Connecticut western news., 1910-05-12
)-O-O-O-C-OwOO O-O-O-O-O-O- : Saved by A Parrot But There We're Links Be-
 tween the Bird and
 the Outcome.
By ANDREW c. EWING.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
 Association.

commanding the NarrowS, Is fort. That on the east shore is called Fort Hamilton, that on the west Fort Wadsworth. These forts are at all times garrisoned by United States troops.
 There lived some years ago near Fort Hamilton a widow named Ham mond, whose boy. Robert, growing up in close proximity to an army post imbibed a taste for a military life When he became eighteen years of age he went into the fort one day and en- listed and then went home and told his mother what he had done.
 Robert Hammond was a steady young fellow and. having received a pretty good education, resolved to try for promotion through the noncom- missioned to the commissioned grades He had become a corporal when that happened which sometimes makes and sometimes breaks man-he got d sweetheart. Nancy Alvord was about Hammond's age and a lovely girl Nevertheless she was the cause of his getting into trouble.
 Famous Coney Island. where there is a multitude of shows, is but few miles from Fort Hamilton. and one summer day when the young soldier had leave to go where be liked be- tween midday and D. m. he called for Nancy. and together they stepped on an electric car for visit to the is- land. Robert had money enough in his pocket to enable them to take in most of the shows, and so great was their enjoyment that the time passed more rapidly than they realized. The days were at the time at their longest and this. too. had something to do with their mistaking the hour. At any rate. when there was still twilight they heard clock strike Q.
 Roberts heart sank within him. His leave had expired. and he would not be able to reach the fort in less than half an hour He would be broken" that is, reduced to private-and his dream of becoming a commissioned of ficer was at an end. At any rate, be would be obliged to begin all over and by long period of good behavior get again in line.
 "Very we'll, Nancy" he said; "I may as we'll be hanged for a sheep as q lamb. We'lh stay here as long as we like.''
 Nancy endeavored to induce him to go back at once. but he would not. So they ordered a supper and after that continued to enjoy themselves at the various places designed for the double purpose of giving people pleas ure and getting their money. When the money was mostly spent they took car and went home. Passing a sa- loon kept by one Murphy. Robert wish ed to go in and get glass of beer. but Nancy dissuaded him. Robert left her at her house. then went to his moth CTS.
 Though it was late. Mrs. Hammond was just about going to bed. Robert told her that he had broken his leave. Mother-like. she persuaded him to go to his own room that he had occupied as a boy and remain there overnight. He did so and in the morning over slept. Then his mother begged him to take breakfast at home. By the time he reached the fort it was long past reveille roll call
 Robert was put in arrest And what was his astonishment when told that the saloon keeper, Murphy. had been murdered the night before. that some shreds of blue uniform and several army buttons had been found near the body and a soldier answering his description had been seen near the saloon.
 The young soldier was troubled only at the prospect of being reduced to the ranks. There could be no doubt of his proving that he had not been in Mur- phys saloon and that he had been with his sweetheart and later with his mother. He gave the captain the ad- dress of both women and told him to go and ask his mother and Nancy if he had not been with them during the night of the murder.
 The officer, in order that there might be no collision between Robert and the others, said nothing about the charge of murder to either woman in order to better conceal his object. He told them that the soldier was in dan ger of being tried for desertion. Both women knew enough of army offenses to understand that desertion was a se- rious charge. Neither knew what req son Robert had given his superiors for his absence, and both feared to say anything about him for fear of dis proving what he had himself said. The consequence was that both denied having seen him the night before.
 This was quite enough to convict him, if not of the murder. certainly of falsely accounting for his absence. He was turned over to the civil authori- ties to be tried for murder.
 It would be impossible to give an idea of the anguish of the mother and sweetheart when they learned of the real charge that had been made ] against the son of the one and lover of the other and that they had put 1t