Democratic messenger., 1910-07-02

| one WHO KNOWS HnythlnS uDout HIiH!
life nj frontier post VIII not be ~
tonlshinc. Day after day goes by with
| little 10 do aud still less t. talk about
and often no amusement Here was
case well calculated for both. 1t
seemed 10 me that the especial pains
every one took TO pcrpcirntc the fraud
would defeat II. TOO many people
were going out of their way 90 call
me Rogers. making all sorts OF very
thin excuses to do 80. then often siuiline
their handkerchiefs into their mouths
TO avoid exploding with laughter.
Miss Edgerton seemed obIiyious 10
Il ALL but she was such childlike
little thing that no one had much fcar
of her suspccting any deception. and IL
she did suspect II there was no way Of
confirming IL Was not Rogers shut
up In his quarters. not daring TO show
his face outside. both on account OF
military discipline aud because he did
not wish TO spoil Mrs Seymour's mat.
rimonial plans for him?
Notwithstanding Miss Edgerton's In
nocence II struck me that she was n
bit of hirt. At any rate, II seemed 10
me at times that she was illrting with
me. | suppose IN such affairs there is
more or less OF game going on he
tween tho parties interested. men
tion this rs some excuse for myself for
entering upon a process calculated 70
win the heart OF an innocent girl. es
taI Ilxs I hnf
was doing II for pastime
One morning the mail brought an
order from Washington to dismiss the
charges against Lieutenant Rogers and
J release him from arrest. a bombshcli
thrown into the garrison could not
have produced as much CONSERVATION
Mrs. Seymour was In n terrible quan.
Diary. having laid no plan for such Il
| juncture. All the officers and officers
families. who had been calling me
Rogers. began TO think OF the position
they would occupy toward the girl
they had conspired TO fool.
AS soon as Rogers appeared for duty
he solved the problem. lie was to be
Lieutenant Boynton. and | was TO re.
main Lieutenant Rogers This satisfied
| Mrs. Seymour. who invited us both to
dinner. and so great was the interest
OF the others In this complicated affair
that before the dinner came of she In
vited all the officers and their wives.
was still supposed TO be In especial
attendance upon Miss Edgerton and
took her In TO dinner. The first words
spoken by Rogers caused consterna.
ton.
II say. Rogers he said 10 me. 81
congratulate you ON your release from
arrest. What did you want TO make a
beast OF yourself forr'
As soon as | could regain my equa-
nimity turned upon him with feigned
severity and said:
"What do you mean. sir. by thus ac.
cusing a brother oflicer:"
II mean that Lieutenant Alfred Rog
ers at the last hop got tipsy on three
glasses of champagne and pony OF
brandy, called the major names and
was arrested and confined 10 his
quarters. Charges were preferred. and
Lieutenant Rogers father. being q
senator. succeeded In having them
dropped. Now. who is Lieutenant Rog.
ers II nc is not you: Are you IN the
army under an assumed name 20 hide
some former dlsgrace;'
Up spoke Miss Edgerton. During
this harangue she had drawn away
from me as far as possible. regarding
me with singular expression Then
she turned TO Mrs. Seymour.
What does this mean?" she de-
manded.
Mrs. Seymour was SO agonlzed that
she couldn't find either voice or words
for reply. Miss Edgerton left her seat.
went TO her friend aud put her arms
about her. Then. standing by her she
said:
The farce IL ended. Let these laugh
best who laugh last Soon after my
arrival here ! saw NJ n window an otli-
Ger whom | had met last summer al
West Point aud whusc name | knew to
be Alfred Rogers. We chatted. aud he
| confessed that he was confined TO his
room under arrest for getting tipsy
ana being disrespeCtful 10 the major
had no difficulty IN getting out Of
him this scheme to substitute I.ieutcn
ant Boynion In his place. Since that
time the real Lieutenant Rogers and !
have been carrying on n clandcsline
correspondence"
During this revelation to those who
had supposed themselves TO have been
deriving amusement nj Miss Edger-
toms expense. OF how she and Rogers
had outwltied the whole OF Us. there
was an attentive audience. When she
ceased speaking some smiled. others
blushed. while few looked irritated.
My friends" said Rogers. accept
my heartfelt thanks for your kindness
in shielding me from the consequences
OF my weak head for wine. Aud to
you. Boynton. am under especial
obligations for personating wine
bibber."
arose. placed my hand on my heart
and bowed
Then Gaylord OF my company spoke
up:
"In every well constructed comedy