Trooper Tales — page 98: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

88 Two Women and a Soldier. I cannot help it. There was a time when I laughed at anybody who spoke of a love, strong and sweet and pure. A man who sears and bruises his conscience for years cannot tear the callous off in a night. I must be good! I must do something hard! I must get away from Ven- ning, the animal !’’ The young woman’s head drooped toward the ground. The man raised it gently with both his hands upon her cheeks. His whole body seemed to be strained and tense in his effort to control the trembling of his nerves. Only a broken whisper came from his throat now. “To-morrow we leave,’ he continued. “I will not write to you yet. I may never come back to this post or where you are. Little girl, I want you to be the same sweet and pure Nellie who made a man like me love you, and who made a man like me say such things as I have said this night. And remember, had I not spoken such words, my feelings would not be akin to the love which And, Nellie, when I am man enough, you—shall—know— it!’ is sacred and beautiful. The branches of the great tree above them slowly swayed in the night breeze, and their shadowy deeps were full of sighings. The man and the maiden still lingered. There is silence when hearts are speaking. The man dared not touch his lips to those of the maiden, for his strength was only human. The voices of the soldiers in the barracks seemed far away now, and their laughter was hushed. At last there floated out with the radiance from the windows the strains of a mighty melody. The Gomicsooks (EO)