The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-21
A CASE OF
CONSTANCY
By ETHEL HOLMES

The attention OF the people or tn
United States was concentrated oil
preparations for an entrance into thu
great worlds war. Mothers were Civ
ing UP their sons. young wives thei
husbands and girls their lovers. Tit
chief places of interest were the camps
where officers were being trained t
command the expeditonary forces thai
were to be sent to the theater Of war.
"Auntie," said Miss Lucy Marston, q
girl Of seventeen, take me to Camp
-. don't care to go to the seashore
as usual, this summer. should die
Of snnui. I want to go where they
are drilling these young men who are
to be captains and lieutenants In the
army that is going abroad"
Auntie was Miss Edith Sands, q
maiden lady of thirty-three who had
been a belle In her day and whose
beauty had ripened rather than de-
cayed. She consented to chaperon her
niece to 4 summer inn not far from
Camp -, and since they went there
in their car they were within striking
distance OF the drill grounds Of 1000
or 1900 young men who were being
turned from citizens into soldiers. Miss
Marston was looking for a romance;
Miss Sands was interested principally
In putting her niece In the way Of
one.
The ladies' arrived at the inn in time
for dinner and proposed to visit the
camp the next day. While they were
sitting ON the porch an officer in the
uniform of a major OF infantry drove
up to the inn, alighted and during the
evening took a seat near them.
ASK him." said Lucy to her aunt,
Eat what hour they admit visitors to
the camp"
Miss Sands asked the oficer the ques-
ton. At tho sound of her voice he
turned at once toward her. After he
had given her the information she de-
sired she remarked that she felt at
home among army people, since she
had as young girl visited West Point
and there met great many officers
and their families.
How about cadets" asked the
major.
II also met q number of those young
men who in July and August OF each
year turn their attention from their
military studies to preying upon the
hearts Of the girls who invade the acad-
envy grounds at that season. The
standard Of honor In other respects Is
80 high that they strike an average by
letting 1t down to zero In their affairs
Of the heart"
II will admit" replied the major,
"that among young persons there is
less care exercised In avoiding damage
in that respect, but 1 doubt If there is
any more blame to be attached to the
cadets of West Point than other men.
Besides, I believe the girls who go
there are as inclined to heart smash
ing as the young men"
Miss Lucy Marston was disappointed
In her visit to Camp for the reason
that the young men being trained |
there were SO busy with their work |
or so tired when they got any leisure
that they had no time for entertaining |
visitors. Major Rathbone, however, |
found opportunity to visit Miss Sands |
and quite often spent an evening with
her on the porch of the inn, occasion
ally bringing with him some one from |
the camp to entertain her niece, for |
the major preferred having Miss Sands
TO himself, which he could not do I'M
less Lucy were provided for
There was something In Miss Sands
that drew the major, something that
of his youth. 1t seemed that
her voice reminded him Of some Of the
many girls with whom he had asso-
ciated long ago. Then, too, there was
I certain toss Of her head that suggest
ed to him some girl who In that way /
dissent The major was fall
Ing In love with Miss Sands. and he
could not tell whether he was drawn
10 q handsome maiden lady or the
of one he had known In the
past.
Major Rathbone proposed to Miss
Sands, and when he did SO she thus ;
replied:
Il assure you, major, that feel high .
y honored by this second proposal of
yours and am quite sure
Second proposal" :
Yes. Yos proposed to me Just !.
weive years ago this summer on the
,orch of the West Point hotel"
The major was equal to the occa-
ion.
From my first meeting you here" n
le said, II felt that had loved you t
md that / was true to that love. / 70
ave proved by this second proposal t
hat constsncy which is conspicuous Q
mong the officers of the United States p
rmy." q
The lady laughed. O
And you have also proved that as "
trance. that readiness. that resource il
whatever you choose to call it-which Al
J also conspicuous among the officers
the United States army in extricat-
IL yourself from a dilemma"
do you mean TO say" he rejoined, "
that you considered West Point pro- :.
osal of a cadet bona flde?"
1T matters not whether it is bona .
de or not provided one OF the par
es to the affair is disposed to consid- y
: it So"
There was just enough OF feeling in =
er voice as she said this to convince o
IN rnaior that she was referring 70 | u