The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-08-07
A TWICE
TOLD TALE
BY SADIE oLcoTT

AAARs VI NHt tNt4llhN
strolled up 10 the West Point hotel.
Colonel Beverage had met so many
strangers that he could not remember
them all, though being a prominent
person at IVES. Point he was himself
remembered. A maiden lady who was
nearing the close OF her fourth decade
nodded to him. Not being able to
place her. he Joined her. with a view
10 learning who she was without be-
traying his ignorance. They were soon
seated on corner of tho porch, and
the colonel opened the conversation.
There is far denser crowd than
that TO be found here in June when
was cadet The youngsters don't
have the opportunity to spoon here
that we had In those days II was
possible to get a girl of here by her
self and make no end of love TO her"
II presume, colonel" said the lady.
that you did your share of that sort
of thing"
Eve all did our duty, assure you, In
keeping up the credit of the academy
as entertainers.
did you ever make proposition on
this porch?"
THAT is pointed question, but since
you ask about what occurred twenty
years ago I presume there is nothing
indicate In acknowledging that
did"
WAS the girl attractive or was It
the surroundings rather than her per
sonality that moved your"
"She was delicious"
That's new word to apply to a
woman
1T expresses exactly what she was
TO me-"
"Do you remember on what part of
the portico this interesting scene took
placer
Remember! I shall never forget
1t was in this very corner"
Were you accepted"
"On the contrary, my proposal was
received with a merry laugh You
cadets she said, are incorrigible
Yours is the fourth proposal have re-
ceived since l have been here. West |
Point is the only place In the world, l |
believe, where a proposal means moth |
ing
Mine meant good deal but Its re
ceptien took me fiat abaek Instead |
of trying to convince her that was in
earnest | forced a smile and said
You top me by one. You have receiv-
ed four proposals. l have made but
three
Again came that laugh, though now
1t seemed to me that there was mock
cry In 1t. I was quite sure the girl be-
lieved that there was something Sc
rious In what | had said to her and
was enjoying the stab she was giving
me. Naturally endeavored to conceal
the fact that / was in earnest by
swearing In a heroic manner that ]
loved her and her only and would new.
er love any other woman And that
was the truth, though | intended she
should consider 1t mere gallantry.
have never married and Will never
marry"
The lady was silent for time SEEM
ingly impressed by this onesided ro-
nance Presently she said:
May not the girl have received your
proposition as she did because Of the
reputation cadets have for making love
to pass the timer
Perhaps she did not take me seri-
ously. But l had done all could do
In the matter. | had offered her my
love and my hand. She had laughed
at me. What else could do but laugh
back T.
"she was very young, presume.
Eighteen"
"And your"
Twenty-Five. 1t was the year was
After brief silence the lady con-
tinued: 1T seems to me, colonel, that,
the reputation cadets have
Or at least had when you were a cadet,
you should not have considered your
rejection necessarily as a true express
sion of this young girls feelings. You
should have tried again"
Il was ordered to the western coast;
The remained In the east"
Il see. How many such cases there
ire In the world, Two hearts meet
md mingle. Before there can be a
proper understanding between them
hey are spirited apart, perhaps to the
opposite ends Of the earth. And even
when there Is such an understanding It
'equires no great shock to break It."
You are assuming that the girl, had
The believed in my sincerity, would
lave reciprocated."
THAT she alone knows"
At this point the tete-a-tete was in
by friends of both the colo
el and the lady.
Are you two trying TO fancy your
elves back in your flirting days."
sked one of the newcomers
Il have enjoyed a very pleasant chat
bout old times" replied the colonel.
IF it We're when Miss Thurstun was
ighteen you would surely not escape
nscathed. She was considered then
he most incorrigible fiirt who ever
Dooned on this piazza"
"Madge Thurston!' exclaimed the
olonel.
What followed IS not to be described.
hose who had brought about the
enouement did not understand the
Dlonefs CONSERVATION. He had been