El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-05-23

some exercises to mark the closing OF
the season were held at the school,
Fremont was taken along as II he was
one Of the family
BENTON girl. but he had no eyes for her
after seeing Jessie, the school girl
Jessie was then fifteen ana JUST IN the
bloom of her girlish beauty. Fremont
thought he had never seen more
beautiful girl; Jessie thought she had
never met a more interesting or fas-
Months passed, in which the school
girl and the young engineer eXcnansed
many letters, precise ana suited TO
begin with, but gradually becoming
affectiouaue and confidential me
school closed and Jessie came home
She had not been back many DAYS be-
fore Mrs. Benton knew the state OF
the girls mind. And she knew. too,
how things stood with Fremont
Mrs. Benton was panic stricken She
had a horror Of the army ana had re-
fused 10 marry colonel Benton until
he had given up his commission She
thought, too. that Jessie was TOO young
to marry even II Fremont happened
TO be an eligible, but to have her child
become wife AT fifteen. and especial
" the wife Of an army man, whose
ambition was TO 90 into the unchar-
tered wilds and explore parts of the
world the white man knew little or
nothing Of-that was unthinkab bic.
Senator Benton viewed the situation
more calmly, but with no less opposi-
ton He looked up FremOnt's record.
It was pretty good, but not spOteSs.
While attending the Charleston college
he had been mixed up in an affair with
a West Indian girl whose raven black
hair and soft, black eyes so charmed
him that he set college rules at de-
fianCe. was absent for days at a time
with the girl and finally was expelled.
Then he had gone on the sloop Of war
Natchez as a teacher of mathematics
and a cruise of two and a half years
had tanned him somewhat The cruise
over. the wanderlust that seemed to be
bred into his bone through the long
drawn out nomad honeymoon OF his
parents, led him to Join a party eX-
plOrinC the mountain passes Of the
Appalachian range for a route for
railroad to the west Then he had
gone on an expedition TO the upper
reaches Of the Mississippi and over the
northwestern prairies I'm the govern
ment party under NicOllet
Senator Benton was not pleased TO
find that Nicollet depended largely on
Fremont for reducing TO map form the
great mass OF material the expedition
ence in Washington for two years as
Of great Importance.
4 Mysterious Order.
Two years! The idea appalled, Mrs.
Benton Fremont had 10 be driven
out Of Washington within two weeks
or she feared for her precious child
Mrs. Benton had talked with Jessie.
and the head of the foolish girl was
filled with the romance OF her love az
fair. The girl, with all the filial love
she bore her parents, still held true
TO the idea that her whole future was
wrapped up in that OF John c. Ere
mont. Argument that she was too
young TO marry had no avail She
was willing TO wait. but she must not
be separated from him She must see
him every dav-preferably twice
dav or three times a day.
The senator went TO Fremont and
had a heart to heart talk with him
Few men could talk better than Ben
ton. but he wasted his time I'm trying
n convince the young engineer a
wife Of fifteen did not seem too young
10 Fremont He was sure that he
loved Jessie with a love undyins and
delay and postpOnement would only
make them unhappy. They were will
ing TO make their own way in the
world He had little or nothing. but
Jessie was willing to accent what fate
had in store for them. He personally
had no doubt Of climbing TO high
rank in the army II fate were not un-
kind TO him.
The senator reported 10 his wife
that he could do nothing further. His
wife. however. promptly demonstrated
70 him that he was mistaken and that
day mysterious but positive orders
were received by Lieut. John G