach hi
that no pain inflicted on the body ca
equal that which may be inflicted upC
the soul.
Captain Donovan met Mrs. Price 0
casionally In society, but she never n
ticed him. Indeed. she seemed u