Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-07-08
ADOzEN YEARS
AFTER
A Story of West Point
Flirtations
BY EUNIcE BLAKE

Captain Alexander Ainsworth. after
dozen years absence from the Unit
ed States Military academy at West
Point, was ordered there as instructor
in artillery. He was twenty when he
was graduated Now he was approach
ing middle life. The day after his ar
rival, not yet having entered upon his
duties, he strolled about. recalling here
and there scenes and incidents of his
cadet life.
Mounting to old Fort Put, he mused:
"What q day that was when l came
up here with Jennie! How my heart
warmed toward herl I can smell this
minute the delicate perfume there was
about her. / can feel the silken soft
ness Of her sleeve, the sweet touch Of
her fingers when mine came in contact
with them. Those beautiful blue eyes!
How confidingly, how lovingly they
looked into mine"
Descending, he crossed the plain and
soon found himself on Filtration walk.
Again he unused: ut was right here in
this little recess when with Belle I
stopped to tell her that / loved her
She knew what was coming and look
ed out on the river and the hills be-
yond, waiting for me to speak. told
her that, though we had met but
week before, l had come to love her
with an unquenchable fame. 1 re-
member that at the time the word un-
quenchable seemed to me very well
chosen. l was then a yearling with
nearly three years of study before me.
What mattered 1t? We were In the
summer encampment with little to do
but make love to the girls who had
sprung up ali over the Point like dai-
sizes in the sweet springtime. In Sep
TENDER they vanished, and we were
again grinding away at our books"
He returned to the plain and strolled
past the monument to the West Point
graduates who had fallen in the war
and. standing on the declivity directly
north of 1t, looked out upon that view
up the Hudson river. as beautiful II
not more beautiful than any In Amer
ica.
ut was right here that I stood with
Alice Ward on that moonlight night Of
the day l graduated. My cadet days
were over, and / was an officer In the
army. But the boy had not yet all got
out Of me. had been sitting on the
porch Of the hotel with Alice. There
were a dozen other couples there, and
to escape the clatter Of tongues I pro-
posed walk in the moonlight We
came here and stood looking out on
this very view. though then instead of
flashing in the sun 1t was mellowed by
moonlight I should have known bet
ter this time. / was Of age. I did
know better. but failed to act on that
knowledge. drew her to me and
kissed her."
The blood Of shame mounted to his
cheek when he remembered that he
had told her she was the only girl he
had ever loved
But" he added. though / did not
know 1t at the time, 1t was the truth"
He turned away from the scene be-
fore him. taking the path that led
around by the officers quarters. On
the way he met lady with boy Eve
or six years old, the child running
about chattering to his mother. The
lady was the wife Of one stationed at
tn. Point and. recognizing an officer
by his uniform, bowed to him. He
| doffed his hat and said:
II presume. madam, you are one Of
our army family here?"
II am"
II have just arrived after an absence
Of twelve years"
you are Captain Ainsworth?"
81 am"
II have heard of your coming. We
keep posted on the changes as they
occur You relieve Lieutenant Wa
tiers, believer
II do"
docs the Point look the same to you
as when you left itY'
"West Point can never change,
| though its buildings may. have been
visiting old haunts."
'Indeedr'
Eyes. / first visited Fort Put I re-
membered being up there once with a
very lovely girl"
"She was
"Her name was Jennie Upon my
word, my memory Is getting shakyw
WAS 1t MarstonT
'Marston! Certainly! How names
do fail US when we try to recall them!
Did you know herr
"She has always been an intimate
| friend Of mine"
Us she married?" asked Ainsworth,
assuming an anxious look.
| "Oh. yes; she's married. but II re-
| quired some time for her to get over
| that visit to Fort Putr
You don't mean It'll That was the
| episode Of my life. Butt was moth.
ing but plebe."
| Jennie was verr young too. She Ia
happily married now"
Il 4