Democratic messenger., 1910-07-02
Ge
Substitute
A Man Plays che Part Of
Another Who Cannot
appear
BY GEORGE L. BYINCTON
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.
BY GEORGE L. BYINGToN
1910. by American Press
Association.

III ~
, Association. .
3-O-O-O-O-O-OO-O-O-O-O-O-o
One morning after guard mounting
the commandaut's orderly came to my
quarters and said that Mrs. Comman.
dant taliaS Mrs. Coloneb Seymour
would like to see me. ! obeyed what
considered an order and betook myself
to the most pretentious house In the
garrison. where the lady lived.
mir Boynton." she said. my neph
ew. All Rogers. is In lot of trouble
At the supper table after the hop the
other night he drank too much wine
he's Just out OF West Point. you know.
and has no practice at wlnebibbing--
insulted Major Whipple and Is now
under arrest. ! have Invited Lucia
Edgerton. a girl In whom am much
interested. TO visit me especially to
meet All. To confess. wish to make
match between the two. This stupid
business OF Alf's getting tipsy on two
or three glasses OF wine has spoiled
everything
10 tell a girl that the man have
been praising to her aud have indi-
Gated ! wanted her to marry is under
arrest for drunkenness would be an
irreparabe blow to my matrimonial
plan. have thought out n scheme for
"a substitute. Would you mind person
atIng All for short time?"
Anything TO please you, Mrs. Sey-
mour."
Il could tell Lucia that All had been
ordered away Oh special duty. but I've
thought II over and have concluded
that such n suhterfuge wouldn't be
wise. | would rather post the officers
and their families that you are TO act
MS ALI. and as soon rs he Is restored 10
duty we can turn II OF as joke"
Our little post was so dull that not
only |. but the officers aud their fami-
lies. were quite pleased with Mrs Sey-
mour's plan We all enjoyed the pros
pect OF fooling her protegee. watching
her while we were doing so aud OBJ
serving her actions while receiving the
attentions OF the wrong man.
Miss Edgerton arrived. was welcom-
ed BY her hostess. aud | was invited TO
dinner. II seemed queer 10 be address.
ed as Mr.. Rogers. but II was very nice
20 be expected TO make myself agree
able TO one of the most winsome young
girls ever met She was barely eight
cen. innocent unsophistocated and ap-
uarenily very easy person TO perpe-
trate any fraud upon. II did not seem
possible TO me that the deception could
he carried on very long. but | had no
sooner made Miss EdGerton's acquaint-
ance than hoped Il might be inter-
minable.
While | found myself In one respect
In clover. in another was troubled.
II was fine TO be dancing attendance
on a girl intended for Rogers while he
was languishing in his quarters. but
the fact was ever present that the day
would come when must resign her TO
her rightful owner. attended her at
Sunday morning inspection. guard
mounting aud such cercmonials as
were possible AT small post. ! gal
loped by her side over hill and dale;
danced with her. sang duets with her
lin short. did everything except make
love TO her. which under the crcum-
stances would have been dishonorable.
Every one who came In contact with
Miss Edgerlon enjoyed immensely the
innocent ruse that was being perpe-
trated upon her They were all very
puncfilious In addressing me In her
presence as MIR Rogers. He was very
popular. and there was not one person
M the post who would for the world
have baked the plan 10 hide the fact
that he was under arrest for intoxica-
tion. had expected Mrs Seymour TO
find some way ont OF the matter with
Ia few days. but she did not. and II
went on. An order for the convcnlng
OF court martial to try the real Rog-
ers for conduct unbecoming an officer
aud gentleman was daily expected.
but did not arrive. However, there
were few OF us NJ the post and every
one became so used TO palming me or
as Lieutenant Rogers that II seemed
the substitution might go on inden-
nltely.
One evening Miss Edgerton. who had
been very shy. surprised me by inti-
mating IN delicate though unmistak-
able way that she was cognizant OF
Mrs. Seymour's matchmaking scheme
and showed disappointment at my not
having evlnced n tender interest IN her.
II was hard enough before for me TO
get on without making love- but after
this II was impossible. don't mean
that had fallen In love with Miss Ed
Rcrton. We soldiers. prone to extremes.
are given ms much To lovemaking
as 10 lighting II Is. however. rather
lovemaking than love. for we have u
faculty for choosing swcethcarts MS
often as we are transferred between
stations My lovemakine with Miss
Edgerion was more like that we were
used 10 prmcticing while ai West Point
during the summer encnmFDeni. when
we met swarms OF girl .sitors. each
one OF whom would have considered
the corps ungnllani II she were permit