Bridgeton pioneer., 1910-07-28
AHAPPY
OUTCOME
By ANDREW c. EWING
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.


subordinates in the army. 1t began
during an engagement
In the heat of the fight a stretcheT
was carried past me and l saw the
face of one of my lieutenants, Tom
Ashley, pale and with closed eyes
He opened them and gave me the most
melancholy look / ever received from
any one. A blanket was laid across
his body, leaving his legs bare. 1t
was but a momentary passage, after
which ] became as intent on directing
the work of slaughter as before. We
won a victory and pushed on after the
enemy. leaving our dead to be put in
the ground by burial squad and our
wounded to be taken. care Of by the
surgeons. They cut of part Of Ash
ley's left leg and all Of his right arm.
felt an especial pang in the case of
Ashley, fer, besides being the most
promising subaltern In my battalion.
knew that he was engaged to be mar
ried to a very lovely girl Besides be-
ing lovely, she had a fortune in her
own right, and knew that Ashley.
who had nothing but his pay, was
looking forward to his marriage with
her as soon as the war was over and
a happy life to follow. In one short
fight that lasted barely ten minutes
he had been made cripple and his
life was blighted.
A few days later, being near the hos
pital where Lieutenant Ashley was
lying, went to see him. / found him.
as l expected. in a melancholy state
of mind. His distress all seemed con
centrated on the fact that he must
give up the girl he loved. endeavor,
ed to comfort him by suggesting that
she might make sacrifice for him.
but he assured me that on no account
would he permit her to do so. Indeed
he told me that he had been waiting
for some one nearly connected With
him to write her. announcing his nlu
tilation and that he released her.
1t was a sad duty, and when it was
performed l ventured again to express
a doubt as to whether the girl would
accept of her release, but Ashley de-
clared that no man with a soul in his
body would permit girl to tie herself
up for life with a man minus leg and
an arm. Besides, she was the idol OF
her parents, who would not permit her
to make any such sacrifice. They were
so ambitious for her that they had only
reluctantly consented to her engage
ment with Ashley. who was one of the
most promising officers in the army
He described her to me as a very femi-
nine person. who had been brought up
to follow their slightest wish. Consid
ering this feature of the case. mailed
the letter. believing that Lieutenant
Ashley and Miss Barnes would mutu
ally agree to give up their prospective
union.
Two days were required for the mis-
sive to reach its destination. and re-
ply could not be received in less than
two days more. Meanwhile | visited
Ashley twice. He evidently felt easier
since he had dispatched his letter. con
sidering the matter of his engagement
closed. On the fifth day after ! had
i
and there found the reply.
1t was Miss Barnes herself.
The meeting had taken place-for the
girl had arrived several hours before
and with it had passed that first shock
at the coming together of two people
who had suffered and must continue to
suffer such an overwhelming misfor.
tune. Miss Barnes had more nearly
recovered from it than Ashley. though
now and again I could see tiny wave
let's Of something like happiness pass
ing over his face. Miss Barnes was
busying herself to make him more
comfortable. She had brought with
her certain articles for the purpose. es-
pecially underclothing. which he great
ly needed, and with the help CT sol.
der nurse was putting it on. him with
no more compunction than if she had
been his wife.
Miss Barnes remained with Ashley
until he was sufficiently recovered to
travel. when she took him home with
her. A few months later, the war be-
ing over. l followed. Ashley had
given in to the girl whom he loved and
who loved him, and they were only
waiting for me to be present at the
wedding. Miss Barnes had astonished
every one by having her own way in
the matter, having conquered her par
ents as we'll as her lover
The wedding was not one Of those
joyous occasions where the young peo-
pie start out in career that heaven
seems to smile on. The witnesses felt
tinge of sadness, and the groom was
inexpressibly overcome. Only the bride
seemed to be herself She told ms
after the ceremony that she believed
she was happier than if her husband
had been physically perfect. The res
son she gave for this was that the man
she loved 80 dearly was and would b.
dependent upon her for his lifelonc
COMFORT. In ministering to that cor
fort she had not only an object, bu,
an object that filed her whole heart
I visited the Ashleys some year,
later. Tom had accepted a professor