Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-07-15
YEARS
AFTER
A Story of West Point
FlirtatiOnS
BY OUNCE BLAKE

a 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 Il day that was when / came
up here with Jennie! How my heart
warmed toward her! 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 confdingly, how lovingly they
looked into miner
Descending. he crossed the plain and
soon found himself on Filtration walk
Again he unused: 1T was right here III
this little recess when with Belle |
stopped to tell her that I 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 a
week before. l had come to love her
with an unquenchable flame. l re-
member that at the time the word I'M
quenchable seemed to me very we'll
chosen. | was then a yearling with
nearly three years Of study before me.
What mattered it? We were in the
summer encampment with little to do
but make love to the girls who had
sprung up all over the Point like dali
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 Vest Point
graduates who had fallen In the war
and. standing on the decHvity directly
north of it, looked out upon that view
up the Hudson river, as beautiful II
lot more beautiful than any in Amer
lea. ~
1T was right here that stood with
the day l graduated My cadet days
were over, and I was an officer in the
army But the boy had not yet all go,
out of me. | had been sitting on the
porch Of the hotel with Alice. There
were a dozen other couples there, anC
to escape the clatter of tongues pro
posed a walk in the moonlight. We
came here and stood looking out or
this very view, though then instead OIL
flashing in the sun it was mellOWed by
moonlight. l should have known bet
ter this time. | was Of age. l die
know better, but I failed to act on tina
knowledge I drew her to me an(
kissed her"
The blood of shame mounted to his
cheek when he remembered that ht
had told her she was the only girl ht
had ever loved
But" he added. though 1 did no
know it at the time, it was the truth"
He turned away from the scene be
fore him. taking the path that lee
around by the officers quarters. o.
the way he met a lady with boy fiv'
or six years old. the child runnin.
about chattering to his mother. Tn
lady was the wife of one stationed a
the Point and. recognizing an Office
by his uniform. bowed to him. 81
DOTTED his hat and said:
Il presume. madam, you are one o
our army family here?"
Il am"
~ have just arrived after an absenc
of twelve years."
You are Captain Ainsworth?'
II am
II have heard of your coming W
keep posted on the changes as the
occur. You relieve Lieutenant WI
tiers. believeF'
II do
Docs the Point look the same to 70
as when you left it?'
'West Point can never chang
though it's buildings may. l have bee
visiting old haunts.''
'1ndeedv'
YES I first visited Fort Put. l r
membered being up there once with
very lovely girl"
'She was"-
Her name was jennie Upon q
word. my memory is getting shakyv'
WAS it Marston?'
"Iarston! Certainly! How nam
do fail MS when we try to recall thel
Did you know her%'
"She has always been an intims
friend of mine"
lis she married?" asked Ainswor
assuming an anxious look.
oh. yes; she's married. but it
quired some time for her to get oI
that visit to Fort Putr'
"Yon don't mean it. That was t
episode Of my life Butt was no
ing hut plebe.''
Jennie was very young too. She
happily married now"
she must be an intimate friend
yours
MY husband accuses me Of low
her more than him."