The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-06-23
"a HAPPY
OUTCOME
by ANDREW c. EWING
Copyright. 1910. BY American Press
Association.

II Copyright 1917 ny American AN1aA III
II Association.
There Ii no truer saying than
sthere Is compensation Ia an things,
An example Of this came under my
observation In the case Of one Of my
subordinates 10 the army. Il began
during an engagement
In the heat OF the fight a streteher
was carried past me and ! saw the
face OF one Of my lieutenants, Tom
Ashley. pale and with closed eyes
lie 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 Il
was but a monetary 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 10 be put IN
The ground by burial squad and our
wounded 10 be taken care Of by the
surgeons. They cut of part Of Ash
ley's left lee and al Of his right arm.
/ felt an especial pang 10 the case Of
Ashley. for. besides being the most
promising subalteru ID my battalion. !
knew thar be 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 thar Ashley,
who had nothing but bis pay, was
looking forward 10 bis marriage With
her as soon as the war was over and
q happy life 70 follow 10 one short
eight thar lasted barely ten minutes
he had been made cripple aud bis
life was bliehted
A few days later being near the hos
nital where Lieutenant Ashley was
lying. went 70 see him. I found him,
as expected. ~ melancholy state
OF mind His distress all seemed con
centrated on The fact thar be must
give ID the Girl he loved 1 endeavor-
ed 10 comfort him by suggesting that
she might make q sacrifice for hlm,
but be assured me that Oh no account
would be permit her to do 50. indeed,
he told me That Ne bad beeu waiting
FOR some one nearly connected With
him TO write her. announcing his mu.
tilafi0n and that be released Der
II was d sad duty aud when i was
performed / ventured again To express
! doubt as 10 whether the girl would
accept Of her release bur Ashley de.
elared that 40 mau wifh a soul tn bis
body would permit d Girl TO tie herself
up for life with b man minus Tee and
AS arm. Besides. She was the Idol Of
Der parents. who would not permit hei
10 make any such sacrifice. They were
So ambitious for her that they had only
reluctantly consented To her engage
meut with Ashley who was one of the
most promising officers 10 the army
Tie described her to me as very femi
nine rerson who had been brought Pr
~ follow gheir slightest wish Cousid
ering this feature q the case I mailed
she letter believing that Lieutenant
Ashley and Miss Barnes would mutu.
ally agree 10 give ID their prospective
uni0u
Two DAYS were required for The mis-
slve to reach it's destination and q re
ply could net De received 10 less than
two days more Meanwhile visited
Ashley twice HE evidently felt easiet
since be had dispatched bis letter con.
sldering tire matter q bis engagement
closed on the 9th day after ] had
sent bis aissive vent TO the hospital
and there found the reply
II was Miss Rarnes herself
The meeting had taken place-for the
ein had arrived several hours before
aud with il had passed that drst shock
ST the coming together of two people
I who had suffered and must continue 70
suffer such an overwhelming misfor
tune Miss Barnes had more nearly
recovered from Il than Ashley. though
now ana again could see tiny wave
/ let's OF something ike happiness pass
I ing over hts face, Miss Barnes WIS
/ bnsvine herself 20 make him more
comfortable. she bad brought with
her certain articles for the purpose. es-
peclally undertaking. which be great
/ lysneeded. and with The help Of q sol
/ dler nurse was putting Il on bin with
10 more conjunction than II she had
been his wife.
Miss Barnes remained with Ashley
until he was sufficiently recovered 70
/ travel. when she took him home with
her. A few months later the war be
ing over. followed Ashley had
/ given 10 to the girl whom he loved and
/ who loved him. aud they were only
/ waiting for me to be present at the
I wedding. Miss Barnes had astouished
! ererr one hy hnvlng her owl way y