Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-12-27
A SENSITIVE
PAIR
D. OLIVE EDNA NAY
Copyright By American Press Asso-
citation. 1871.

| IniS Is story OF the OfQ army IL
| ante civil war times.
Among the graduates or the West
Point Military academy class Of 49,
| was Paul Lambert. He was adjufant
of the corps. which Is prominent
position among the cadets. and wa
graduated In the engineers. There
was present ct the graduating exer-
cises that year Florence Rutherford, Z
young lady equally prominent with
Lambert The two had met there In
June once before and had been much
together
Perhaps there y no place more con-
ducive to lovemaking than q military
post, and for the purpose West Point
stands prs-eminent on account Of the
youth Of those assembled The cadets
are in camp near the hotel. and when
they are on leave couples may be
seen on the piazza or starting up 10
old Fort Putnam or down Filtration
walk-indeed. anywhere they like
within bounds"
Paul Lambert and Florence Ruther-
ford were one Of these couples and
much observed for their physical beau
ty. As soon a. Lambert was given
his commission be made proposition
Of marriage to Miss Rutherford He
had been in doubt as to his acceptance,
for the girl. though she permitted his
attentions whenever he talked spoon"
Ito use slang phrase-was very
chary Of response. But every lover
Is In doubt until he receives a con-
sent. Lambert when he was refused
received as great blow as II he had
been sure Of an acceptance.
The girl was very conscientious and
the man very sensitive. She took too
much pains In interrogating her feel
ings. and he attached too much Inn
portance to her refusal Had he per
severed she would have yielded But
our paths in life are determined often
by some small incident. The worlds Of
these two persons were determined by
Lambert's failure to ask the same
.question twice. A consent upon the sec
ond asking would have made him In
expressibly happy. The reason be did
not ask again was because be had
been 30 sure Of himself that he con-
sidered that the girl could not fail to
recognize her own feelings. Had she
felt toward him AZ he felt toward her
there could be no installing the emo
ton.
The consequence Of this reasoning
on both sides was that two persons
who seemed to have been made for
each other were kept apart and con-
sequently entered upon lives the honey
Of which had been extracted. LAM
bert never dreamed that Miss Ruther-
ford regretted her decision the mo-
ment it had been made. and she could
not understand how. II he loved her.
he shoulds be content without her.
And II he was not content without her
he must surely try to win her. This
similar reasoning in each. though
nothing in itself. served to make a
chasm between them.
Five years passed. during which mel
Their Of the lovers married. Then Miss
Rutherford. being assured by friend
Of Lambert that he would never
marry. taking the reason for granted.
wrote her lover note. reopening the
case.
INT vhst ~. her surpri.. u "a
49,. ,.s.,,.- ,rra-,r~ -h.t ~ ~
sntsnded an nor nr,ds rsvolted =
h.vipr - dam..ra,, her.e,f aha con.
.sderad that 80 ma hon .arvad
,r,vht so- .tt.mrt,rc - -.csu . man
.he had refr.ed ana she aid not
h.me MIN Ia h.v,r~ decl,re1 what
- y,rtn.,,v ~ o6er
Nothinc conld have haen more torch.
inr th.n the not. Written nv famhert
There ~. rho same melancholy q 4
- mad .hovn ev.r .,rc. ~ had heer
refueed He Ala not refer - that -
nn.sI 8 ~. con..cn.nce. NJ REFERRED
- ME- a. ,nernressiblv derressinr n
~ r,.e hrt m.d. No irtsmstfon = =
n. r.uss H.A \. nor. e a vnu,d
A.va l.et . iccrtc,. -. .rcthor rcrn.