Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-08-24
A TWICE
TOLD TALE
By SADIE oLcon

corps Of cadets and in the evening
strolled up to the West Point hotel
Colonel Beverage had met so many
strangers that he could not remember
them all, though being a prominent
person at West 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
to learning who she was without be-
traying his ignorance. They were soon
seated on aocorner of the 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 it was
possible to get girl of here by her
self and make no end Of love to her"
Il presume, colonel" said the lady,
that you did your share of that sort
Of thing"
eve all did our duty, 1assure you, in
keeping up the credit of the academy
as entertainers"
Ibid you ever make proposition on
this porch?"
THAT is a pointed question, but since
you ask about what occurred twenty
years ago l 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 a new word to apply to a
woman"
at expresses exactly what she was
to me-"
do you remember on what part Of
the portico this interesting scene took
placer"
Remember! shall never forget.
1t was in this very corner
"Were you accepted?"
ION the contrary, my proposal was
received with 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 proposal means moth
ing
Mine meant good deal, but it's re-
cepttOn took me fiat aback. Instead
OF trying to convince her that was In
earnest l forced smile and said:
You top me by one. You have receiv-
ed four proposals. have made but
three
again came that laugh. though now
1t seemed to me that there was mock
cry in it. was quite sure the girl be-
neved that there was something Sc
r1ous in what l had said to her and
was enjoying the stab she was giving
me. Naturally endeavored to conceal
the fact that l was In earnest by
swearing in heroic manner that
loved her and her only and would new.
er love any other woman And Nhat
was the truth. though intended she
should consider 1t mere gallantry. 1
have never married and will never
marry" -.'...-.~--..-.
The lady was silent for time, seem
mgly impressed by this onesided ro-
noASC. icSeullv sue Salu.
May not the girl have received your
proposition as she did because Of the
reputation cadets have for making love
to pass the time?"
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?'
"She was very young, l presume"
Eighteen"
"And you?"
twenty-five. 1t was the year was
graduated"
After brief silence the lady con-
t1nued: ut seems to me, colonel that
considering the reputation cadets have
or at least had when you We're cadet,
you should not have considered your
rejection necessarily as a true express
sion of this young girls feelings. You
should have tried again.
II was ordered to the western coast;
she remained in the east"
II see. How many such cases there
are in the world! Two hearts meet
and mingle. Before there can be a
proper understanding between them
they are spirited apart, perhaps to the
opposite ends of the earth And even
when there is such an understanding it
requires no great shock to break it,
''You are assuming that the girl, had
she believed in my sincerity. would
have reciprocated"
THAT she alone knows"
AT this point the tete-a-tete was in
terrupted by friends of both the colo
mel and the lady.
Are You two trying to fancy your
selves back in your flirting days?'
asked one of the newcomers.
II have enjoyed very pleasant chat
about old times replied the colonel.
"If it were when Miss Thurston was
eighteen you would surely not escape
Il