m 
 
 .
 
 
 m
 

 
 TACTICS; 
 
 OK, CUPID IN SHOULDER-STRAPS. 
 
 A WEST POINT LOVE STORY. 
 BY HEARTON DRILLE, U. S. A. 
 
 ; 
 
 " Essay ons." 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 Carleton, Publisher, 413 Broadway. 
 
 M DCCC LXIII.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862, by 
 
 GEO. W. CARLETO2T. 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of 
 iew York.
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 Beneath thy standard, flag of our great Union, 
 With symbols fair, t/te crimson and the white - 
 Of purest love, and brotherly communioti, 
 Whose stars benign, illumine our dark night. 
 Where rush the cohorts like a mountain torrent 
 From every sacred niche in our broad land 
 Washing away in blood, the stain abhorrent 
 On fair Columbia cast, by traitor-band 
 Where gather sister, sweetheart, wife, and mother, 
 Like the true Marys at the holy cross, 
 To offer father, husband, lover, brother, 
 If saved their country, counting gain their loss, 
 Come Love and I to thy beloved altar 
 Dear " Flower Flag? thy graceful folds to hail 
 As our Palladium, and our Gibralter 
 And humbly dedicate to thee our tale.
 
 For the appropriateness of the following beautiful extract from " John 
 Phoenix " as a fitting prelude to this work, I appeal to my readers. 
 
 "II frappe toute (autres) chose parfaitment froid." 
 " It does not depend for its success upon its plot, its theme, its school, 
 or its master, for it has very little if any of them," but upon the forbear- 
 ance of a magnanimous Public. 
 
 " With unbounded respect for everybody," 
 
 The author remains, 
 
 HEABTON DRILLE.
 
 ATTENTION! 
 
 120 = J AUegro. 

 
 '
 
 A I 
 
 TACTICS, 
 
 TITLE FIRST. 
 
 ARTICLE FIRST. 
 
 Formation of a Regiment. 
 
 "ViOLETTA, I have just received a letter from my niece, 
 and look for her here on the 7 o'clock train this evening." 
 
 Mrs. Lieutenant Bobaline opened her large brown eyes 
 uncommonly wide in reply to her husband. 
 
 There was a little fluttering in her throat, and she asked 
 "Who?" 
 
 " Did I not mention it to you ? A letter came some 
 months ago from my sister in San Francisco, saying her 
 eldest daughter would like to visit us. I answered it im- 
 mediately, and told her to come, and had nearly forgotten 
 the affair, when yesterday's mail brought the news, that she 
 will be here this evening, probably." 
 
 A pause : rather embarrassing to the placid mind of 
 Lieutenant Bobaline, while inditing a letter of importance, 
 and he glanced anxiously at his beautiful wife, adding " I 
 thought it quite providential, as I am to be away from you 
 so long, and was sorry to leave you alone." His voice grew 
 very tender. 
 
 Violetta smiled, and he was encouraged to proceed. 
 
 Isagone will be society for you ! " He f said briskly. 
 
 " What is her name ?'" 
 
 " Isagone Smith." 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! what ? " broke nervously from the lady. 
 
 " Isagone Smith ! I don't see anything so very funny 
 in it." He said gravely.
 
 \l Tactics; or, 
 
 " Oh, Adelbert ! Isagone Smith not funny ? " and she 
 smothered something between a sob and a little scream, in 
 her handkerchief. 
 
 Lieutenant Bobaline though usually invulnerable to the 
 sly shafts of his pretty wife, now looked wounded and left 
 the room. Mrs. Bobaline was very greatly astonished at 
 the coolness, as she thought, of her lord's announcement of 
 such shocking news, for she was quite unprepared for the 
 presence of such a stranger in her family. 
 
 Mrs. Smith was the only sister of Lieutenant Bobaline, 
 from whom he had been .separated for many years. The 
 ,chorcl so long silent, vibrated at the first touch, and he was 
 almost childish in his desire to see his sister's daughter. 
 
 He had often spoken of this sister to his young wife, 
 but never of his niece, because he knew nothing about her. 
 Mrs. Smith married while very young, a restless, enterpris- 
 ing man ; consequently he was scarcely at home in one lo- 
 cality, before he bore her away to antipodal regions, till 
 at last he left her a widow, in comfortable circumstances, 
 in the gold country. Lieutenant Bobaline had never seen 
 her since he was a boy. His father and mother died before 
 he was old enough to choose a profession for himself, but he 
 was given to the care of a maternal uncle, who brought 
 him up in a very thorough manner, and procured him an 
 appointment at West Point. The letter concerning Isu- 
 gone was the first intelligence he had had, in many years, 
 from his sister, and thus it came to pass, that the gay mar- 
 ried belle at West Point, had lived, and lost the pleasure 
 of hearing of such a funny name as Isagone Smith. 
 
 Several hours later, Mrs. Bobaline sat at the parlor win- 
 dow, looking out on the mist and rain, when the omnibus 
 drove to the hotel door. A slight figure emerged from it, 
 and the gleaming of the hall lamp revealed a ladv in a 
 travelling suit of green, and a straw hat drawn tightly 
 down with a green veil. Lieutenant Bobaline stepped hasti- 
 ly forward. 
 
 " Isagone ? " 
 
 " Yes, uncle ! " said a low voice.
 
 , Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 13 
 
 He kissed her, and drawing her arm affectionately 
 through his, led her into the hall, and up stairs into his 
 own rooms. 
 
 The crowded hall and parlors, quite stunned the young 
 girl ; and when she was shown into a room lighted only by 
 a coal fire, and found herself alone, she sank on a chair in 
 front of the grate, whose glowing coals threw the rosiest 
 of tints over the pleasant apartment. 
 
 Nearly benumbed with cold and fatigue, she sat staring 
 into the fire slowly pulling off her gloves, when pattering 
 feet and a glare of light, set her heart in wild commotion, 
 she so dreaded to see her aunt. 
 
 Lieutenant Bobaline handed his lady in, in a ceremonious 
 manner " This is Isagone ; Mrs. Bobaline. Kiss your 
 aunt, Isagone, and be a good little girl to her, as I am or- 
 dered away immediately, and you must be her guardian 
 angel till I return." 
 
 Miss Smith timidly touched the delicate cheek, and 
 very gently squeezed the tiny finger tips Madam offered 
 her. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline looked curiously at the shrinking girl, as 
 she unbonneted, and was secretly pleased to see only a 
 meek little face, with a pink sea-shell complexion, quite a 
 contrast to her own brilliant style. 
 
 Mr. Bobaline assisted his niece in a business manner, to 
 show that she was welcome, while his wife walked the 
 floor like an actress, or hurried about the room in an aim- 
 less way wondering what that little " angel " was sent 
 just now for ; she had not reckoned on being at all lonely, 
 she was in no need of a " guardian angel," or of a spy on 
 her every act, either. She sat down and looked appealing- 
 ly at her husband. He understood her look. 
 
 " Adelbert, am I expected to stay up here all the eve- 
 ning and entertain this child ?" His conjugal heart was 
 touched, and he said " Viola dearest, order some supper 
 up here for Isagone, as she is weary, and then she can re- 
 tire when she pleases." Viola was delighted, and descended 
 the stairs with a light step, glad to escape even for a short
 
 14 Tactics; or, 
 
 time from her own thoughts on this new and unwelcome 
 responsibility. 
 
 Poor Mrs. Bobaline, the evening is gone, and where 
 is the parley of the soul, she had promised herself? The 
 evening was gone, and she had only once thought of the 
 little intruder into her pretty boudoir, and her kind lord 
 whom she had left so abruptly to amuse the rural maiden, 
 as she mentally denominated Isagone smiling to think 
 she should certainly find no rival in her. 
 
 The saloon was a brilliant scene, there was music, and 
 dancing, and great merriment, but Viola's eyes roved out 
 of windows, and doors ; she had been " cracking her 
 eye-strings," to catch a glimpse of one, who was not giv- 
 ing a thought to her, 
 
 " So fondly we ourselves deceive, 
 
 And empty hopes pursue ; 
 Though false to others we believe 
 They will to us prove true." 
 
 The foot-steps she listened for came not. Her fancy 
 had taken the reins, not nice in a dignified, high-bred 
 wife, to allow it. She often boasted, " my husband far 
 outshines every other officer on the post, in feature, form, 
 and soul." Yes, but Mrs. Eve, you have been strolling 
 out at eye-gate, and tasted the sweets of flattery, pois- 
 onous sweets ! Ah, Lieutenant Bobaline ! your roman- 
 tic Viola had listened to your low thrilling tones, and high 
 thrilling sentiments, until her warm young imagination 
 had veiled her Mars in a luminous zone, which you had 
 dissolved by becoming a little too matter-of-fact a little 
 matter too soon, when once the possession of the coveted 
 object was " 4 fait accompli ! " Why not have permitted 
 the bright tissue to screen the irregular and variable spots 
 of La Vie by its varying brilliancy ? 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline sought her own room, with a sick heart 
 weary with self-condemnation, and the humiliation that 
 follows it. She stopped at her own door, and wished that 
 Isagone was gone to her mother, safely, snugly, lodged in
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 15 
 
 her maternal arms, in San Francisco nothing wicked in 
 that. Alack ! there she was incarnate ! She had retired 
 " when she pleased " and was now sleeping timorously 
 as if conscious that unloving eyes rested on her face, 
 and a little double-and-twisted sigh escaped through her 
 parted lips, then came a light over her face a smiling, 
 speaking look, as if she were back again in the nest-full of 
 warm young hearts, throbbing with kindred love for her. 
 Alas, they were far away ! and would wait her coming 
 for many a weary day. Mrs. Bobaline gazed long and 
 curiously at the fair childish face, then softly turnh 
 saw four or five trunks piled up in the room. 
 
 " What in the world can this child have in these 
 trunks? How long can she be thinking of staying," 
 she queried. She quietly left the room, closed her own 
 door, and sat down to wonder. Wonder first. Had any 
 one in the world been as miserable that evening as she 
 thought herself? Wonder second. Where had every body 
 been ? to her the whole house was empty. Wonder 
 third. Why did Lieutenant Mera seem to be laughing at 
 her? Wonder fourth. What did Lieutenant Mera know 
 about Miss Smith ? He had asked if she had arrived. 
 But sleep stole in and closed her wondering eyes, and 
 smoothed her polished brow.
 
 *r 
 
 16 Tactics ; or, 
 
 ARTICLE SECOND. 
 Posts of Officers. 
 
 IN a room in the west tower of " Barracks," lay an of- 
 ficer asleep. His head was resting on his dog, a hound of 
 great size and beauty. Under him was a white bear-skin 
 robe thrown on the floor. His repose was the fading of a 
 waking revery into a soft dream, a delicious unconcious- 
 ness and forgetfulness of those unpleasant intruders called 
 compunctions, which usually gave color to his day-dreams 
 
 not always rainbow-hued. He thought he was weary 
 
 yes, he was weary of a hollow-hearted world. Was 
 he less hollow-hearted ? Weary of aspirations unrealized 
 after Fame the cheat ! After Virtue, " one of the 
 worshippers of whom, he was not which," a lady he would 
 not make one sacrifice to woo after the " ignis faluus, 
 happiness," as he growled many times a day. Yes, he was 
 tired of society, whose flatteries sickened him, as sweets 
 cloy the appetite of the child. Society, false to all its 
 promises, and stealing that which it cannot give again 
 peace of mind. 
 
 " Societj, that polished horde, 
 Formed of two mighty tribes. 
 The bores, and bored." 
 
 He was weary, weary of solitude and himself. 
 Who could read this in the satirical curl on the lip of 
 Lieutenant Saberiu? In his careless indifferent morning 
 carol 
 
 ' To ladies* eyes a round, boys, 
 
 We can't refuse, we can't refuse ; 
 Tho' bright eyes so abound, boys, 
 
 'Tia hard to choose, 'tis hard to choose ! "
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 17 
 
 In his princely manner to the great world, in his gra- 
 cious deferential bearing where he most despised in his 
 apparent self-forgetfulness, and abandon, at the nightly rev- 
 els of the officers. Among these he was styled " a splen- 
 did fellow ! " The ladies flattered, and caressed him. In 
 short all the world spoiled Lieutenant Saberin. His rooms 
 bore witness to this. Every niche was filled with rare 
 gifts he had graciously accepted ; curiously carved camp- 
 chest, and buffet, Bohemian glass, Dresden china, caps and 
 slippers -quite enough for a Chinese museum. Books, 
 papers, letters, gloves, pipes, tobacco, fresh and faded 
 flowers, made a tout-ensemble quite irresistible to the 
 bachelor officers. 
 
 Now, the grate was heaped with bright red coals, im- 
 parting cheerfulness to the room on this chilly May after- 
 noon, and casting a hue, rich and golden, over the light 
 brown hound, and dark brown head of the officer, that 
 rested on the neck of the dog. Over the mantle-piece 
 hung a painting of a scene in Florida, on the shelf below 
 a pencilling of his dog, a cigar-case, a pair of spurs, a 
 bunch of faded flowers, Weimer, his man, had held more 
 sacred than his master lifting and carefully replacing 
 them every time he dusted where more than a month 
 ago, they were thrown, after a party, without one thought 
 to the giver, though so humbly begged for with vows to 
 keep them always ; and they were kept longer than most 
 flowers are under like circumstances. 
 
 The sleeper was aroused by a fierce growl from his 
 dog. " Be quiet Burns ! " came in just as fierce a growl 
 from the round white throat, that could utter such touch- 
 ingly tender tones. 
 
 The door was opened. 
 
 " Hallo ! Did I awaken you, Saberin ? I declare, I can 
 always tell when you are asleep, by the growling of 
 Burns, twice as fierce as usual, which is quite superflu- 
 ous ! " 
 
 The speaker, a short, dark-eyed, and dark-hued, person,
 
 18 Tactics; or, 
 
 with a most dignified air, took a slow march across the 
 room to the fire, turned, and surveyed Saberin. 
 
 ** Xot a had picture, old fellow ! Why don't you be 
 done in that style ? The Professor could turn you to 
 some account then ! Call it Fidelity and Infidelity. 
 Would not Madame B. send to Florida to " papa " for a 
 cool thousand to secure the gem ? Ha ! ha ! " 
 
 Saberin stretched himself patted Burns, and arose. 
 ^.fter lighting his pipe, he seated himself, elevated his heels 
 on the table, " On the same line, as near each other, as 
 the conformation of the man would permit, feet turned out 
 equally, and forming with each other something less than 
 a right angle." 
 
 " Take a cigar, Mera ; and tell one if you think there 
 is a possibility of getting a few days' leave ? I am con- 
 foundedly tired of this place, and everything in it ex- 
 cept Burns," and he pulled the ears of the affectionate 
 creature, who was fawning on him. 
 
 " The deuce ! Saberin blue ? that's a rich joke ! I 
 did not know you thought the worlds, 'and all that in 
 them is,' of enough consequence, to induce you to shorten, 
 or prolong, one of those lovely whifts ! Is Miss Kilman- 
 segg unkind ? Never mind, let's sing, " Ach, Gretchen, 
 mein taubchen," and only light up one taper at a time. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin sat with closed eyes like one in a 
 trance. Lieutenant Mera resumed, 
 
 " Mrs. Captain Morton, gives a party next week, what 
 would she do without you ? She would certainly postpone 
 it?indefinitely ; and Miss Dora McFlimsey stands ready to 
 dance her feet off, if you will only encourage her : and 
 and ' oh no we'll never mention her!' I'll just toast 
 the bright-eyed one, in some of your 1776." And he 
 rose and went to the buffet, poured out some brandy 
 rai.-ed it to his lips, and said, " here's to " 
 
 He stopped " Jack was embarrassed, never hero more, 
 and, as he knew not what to say, he swore." 
 
 It might have been the lack of a ready toast, or was 
 it only the Indian hue of the rich southern blood that
 
 Cupid in ShonMer-Straps, 19 
 
 coursed in his veins ? Very dark he looked, as the dark 
 words fell from his compressed lips. So Lieutenant Sabe- 
 ine thought, (not said) as he rose. u I am going 
 to get my leave to-night, if I can, and I will go to-morrow 
 to the city. Will you walk round to the Colonel's with 
 me ? " and he regarded Lieutenant Mera as if he thought 
 him drunk, or crazy. 
 
 " Certainly, certainly, Saberin but t'were better not 
 
 to go, man ! Bobaline expects his niece to-night, he told 
 me, and we can happen into the parlor, and play a game 
 of Boston, and see what she is like." 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin drew his brows together to make 
 Lieutenant Mera out. He had never seen him excited as 
 he seemed to-night. Lieutenant Mera usually so placid ! 
 What had come over the man ! His loss of toast and tem- 
 per could he be jealous of him about Mrs. Bobaline? 
 He sneered at the thought. Lieutenant Saberin had 
 known Mrs. Bobaline when a Florida belle. Lieutenant Me- 
 ra, and he, were ordered at the same time, to a post where 
 her father, a surgeon in the army, was stationed. She was 
 then engaged to the good practical man she afterward 
 married, but, " the trail of the serpent," must glisten on 
 the pansies, and heliotropes, and where the flower-of-love 
 lies-bleeding, in that Eden too. The handsome Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin arrived, and she fell in love, at first sight. 
 He was equally smitten, and hunted, fished, rode, and 
 walked with her, enjoying her wit and beauty greatly. 
 She was in love with him then, and now that she showed 
 such marked preference for his society, had he not a per- 
 fect right to be polite to her ? He tore the bit of cigar in 
 his fingers, to pieces, but Lieutenant Mera who stood look- 
 ing at him, little dreamed what was passing in his mind. 
 He frowned and curled his lips. He would have none of 
 Lieutenant Mera's interference and he would give him 
 trouble the first lady he saw him take a fancy to. Such 
 were his amiable thoughts. He turned suddenly on his 
 heel, they left the room together, and walked in silence to 
 the Colonel's door. He obtained a leave, and parting from
 
 20 Tactics; or, 
 
 Mem, said gaily, as if in answer to the proposition he had 
 made before they came out, " I thank you, Mera, I'll 
 leave Madam Bobaline, and Miss what's her name to 
 your tender mercies, deal gently." Lieutenant Mera 
 looked as if he would like to demolish him but he did 
 not. Lieutenant Saberin turned his sweetest smile on 
 him, as he said, good-night ! 

 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 21 
 
 ARTICLE THIRD. 
 Posts of Field Officers. 
 
 LIEUTENANT Saberin, in order to keep away from 
 Lieutenant Mera " cut tea," and going to his room, sat 
 down to plan what he would do in the city. He drew 
 his vade mecum, as he called his porte monnaie, from his 
 pocket to make an entry, when out fell a lovely little note, 
 he had received that morning. It was written in a lovely 
 little hand. Lieutenant Saberin had been for years rath- 
 er in the flowery toils of a very sweet village maiden 
 she had been a schoolmate of his, when he was a beauti- 
 ful ingenuous boy. Now, he would consider such a man as 
 he, too stupendous a sacrifice at such a shrine. He could 
 not afford to marry so recklessly, though he loved her 
 heaven only knew how dearly ! and regretted the necessity 
 of such a course, but " was it not kinder to gradually 
 drop the correspondence between them ? " and she was too 
 delicate, had too much pride to annoy him ! He had 
 gently checked her warmth by not writing to her, but 
 within the past few months, some sweet little pieces of 
 poetry had come to him through the mail, in which, though 
 prettily disguised, he could trace the graceful Italian hand 
 he had so often seen before. Yes, scores of pretty note- 
 lets had he carried home in his book-satchel, when happi- 
 ness put wing on his little heels. 
 
 Let us read over Lieutenant Saberin's shoulder. It 
 has no signature within lies the minnie ball ! He 
 glanced at the note and examined his pockets for one he 
 had received a month ago but as it was only poetry
 
 22 Tactics ; or, 
 
 he did not spend his time reading it now, he wished to 
 compare notes. 
 
 TO LIEUTENANT SABERIN OP WEST POINT. 
 
 *Na-gah-moo ! my lodge is lonely ! 
 
 The night wind's whisper in the pines 
 Sings to me only ! 
 
 No joy is mine, 
 
 Dear, Na-gah-moo ! 
 
 Na-gah-moo ! my sweet voiced loyer, 
 
 Spring's soft wind, 
 And love-notes hover 
 
 O'er tMe-Me's mind, 
 
 For Na-gah-moo ! 
 
 Na-gah-moo ! my lodge is lonely ! 
 
 No love-lit eye 
 "Warms Me-Me ! only 
 
 The watch-dog's cry, 
 Howls, Na-gah-moo. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin paused, and the words of one of 
 her songs, came to his mind. 
 
 " As he pauses awhile in the hush of some hour, 
 
 Its tones will come o'er him, and prove 
 That the strife of the world cannot smother the power 
 Of the song that breathes ever of love ! 
 Still love ! " 
 
 A great round tear lay like a diamond on the cheek of 
 the calculating man of the world. He unfolded the last 
 note, for there was something very delightful, and fascina- 
 ting, in the new sensations he was experiencing some- 
 thing akin to the pleasing pain the pilgrim feels, when do- 
 ing penance for his sins, he opened the second note. 
 
 Suddenly, loud voices were heard on the stairs, giving 
 sign that his sanctum was invaded. He deliberately fold- 
 ed the notes, put them into his pocket, and was sleeping in 
 his chair. 
 
 * Na-gah-moo, the Indian for " sweet-voice." 
 . t Indian name for " dove."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 
 
 ARTICLE FOURTH. 
 
 Regimental staff. 
 
 FOUR or five officers, entered Lieutenant Saberin 's 
 room, all laughing and talking at once. He looked up 
 pleasantly, and vowed he had pined for them, for the last 
 three hours. Would they help themselves to seats, etc., or 
 give him the extreme pleasure of helping them. 
 
 They would help themselves, to whatever his poor quar- 
 ters afforded. 
 
 Lieutenant Alton, " a sweet young officer," as the la 
 dies called him, walked to the cigar-case, took a cigar 
 lighted it, and sat down. Lieutenant Storme, set himself 
 to do the honors of the toddy-glasses. Lieutenant Mera, 
 leaned on the mantle-piece, and looked at the Florida scene. 
 
 Lieutenant Alton gave two or three whiffs, and address- 
 ed Lieutenant Saberin. " I can tell you we have had a 
 stunning time this evening, at Tutes ! The young ladies 
 are charming. That Miss Nora Kearney, Storme, that 
 you stormed, is a perfect little beauty ; and my girl is tre- 
 men-dous ! Why, she started me on mathematics, and for 
 
 a while I was Alton, but she veered into the 
 
 science of metempsychosis, which you are probablv aware 
 is not included in the branches taught at this life-taking 
 institution, and when the accomplished scholar, and gentle- 
 man, Lieutenant Mera, came to my rescue, I was reduced 
 to the uttermost farthing." 
 
 "What is her name ? " asked Lieutenant Saberin. 
 
 " Xora Kearney," shouted Lieutenant Storme. 
 
 " Look here, my dear fellow, your head is not quite 
 straight, I fear you have tested the toddy too often ; we 
 were speaking of t'other Tutes," laughed Lieutenant Mera.
 
 24 Tactics; or, 
 
 " O, Miss Bessy Kearney, you mean, pardon me, I 
 could not understand any one speaking of Miss Bessy, the 
 same day they saw Miss Nora." 
 
 The toddy made, they all sat down around the table. 
 Lieutenant Burlyton joined the party, and at three o'clock 
 they still sat, smoking, drinking, and playing. Songs were 
 sung, toasts drank, stories told some that had better re- 
 mained untold. 
 
 At four o'clock, good-night was said, by some, in a most 
 pathetic manner, sung by others, very tragically ; by 
 all, in a way that would have astonished the performers the 
 next morning. Dreams after such revels, are never rosy- 
 hued, so you will please permit me to refer you to Robert 
 Burns, Esquire, for a description of the flights those young 
 men took on ebon mares, ' fu ' fast that night, and the 
 consequent fatigue, and disgust that half past seven o'clock, 
 brought them. Ugh ! 
 
 " 0, what noble minds were here o'erthrown ! 
 Like sweet bells jangled out of time and harsh ! "
 
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 25 
 
 ARTICLE FIFTH. 
 
 Command*. 
 
 LIEUTENANT Saberin's sudden determination to get a 
 leave, was not simply an impulse without an object, as he 
 had wished Lieutenant Mera to understand, but was in 
 obedience to the following " commands." 
 
 NEW ORLEANS, May 
 
 Dear Old Saber 
 
 I write on " the eve of my mar- 
 riage," as novelists and poets would say ! yes, to-morrow 
 promotes me to the captaincy of one of the best drilled 
 little angels 
 
 * She is mine own ; And I as rich in having such a jewel, 
 As twenty seas, if all their sands were pearl, 
 The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold." 
 
 No small amount of charms, spiritual, and temporal, alto- 
 gether " very desirable." I assure you, old fellow, it is'nt 
 bad, to be made such a deuce of a fuss over ! The day is 
 
 to be , and Lieutenant Charles Ambert and lady, 
 
 will be in New York on the 22d May, at the New York 
 hotel. Now you must must is the word get a leave 
 and come down. I have brought a wife up for you ! she 
 is superb, she is ! Talented, amiable, and by George ! as 
 rich as an Indian princess ; very desirable, like my wife, 
 in that respect. Get away, I say, and go to Washington 
 with us, for a few days can get so much better acquainted 
 travelling, you know, and then you need not marry her un- 
 less you like ! She is dying to see you, she says. The dick- 
 ins, I have not told you her name ! Never mind ! You'll 
 2
 
 6 Tactics; or, 
 
 have the more to discover when you see her. What are you 
 standing there re-reading, and dreaming over this letter for ? 
 Why ain't you down on your bended knees, like Jacob, 
 thanking heaven for sending a rich young woman into your 
 very clutches, like the Patriarch Isaac ? Am not I a true 
 friend ? Prove yourself as true by obeying these com- 
 mands. 
 
 True as steel, 
 
 AMBERT. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin's curiosity was keenly aroused for 
 such a sovereign master of true melancholy. He would 
 like to see the " Indian Princess" Lieutenant Ambert had 
 so generously brought into his clutches ! The fastidious 
 Lieutenant curled his lips, and then his moustache. He 
 must not fail ! conqueror-like, this must be a plumed vic- 
 tory. So we find him at Warnock's, before he goes to the 
 hotel. Here he met Lieutenant Ambert, and after chat- 
 ting awhile, they repaired thither. 
 
 When left by his friend, to bring down the ladies, Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin paraded before the mirror, surveying his 
 fine person with wondrous self-complacency. Will the 
 " Indian princess " admire him as much as he admires him- 
 self? He thought she would. Not a doubt clouded the 
 radiant face. 
 
 They came at last. Lieutenant Ambert, with the air 
 of an Alexander, leading \\\ two beautiful women. 
 
 " Kate, this is Lieutenant Saberin. Saberin my ladv 
 wife." 
 
 Kate was majestic, dignified, and very beautiful. She 
 met her husband's friend in quite a sisterly way. 
 
 " Miss Pauline De Saye, permit me to present Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin Miss De Saye." 
 
 She had been standing a little behind Mrs. Ambert, but 
 an impatient glance was stolen past that lady, and the glow 
 of admiration that mantled the loveliest gipsy face he had 
 ever seen, was so visible that he was content to cast down 
 his eyes in a very sentimental fashion, as he took the tiny
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 27 
 
 hand so like a snow-flake, and thinking perhaps, of the 
 right delegated to him, by his friend, retained it, till the 
 cheek crimsoned like the setting sun and the long, dark 
 lashes fell, just in time to save the presumptuous warrior 
 from a fate not unlike that of "certain " who cast the 
 " three holy children, 1 ' into the " burning fiery furnace," 
 for the flame of those fervid orbs would have slain him, 
 beyond a question. 
 
 Like a fine soldier, the gallant Lieutenant made a grace- 
 ful retreat, and was immediately promoted to the post of 
 monopolizer general, by his admiring friend Ambert, while 
 in her heart's judgment -hall the young girl pronounced 
 him mighty nice ! 
 
 On Monday morning, when Lieutenant Saberin was 
 compelled to part with Gipsy, as he lovingly called her, he 
 would have given his commission to linger at her side. 
 He told her how happy he had been in her society that 
 he could never forget " that she looked happy by his side," 
 and " woulded they had never met." 
 
 Gipsy told him she should cry when he was gone, she 
 was homesick at the very thought. 
 
 Homesick ! he was heart-sick, would go back only to 
 live these precious moments over and over again, till he got 
 his leave in June. 
 
 " And what will you do then ? Will I not see you 
 again ? " 
 
 " I hope so ! many times it may be ; I shall call on you 
 to decide that." 
 
 Xo reply. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin went on. 
 
 " Where will you be on the 28th of August, Pauline ? " 
 
 " We return home about the first of September, and 
 may be in New York about that time." 
 
 " May I compel Lieutenant Ambert to bring you to 
 \Vest Point for the 28th party ? Would you like to come ? " 
 
 " Like to come ? what questions you ask, Mr. Saberin. 
 I would give all my visit north, for it ! " 
 
 " O, not so much as that, Miss De Saye, I assure you it
 
 Tactics ; cr, 
 
 would not pay it would not recompense you for all that ! 
 You could not get acquainted with many in one evening. 
 Besides I should find an excuse for monopolizing you my- 
 self you do not know how selfish I am ! " 
 
 Miss De Saye simpei*ed, " Have I not been happy for 
 two days? I shall not care to know anyone else ! " (pet- 
 ulantly) " Why do you make me say these things ? " 
 
 He, (sorrowfully) " I was bold enough to hope, I might 
 ask one more question, before we part perhaps, forever ; 
 but after that, if it cost me the ' cherished hope of years,' 
 I could not ask it." His tones were low, and sad. 
 
 Gipsy would have given all her worldly goods, to know 
 what he was about to ask ! He adroitly turned the sub- 
 ject, not having any question to propound, he preferred 
 giving scope to her imagination well knowing the silly 
 little head would balance the account in his favor. She 
 followed him to the parlor door to say good night ; " Don't 
 forget to make Lieutenant Ambert bring us to West 
 Point ! " 
 
 ARTICLE SIXTH. 
 
 Principles of WJieeling: 
 
 He shook her little hand in a friendly indifferent way. 
 
 " I could not forget ! I may be back but if I am not 
 1 will find an excellent substitute, I will tell my friends 
 that a bright southern bird, is to alight at West Point, be- 
 fore pluming her wings for her own sunny skies ! " 
 
 " Is there a possibility that you will not be back, then ? 
 I thought your leave expired on the 28th ; Lieutenant 
 Ambert said so ! " 
 
 " It does. The ' powers that be,' perhaps, might grant 
 an extension of my leave, but in case you came, I should 
 not press an application for one since I hope to secure such 
 a great inducement to return ! " 
 
 O that deceit should dwell in such a gorgeous pal- 
 ace ! He seemed for dignity composed, and high ex- 

 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps. 29 
 
 ploit ; but all was false and hollow ! He held her hand, 
 playing with a rich diamond ring, of great value. Pau- 
 line looked at his fine manly face, so full of thought and 
 intellect, his Apollo-head, and locks ! Her beau-ideal 
 stood before her ; she might never, never see him again ! 
 He raised his eyes to hers. Scarcely less bright than the 
 radiant gem he was admiring so undisguisedly, and can-- 
 ing so tenderly, were the flashing eyes she raised to his, 
 saying, " Lieutenant Saberin, you must be at West Point, 
 or I will not go," and taking the ring from her finger, she 
 placed it on his " and return this to me then ! " she said 
 with a pleading look. 
 
 " O, Miss De Save, this is too valuable, it would be al- 
 most a fetter. I do not need such things to bring me 
 back, I assure you," he exclaimed in genuine astonish- 
 ment. 
 
 " You will enhance its value by retaining it, and render 
 it valueless if you refuse it ! Please wear it until we meet, 
 it will serve to remind you of one you have that can 
 of me ! " 
 
 ' That is all you need say ! " replied the pitiless Ca_>s;ir ; 
 and he stole a very respectful look from the gem he was 
 turning on his finger to catch the stars of fire in its depths, 
 revealed by the light of the gas above his head, to the 
 loving child-like face, and felt that he could lay him down 
 and die for her. " May I not call you Pauline, to-night ? 
 Good night Miss Pauline, I will wear this until we meet ! " 
 
 This time when he took her hand, she felt the metal of 
 the ring and he felt confident she appreciated the ring 
 of the true metal. Poor Pauline ascended to Mrs. Am- 
 bert with the saddest " good-bye " on her lips, she had 
 ever breathed. Lieutenant Saberin's visit had been " a 
 success." He had said truly, he had enjoyed every mo- 
 ment, needing only the last few he had spent with Pau- 
 line, where he had " developed " her so excellently to add 
 the " vici " to his " veni, vidi." He would make Lieuten- 
 ant Anabert bring her to West Point for the 28th. That 
 is the place to draw one's captives in triumph, at one's
 
 30 Tactics; or, 
 
 heels ! He would be there ! Before then though, he 
 would secure her for himself. She was too beautiful, too 
 rich, to trust on West Point, unless well guarded, and he 
 would be the protector. Lieutenants Mera, Burlyton, and 
 Storme, all should know, whose the southern heiress was. 
 
 ARTICLE SEVENTH. 
 
 Principles of the Direct Step. 
 
 Upon this, Lieutenant Saberin acted on his return. 
 He wrote a letter to Miss Pauline, a love letter of the 
 hiost practical description, all that she could desire. 
 
 He spoke of army life he would not expect her to 
 brave any of its dangers or hardships. She should be the 
 bright particular star, that through all should guide him 
 on to immortality and fame ! He had had fancies, but be- 
 side the deep, enduring impression she had made upon his 
 soul, they became aversions here the ink paled to an 
 unearthly hue, and ^ the lights in the chamber burnt 
 blue ! " blue as the eyes of one of those fancies, and 
 strangely enough he thought of those blue eyes, and won- 
 dered if Pauline would love him as she had done. He 
 did not doubt his predominating love for Pauline, but 
 would she love. Yes, he thought she would ; and he 
 glanced at the glittering star on his little finger. 
 
 He sealed, and directed the letter carefully, and put it 
 in his breast pocket, intending to mail it himself, and not 
 entrust it to Weimer to post with the less important let- 
 ters. He little dreamed of its fate.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 31 
 
 TITLE SECOND. 
 
 SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER. 
 
 General Rules and Division of the School of the Soldier. 
 
 Saturday on West Point ! Who that has ever been 
 there, will wonder at the note of exclamation ? Enchant- 
 ing' spot, on that day ! The hearts of three hundred ca- 
 dets bounding at the thought of release from duty. Their 
 joyful prospect of meeting loved friends from abroad ! 
 The calls to be made all "so glad to see them." The 
 strolls over the beautiful hill-sides ; the paradisaical walk 
 on the river banks. " Flirtation ! " * The putting into 
 practice all they have learned during the week ; " Modes of 
 attack means of defence making slow and quick 
 matches, and the " Manual of arms," in which all are 
 versed. For example. 1st. " Attention.' 1 '' 2. " SQUAD." 
 At the second word the recruit will take a position in front 
 of the eight-by-nine looking-glass, and arrange his hair. 
 " Shoulder ARMS ! " he shall sew on his new chevrons. 
 " LOAD ! " He shall polish his forty-four buttons, put on 
 his coat, button it tightly to the throat. "PRIME!" At 
 this command, he shall adjust his cap very far forn'<u'<i 
 on his head, a little to the left. " HEADY ! " " One lime 
 and three motions." The recruit advances to the front. 
 and inspects the Plain, to ascertain if there is an enemy to 
 be seen. He descends the stairs, grasps the tail of his 
 coat, gives one energetic pull toward the heels. " 1st 
 Forward I "' " 2. MARCH ! " " The recruit will retake a 
 step of twenty-eight inches," until he reaches the hotel. On 
 arriving, he will execute rapidly the several commands 
 
 * A name given by the C,ileti to " Chun Battery Walk."
 
 32 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Present ARMS." 
 " Secure ARMS." 
 
 " Support ARMS." 
 
 " Arms AT WILL." 
 " Eyes direct to the Front" 
 
 " Because this is the surest means of maintaining a 
 proper position, an essential object, to be insisted on and 
 attained." 
 
 Loading at Will, and the Firings" 
 
 In most cases, " The direct fire" is all that is required;* 
 if this fails, k ' Oblique Firing" is more surprising. Great 
 execution attends u FIRE KNEELING." 
 
 These may all fail the recruit must not be daunted 
 by the glittering ranks before him, though the foe, still 
 "Keep DRESSED," let him remember, truth is not all 
 that is needed to secure the victorv in war. He shall 
 hoist foreign colors, till a proximity is secured, or more 
 properly speaking, let him try 
 
 " FIRE LYING." 
 
 Ellsworth's Zouaves are babes " in arms," compared 
 with West Point cadets, in this exercise. 
 
 Who can bear testimony to this, better than the beau- 
 tiful besieged, or in somebody's pretty, passionate lan- 
 guage ; 
 
 "Oh ! only those 
 
 Whose souls have felt this one idolatry, 
 Can tell how precious is the slightest tiling 
 A ' Cadie ' gives and hallows ! chevrons and buttons 
 Will long be kept, remembrancers of looks, 
 That made each ' gift ' a treasure. ' ' 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline was dressed to receive "cadet calls." 
 IMbre she descended, she peeped into Isagone's room, and 
 told her to dress herself charmingly and follow her down 
 stairs, as it was very pleasant on the piazza. Desirous of
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 33 
 
 pleasing her aunt, she bedecked herself quite bravely, a la 
 San Francisco. Blue Canton crepe dress, rich lace on 
 her neck and arms, a wreath of pearls and garnets, ar- 
 ranged in exquisite sprays, entwined in her light-brown 
 curls, were gathered like a coronet on the top of her head. 
 Quite abashed at the pretty face and figure she saw re- 
 flected in her aunt's cheval-glass, she trembled at the 
 thought of venturing alone, to encounter the multitude of 
 eyes, in every spot outside her chamber door. The house 
 seemed to the terrified girl, one vast multiplying glass, eyes, 
 eyes everywhere. She ventured as far as the stair-case 
 and peered over the balustrade, listening to the gay voices 
 and then on tiptoe returned to her cell, as she called it. 
 She wearied herself reading, and remembering her aunt's 
 request, ventured boldly to the foot of the staircase. She 
 could get no further, but stood leaning against the wall, 
 till she had attracted every eye from sheer want of nerve 
 to move. Some giggled, and all scanned her curiously. 
 She stood lire tolerably well for a time, but at length tied 
 to her aunt's room again, and read an hour, when no long- 
 er hearing the hum of voices in the hall, t4 like the sound 
 of many waters," she descended, and went to the door of 
 the north piazza. 
 
 Color- Guard. 
 
 AT the further end of the piazza, Isagone discovered 
 Mrs. Bobaline enclosed in a " picket of Cadets," she termed 
 her " color-guard." She had distributed to each of them 
 a small bit of ribbon, of her favorite color, which fluttered 
 from a button-hole of their flashy corselets, when they 
 caine to call on her. These were her especial favorites. 
 One of them looked up and violating rule No. 38, " The 
 color-guard will not fire but reserve itself for the defence 
 of the color ;" and not observing rule No. 41* before 
 tiring, said, " Hallo, here is Madame Recamier reanimated, 
 or Saint Agnes ! " 
 
 * School of the Battalior, Part I. Vol. 2. 
 2*
 
 
 31 Tactics: or, 
 
 They all looked, and Mrs. Bobaline recognised Isagone 
 under the fanciful disguise, and laughed till her face was 
 crimson. The thought of introducing such a figure, and' 
 such a name, was vastly more than Mrs. Bobaline's phi- 
 losophy dreamed of, and she walked away around the pia/- 
 za. Several of the young men followed her, while one or 
 two, turned to reconnoitre the stranger. 
 
 They walked round and round her but meeting her 
 modest dignified blue eyes, they returned to Mrs. Boba- 
 line, arm-in-arm, pretending to stagger, saying, " We be 
 all dead men, slain, enfilade ! " 
 
 " O, but isn't she pretty ! I wonder who she is ? " ex- 
 claimed Cadet Smith. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline began to gather courage, and said, "She 
 is a niece of my husband, she came last night." The 
 cadets looked at each other, and elevated their brows 
 u I will introduce you." And she gracefully led the way 
 through the hall, to Isagone's side. " Is I-one dear, 
 allow me to present my friends. Mr. White, Mr. Brown. 
 Mr. Grey, and Mr. Smith ! " The fastidious lady could 
 not draw the slow length of Isagone's quaint name out of 
 her dainty mouth, and inwardly applauded her quickness 
 of wit, in substituting the beautiful diminutive for it. 
 
 " lone, my dear, I think Cadet Smith must be a rela- 
 tive of yours ! Having the same name." This she ad- 
 ded, to put the young girl a little at her ease, as she was 
 truly appalled at finding herself surrounded by so many 
 gentlemen in grey. 
 
 Cadet Smith said, nothing would give him more, pleas- 
 ure than to trace the relationship, and although her face 
 became crimson at mention of her name, that had never 
 been her admiration, Isagone was not sorry to find it be- 
 longed to the handsomest and most elegant of her aunt's 
 admirers, and she thought they must be verv smart, to be 
 tolerated by her superb ladyship. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline looked at " lone," as she had named her 
 so suddenly, (much to that young lady's surprise) and 
 smiling said, " This is a young California!!," as if apolo-
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 3J 
 
 gising for her peculiarity of dress. Cadet Smith liked this 
 very peculiarity, and took possession of the strang.T us no 
 one but a West Point cadet can. 
 
 " Have you observed the vie\v up the river, Miss Smith ? 
 Was there ever so much beauty condensed into so small a 
 space ? " 
 
 This remark drew Isa to the balustrade of the piazza. 
 They did not joki her aunt's circle again, but entered into 
 the most animated conversation. 
 
 " Is this your first visit to the States, Miss Smith ? " 
 
 " O, no ! I was born in South Carolina, but my father 
 removed to San Francisco, when I was a child. I am 
 very proud of my native State, and claim to be a true 
 South Carolinian." 
 
 Cadet Smith smiled quietly, " I think we must be near- 
 ly related, as I am from Ohio, no wonder I was attracted 
 at once." 
 
 " Indeed ? antipodes in that sense ! " 
 
 He winced a little as he was as true an Ohian, but did 
 not like the turn the conversation had taken. " This is 
 just the place for antipodes to meet, and be attracted. 
 " Let us drop our States, here, and take our Country." 
 
 lone replied. " In honoring our state we honor our 
 country, and I cannot see the propriety of dropping my 
 state, even at West Point." 
 
 Mr. Smith would not reply, and flew to the " dernier re- 
 sort " of West Point conversation. " Is this your first 
 visit at West Point ? " 
 
 " Yes ; and every thing is beautiful, as it is new, to 
 me!" 
 
 - " This is one of the most lovely spots in the world, and 
 certainly one of the most interesting for strangers to vis- 
 it," 
 
 " What a charmed life you must lead here." Said 
 lone, 
 
 " Yes ! its present attractions are very great, beyond a 
 doubt." 
 
 " Its present attractions ? " questioned she, innocently.
 
 36 Tactics ; or, 
 
 " Yes, the visitors, to us to you, the officers, and 
 to some, our corps but of course we do not see that." 
 
 lone thought " if all ' our corps ' are as handsome and 
 agreeable as Cadet Smith, that is an attraction indeed ! '' 
 
 TO FIRE AND LOAD LYING. 
 
 " "What is that marble pillar under the trees, near the 
 flag-staff? " 
 
 ' That ? that, is the famous ' Column of War.' It 
 was brought from the ' Temple of Bellona,' at Rome. 
 Whenever war was declared against an enemy, her priests 
 threw a spear against it. There are many such marks 
 of the spear. Some suppose them to be inscriptions." 
 
 " What a curiosity 1 How came it here ? " 
 
 " O, it was sent a present to General Scott by the 
 Pope. When General Scott was up for President, the 
 Roman Pontiff, wishing to flatter him, sent it to him to 
 hang on his watch-chain, I suppose, but it proving a 
 trifle too long, "our Chief presented it to the Academy." 
 
 This manual of " Fire Lving," was executed with such 
 grace and skill, that lone fell into the common error, of 
 believing her senses. It was her firzt visit to Wesi 
 Point. All the " means of Attack," having been gone 
 through, our hero should have been thinking of the ' means 
 of defense," against the bright revolvers directed at him 
 so dangerously near when the drum beat for parade. 
 
 After his departure, lone stood looking at * column of 
 war ', and determined to make a drawing of it, to send it to 
 her mother she would examine all the works she could 
 find access to, and get its wonderful history. What a won- 
 derful place West Point must be for gaining information ! 
 To see such curiosities, and meet people from all parts of 
 the world, oh, she would enrich herself by the wealth of 
 knowledge she would bear home on her wings, which she 
 would hive like the toiling bee. Delightful thought ! 
 
 Madam Bobaline stood gazing on vacancy, thinking 
 of Lieutenant Saberin. " Where is he ? Is he sick in 
 New York?"
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 37 
 
 LESSON FOURTH. 
 
 WJieeling. 
 
 The reveries of both ladies were disturbed by Lieutenants 
 Burlyton and Mera. They saluted Mrs. Bobaline, and 
 were introduced to ' lone ' (Mrs. Bobaline \vas enchanted 
 with the nice name she had given poor Isa-gone !) 
 
 " Ho, for parade ! Are you not going out, ladies ? " said 
 Lieutenant Burlyton. 
 
 " I do not care to go, unless lone is anxious to see it." 
 
 " Well ! young lady, have you tired yourself with the 
 Cadies. too?" 
 
 " Tired ? I don't know but one, are they all like Cadet 
 Smith ? as clever as he ? " lone replied, in a tone of sur- 
 prise. 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton shouted, " Ha ! ha ! ha ! O, mad- 
 am, you must take her out to see what few more we have, 
 of 'the same sort ; or permit me to play chaperone, I will 
 bring her back safely." 
 
 lone did not look very anxious to go, as the young gen- 
 tleman's laugh made her shrink from encountering his wit 
 again. She had nothing to say. Her ladyship thanked 
 him, and told lone to go by all means, she could not have 
 a more delightful escort. He knew she spoke ironically, 
 as the truth-telling Lieutenant was not a favorite of hers. 
 Pie dropped his arms and made her a " first-class" school- 
 boy bow. All laughed, as all always did, at every move- 
 ment or speech of Lieutenant Burlyton. lone walked off" 
 humming a tune. 
 
 " You have a Miss Mimosa there, madam." 
 
 ' Yes, an original, decidedly," she said. Lieutenant 
 Mera leaned on the balustrade regarding madam, scarcely 
 deigning to look at the new comer, whom he seemed to 
 think was more like a Chinese than any one he had ever 
 seen. The accomplished and lovely Mrs. Bobaline quite 
 eclipsed all the young beauties of the petty court, and led
 
 38 Tactics; or, 
 
 captive the fastidious and reserved Mera. As soon as they 
 were left alone, he asked Madam Bobaline if she would 
 prefer to take a seat on the piazza, or go into the parlor. 
 She would prefer the piazza, and he brought chairs and 
 they sat down, near a group of ladies. 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton sauntered to some ladies, friends 
 of his. and told them to look out for the little Oriental he 
 was going to drill a new importation from the gold re- 
 gions. 
 
 They did " look out '' for her, as she came leisurely to- 
 wards her aunt, her proud little head and neat shoulders 
 enveloped in a rich lace shawl. Mrs. Bobaline looked, and 
 was not ashamed of her. Lieutenant Mera glanced, and 
 wished he had taken the wind out of Lieutenant Burly- 
 ton's sails, and asked her himself. He had brought his 
 friend B. to do just what he had done, to take the young 
 lady away from Mrs. Bobaline, as he imagined he had an 
 ax to grind. " You are very quiet to-day, my lady ; are 
 you quite well ? " 
 
 "Yes, thank you !" And she sat gazing on vacancy. 
 
 Inspection. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera's eyes wandered off, to a gentle girl 
 in blue, who was looking wistfully after the Oriental, think- 
 ing to herself, " why do men always follow new faces, 
 leaving those they pretend to love so much, for the first 
 stranger ! O, man ! from your baby-hood you leave the 
 dearest ones, from early morning, without a glance of re- 
 gret, to linger all day, near those you hate, and fight, nor 
 think of the loving and indulgent at home, till you have 
 been whipped by some ' big boy,' or darkness, and your 
 dav's struggle after marbles, bring you home to a supper, 
 and good-night kiss from the neglected mother and sis- 
 ters ! Later, the humble cottage, embowered in roses and 
 jasmines where you were petted, and waited for 
 where dwelt the fair face, and warm young heart, you
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 39 
 
 turned from so thoughtlessly, to play at a more momentous 
 game than marbles, in the great unloving world. At 
 partinir, a warm embrace, and a few, very few words of 
 comfort and hope for the meek worshipper, who thought her 
 life too poor a sacrifice for so noble a divinity. Did you 
 ever return to the sacred scenes? Never, until a wearv 
 man, you go back to sit on a little green mound, under 
 the very trees that waved softly over you, and a soft- 
 voiced loved one at your side, long years before, when you 
 promised so fervently to love and cherish that which i 
 now the wee handful of dust that rests beneath the grass 1 , 
 and violets. Why come back at all ? To make happy 
 the heart that, weary with waiting, had broken ? Have 
 you learned what it is to be alone ? or lias some per- 
 fume on the breath of June, transported you to the 
 year, the month, the day, the hour, you had that wealth 
 of love thrown away upon you? such love as you 
 never since have known. Perhaps an irresistible impulse 
 has drawn you back, to permit the patient worshipper 
 once more to tell you how she loves to caress the wearv 
 head ; thinking perhaps, that you will condescend to tell 
 her that you love her ; that she was not really forgotten 
 all these years ! That you had seen her in dreams ! 
 yes! in dreams the angels, in pity, brought to your 
 distracted brain. Your day-dreams were, position, wealth, 
 ambition! Love was for pastime and must not inter- 
 fere \\ith these! Too late! The knell is sounding 
 among the mournful trees the peace you would have 
 brought, was all too late ! Did God's peace come too 
 soon ? These were the thoughts that sat in solemn con- 
 clave, in the upper room, just above those dove-like blue 
 eyes ; some of them from observation, some from experi- 
 ence. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera nearly fell asleep, looking at the heav- 
 enly blue of those eyes, and forgot to grind his hatchet. 
 Madam felt neglected.
 
 40 Tactics; or, 
 
 " INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS." 
 
 " To Deploy Forward" 
 
 ' It is so very lonely to think of Lieutenant Bobaline 
 being gone so long! a lady cannot go anywhere on 
 West Point without an escort ; indeed, one might as 
 well take the veil at once, as to be here, unattended.'' 
 
 Lieutenant Mera aroused, begged to be the humble ser- 
 vant of the ladies in such a deplorable situation, would 
 she not call on him? 
 
 She bowed her beautiful head, and thanked him for his 
 kindness : Yes, she would avail herself of his offer for 
 lone's sake, as she feared she should find it very stupid 
 without her uncle ; indeed, she dreaded the responsibility, 
 as lone had very much the air of a spoiled child. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera said " You should have introduced 
 her to the officers first, as I fear the ' Cadies '/as Lieuten- 
 ant Burlyton denominates them, will not give us a bird's 
 eye view of her ; but while they are making Miss lone 
 happy, you must make amends for the oversight, by not 
 secluding yourself, because the owner of the garden is 
 absent, the fragrance of the rose must not be denied to 
 the zephyrs. 
 
 She raised her head in a haughty manner, and said, " I 
 do not intend to seclude myself on account of my hus- 
 band's absence, he would be displeased if I should ; but I 
 
 should not be missed where there' are so manv voung 
 
 i " 
 girls. 
 
 " There is a mistake in your remark, my dear lady ! 
 Your own observation should have taught you, that the 
 unrestrained conversation of an accomplished and beauti- 
 ful woman, can win a sensible man from the side of the 
 most fascinating belle. lean bring witnesses !" and he 
 looked out of the corner of his eye roguishly, at her." 
 
 " Of whom do you speak ? " she replied, timidly. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera prided himself on his acumen in the
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps. 41 
 
 science of woman-reading ; indeed, he was accustomed to 
 say, that " he knew them by heart." He had not an- 
 swered her, and she said, " You will not be anything but 
 a witness against yourself, for you prefer the society of 
 any one to mine ! " 
 
 " O, Mrs. Bobaline, how severe of you to say that to 
 me ! You must be perfectly aware that I prefer your so- 
 ciety to that of any young lady. I left your side only 
 when I felt that I was depriving others of a pleasure, 
 whose claims were stronger than mine, or at least ac- 
 knowledged." 
 
 " I acknowledge no one's claims, but Lieutenant Boba- 
 line's." 
 
 She spoke resentfully, and Mera liked her none the less. 
 
 " SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY." 
 
 " Countermarch.'''' 
 
 Madame Bobaline and Lieutenant Mera sat for some 
 time in silence, while their minds countermarched, musing 
 over the field of the past. She knew he was a sincere 
 admirer of hers, though, as he had never proposed, not a 
 discarded lover. She however preferred the handsome, 
 indifferent Saberin, and flattered him, and was delighted 
 when they were stationed at West Point, together. Lieu- 
 tenant Mera, while he had not quite recovered from the 
 wound her bright eyes had given him, liked her frank, 
 manly husband, and was very jealous for him ; while, in 
 point of fact there was little cause for it, as Lieutenant 
 Saberin was too .much absorbed in his own ambitious 
 schemes, to pay much heed to her silly sighing for his so- 
 ciety. 
 
 At length the lady yawned, and looking toward the 
 long line of well-dressed ladies and their gaily caparisoned 
 escorts as they returned from parade, exclaimed, " O, 
 clear ! what a tiresome routine. I should think those
 
 
 
 42 Tactics ; or, 
 
 people would weary to death of each other and of pa- 
 rades." 
 
 " Of parades, I suppose they do ; but of each other, a 
 benignant Creator has kindly dispensed, that the more we 
 see of our kinds tne more indispensable we become to the 
 complete happiness, each of the other. These are even 
 Byron's sentiments, in the " Bride-of Abydos." 
 
 " To view alone 
 
 The fairest scenes of land and deep, 
 AVith none to listen and reply 
 To thoughts with which my heart beats high, 
 Were irksome ; for whate'er my mood, 
 In sooth I love not solitude !" 
 
 When he turned to Mrs. Bobaline, she was just disap- 
 pearing round the corner of the piazza. Lieutenant Bur- 
 lyton and lone came up. 
 
 " What have you done with Viola, Lieutenant Mera ? " 
 " Indeed, Miss lone, I exerted myself to my hurt, to 
 keep Madam here till you returned in safety, but was not 
 sufficiently entertaining." 
 
 " Instruction of Officers" 
 
 lone sat down to rest a moment. Lieutenant Mera said, 
 " Did Lieutenant Burlyton do the honors of " Flirtation," 
 for you this afternoon ? " 
 
 " The honors of what ? " she asked in astonishment. 
 
 " O, don't be putting those things into her head, she 
 will learn them soon enough," Lieutenant Burlyton re- 
 plied. Then turning to lone, ' You never flirted a mite, 
 in all your pretty life, I'll bet my hat on that ! " 
 
 ' No, indeed ! and I never intend to ! '* 
 
 " Well, but every one has to, on West Point, do they 
 not, Burlyton ? " 
 
 " There is a good deal of traffic in that line here, but 
 as to the absolute necessity, why, that includes' present
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 43 
 
 company, and Miss lone has found a paternal in me for 
 the last hour, instead of a foolish flatterer as some of you 
 young ones would have been. Miss lone, you will find 
 them out," 
 
 " Indeed, I should prefer finding people in," laughed she. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera rejoined, " Colonel Burlyton concedes 
 great depth to us young men, which is quite flattering 
 from such a veteran as he ! I'll answer for it Miss lone 
 will find us out when she is out." 
 
 lone smiled good-humoredlv, and said she must seek 
 Viola. 
 
 " Please say, I will wait for her, as the tables are full." 
 cried Lieutenant Mera after her. 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! I'll squeeze you in beside me, Mera, rather 
 than keep you waiting," laughed Lieutenant Burlyton. 
 Mera hummed " Gentle Zitella," and threw himself on the 
 sofa. 
 
 " DRESS." 
 
 lone found Violetta reading. She laid her book down 
 and arrayed herself for tea ; asking, " How do you like 
 Lieutenant Burlyton, lone? Did he introduce you to 
 any one ? " 
 
 " No, he did not, the people stare so rudely, that one 
 would hardly desire an introduction." 
 
 " O, don't be foolish ! Yours happens to be a new face I 
 every stranger lias to pass through the same ordeal here." 
 
 " There are so few of them," said lone, slyly. 
 
 " But now I recollect Lieutenant Mera said he would 
 wait to take you in to tea. " I think Lieutenant Burlyton 
 is too severe." 
 
 " Why, what did he say ? Where did you see Lieuten- 
 ant Mera?" 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline had a habit of asking two or three ques- 
 tions at ongf?, without waiting for a reply, looking the while 
 at her hands, rings, bracelets, brooch, watch-chain and 
 sleeves, arranging all these little affairs. I think all Mrs. 
 Bobalines do this.
 
 44 Tactics; or, 
 
 "In the hall, he's so very elegant! don't you like 
 him ? " The last words were addressed to her own little 
 face in the glass, as she was much amused to hear Viola's 
 tiny feet, pattering away through the hall to tea, and the 
 little face nodded a funny assent. 
 
 .Mrs. Bobaline and Lieutenant Mera were standing in 
 the hall. As she came down, she heard Viola say k - after 
 singing Tennyson's * Miller's Daughter ' to me, she first 
 thought of you, sitting alone here." 
 
 Lieutenant Mera raised his killing eyes on lone, till hers 
 fell, before his look of scrutiny. " I will forgive Miss lone, 
 if it proves not the last thought she gives me," he said 
 bowing apologetically. 
 
 lone thought, I fear it will not, if I get glances like that, 
 often. 
 
 When the trio entered the dining-hall, the attention they 
 attracted, pronounced them a distinguished looking party. 
 Mrs. Bobaline gave lone a seat next to Lieutenant Mera, 
 who proved that he could give pleasure to those with whom 
 he conversed, if he chose. lone was delighted with the 
 grace and delicacy of his compliments. As they left the 
 dining-room, he asked her if she would be disengaged after 
 half past nine. She did not understand Rule 101 of West 
 Point Tactics That all ladies on " The Post " are en- 
 gaged to Cadets till that hour, on Saturday afternoon, 
 and the officers seldom encroach upon their privileges, as 
 they have very few, and said, 
 
 " I have no engagement for this evening." 
 
 " Lieutenant Mera exchanged smiles with Mrs. B. at 
 Tone's naivete, and bowing said, " I'll see you then." 
 
 Cadet Smith came early, and promenaded on "he piazza, 
 with lone, until ".Tattoo." He poured into her sympa- 
 thizing ear the many privations and sorrows of the cadets, 
 but she was perfectly mystified, with the militay terms 
 and localisms. Lieutenant Mera waited to meet her, as 
 Mr. Smith left her, and laughing, led her to a aeat.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 45 
 
 "REST." 
 
 "Now Miss lone, rest thee awhile, you hare travelled 
 so far this evening." 
 
 " Travelled ? " 
 
 " I beg pardon, but how far do you think you and Mr. 
 Smith could have walked, going at the rapid rate you have 
 promenaded to-night?" 
 
 She looked shyly at him, and he added, " Now rest thee 
 well, and let us listen to the evening zephyrs, singing yon 
 lovely river's lullabv." 
 
 " Sir Walter Scott ! " said lone, laughing. 
 
 He sat in silence, or repeated gems from the poets in 
 low rich tones, that bound the dreaming girl like a spell. 
 He was a philosopher, and knew that after exercise, rest 
 was welcome, delightful, and after an animated conversa- 
 tion, silence, or loving words in low sweet tones, would be 
 magical. The river was truly lovely. The quiet stars, 
 those faithful watchers reflected in the placid mirror, re- 
 vealed the scenery, beautiful as a dream, portrayed in its 
 perfectness, and the tiny ships and boats moving noiselessly 
 on like a phantom fleet. 
 
 lone enjoyed it with such intensity, that she " forgot all 
 time," and it was eleven o'clock when Mrs. Bobaline came 
 to say good-night, to them. She started to her feet, 
 " You will not go without me, Viola ! " 
 
 " O, no, if you wish me to stay, but it is getting late, 
 and as there is no one that cares for the smiles of a mar- 
 ried lady, I conclude to retire." 
 
 The young gentleman winced, at having his own words 
 turned against himself, but turning to lone, he said, " Mrs. 
 Uobaline expressed a kind fear that you would miss your 
 uncle so much, that I offered to do all in my power, to h'll 
 his place. May I play uncle ? " 
 
 lone looked mischievously at her aunt. " If Viola 
 chooses."
 
 46 Tactics; or, 
 
 " I fear Lieutenant Mera has not counted the cost. If 
 we accepted, our very gratitude might become a burden." 
 
 " I see I am not to be uncle, may I try to persuade Mrs. 
 Bobaline to take me for a nephew ? 1 will be immensely 
 dutiful." 
 
 It was Viola's turn to look mischievous. " If lone 
 chooses ! " she repeated. 
 
 " 'So much to win, so much to lose, no marvel that I 
 fear to choose,' " replied lone in mock solemnity, and they 
 said good-night. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera sat and smoked a cigar, in a trance of 
 self love, till the stars waned. He had beguiled the pretty 
 young girl into forgetfulness, he had wiled delicious flattery 
 from his admired lady friend, and and the field was all 
 his own. No Lieutenant Saberin near to " spoil his heart- 
 felt *cjy."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 47 
 
 TITLE THIRD. 
 
 SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY. 
 
 Lesson First, Article First. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline entered the dining room, on Monday, 
 intending to sit at table an indefinite period of time, till 
 her hero made his appearance ; but was surprised to see 
 him seated by Lieutenant Mera, in an earnest conversa- 
 tion. He arose, greeted her warmly, seated her at table, 
 resumed his own seat, and said no more. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera called out, " Now our party is com- 
 plete, can we not get up a sail to Cro'nest ? it would be 
 something new." 
 
 " Yes, as novel as a joke from Lieutenant Mera," shouted 
 Lieutenant Burly ton. 
 
 Presently the door of the dining room opened, and some 
 one took a seat at Mrs. Bobaline's side. Lieutenant Bur- 
 lyton, who was seated opposite, looked up at Lieutenant 
 Mera, and winked to him, saying, 
 
 " That Dora Bellamy will make some nice man a wife." 
 
 A low voice said, " Would I were Dora." 
 
 " No one spoke, and the tease bit his lip, and looked 
 foiled. Lieutenant Saberin leaned forward, for a dish of 
 asparagus, and glanced below him, but found his glance 
 taken prisoner, by two sentinels in blue. 
 
 The room was very quiet till dinner w r as over. In the 
 hall Lieutenant Burlyton whispered to lone, laughed, and 
 walked off tra-la-la-ing, to show himself " fancy-free." In 
 the parlor the pretty rosy fingers of Mrs. Bobaline touch- 
 ed the keys of the piano, at first a little staccato, gradu- 
 ally growing tender, even mournful. 
 
 " lone ? "
 
 48 Tactics ; or, 
 
 lone was gone. Mrs. Bobaline arose and went to her 
 room. lone sat on the floor, reading a volume of illus- 
 trated Pickwick. Viola silently arrayed herself in a 
 beautiful and becoming blue robe of foulard silk, and lay 
 down to take her siesta. This was indispensable to her 
 existence, she affirmed. She could not sleep. She was 
 feverish and restless. 
 
 " lone ; why did you answer that terrible Burly ton ? I 
 was quite angrv ! " 
 
 " O, aunty, only to ' conciliate' him, as he calls it." And 
 she yawned, as if she would swallow Pickwick literally. 
 
 " Well please do not make yourself conspicuous, by 
 speaking to him again ; do not answer him ! " She tossed 
 awhile, closed 1 her soft eyes, but not to sleep she peeped 
 through the long lashes at the bright face so wilfully hap- 
 py, smiles, or a low musical laugh, broke like gleams of 
 sunshine from her heart, and lips. At last looking up,.she 
 saw her aunt was not asleep, and said, 
 
 " Who is Apollo, aunty ? " 
 
 " The man who owns the Apollo-rooms, I suppose, does 
 not Pickwick tell you ? " 
 
 " I was not reading I was thinking." 
 
 " Pray don't call me aunty ! one would suppose I was 
 an old black. I cannot divine how you ever came to wo- 
 man's estate, so like a plant reared in a cellar, in body and 
 mind." 
 
 A merry laugh trembled out of lone's throat, at the 
 queer image conjured up before her, and she sprang up to 
 look into the mirror, under the vague apprehension that 
 she should see a long, yellowish, white stalk ! She blushed 
 when she saw no matter ! yes, more mind than mat- 
 ter. 
 
 " Well, what vanity ! " said " aunty " who had near 
 wrung her neck, to see the cause of lone's haste. 
 
 " Why au I mean Mrs. I mean, I was frightened, 
 lest I did look that funny way." 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline laughed in a very merry and natural 
 manner, for lone's naivete was irresistible.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 49 
 
 " Why did you ask me who Apollo was ? " 
 
 " Because Lieutenant Burly ton asked me in the hall, if 
 I saw Apollo looking at me, at dinner. 
 
 " Who did he mean ? " 
 
 " O, he was only laughing at that tall fellow below us, at 
 dinner." 
 
 "What is his name, aunt I mean what shall I 
 call you ? " and she sat down, like a penitent, on the floor 
 beside the couch. 
 
 " Call me Viola ; his name is Lieutenant Saberin," and 
 Mrs. Bobaline turned her face away, really hating herself 
 for being so cross, but unable to control her unbridled tem- 
 per, lone murmured a sweet little home song, very low. 
 Her aunt exclaimed pettishly, 
 
 " I beg you will not sing, when I lie down to take my 
 siesta. 
 
 The head of lone gradually drooped till it touched the 
 couch, and she slept instead of weeping as she feared 
 she was about to do the sleep of a heart at peace with 
 all the world. Mrs. Bobaline heard her regular breathing, 
 and turned to look at the gentle face at her side. The 
 sweet repose that rested there recalled the time, not very 
 far back, when she nestled her own warm young cheek on 
 her mother's breast, and a tear stole from under her burn- 
 ing eye-lid. She gently stroked the silken head. " In- 
 deed, I will be a mother to you, pretty pne ! " she mur- 
 mured. 
 
 lone, aroused from her light sleep by the voice and 
 touch of her hand, sat up. Mrs. Bobaline arose, and kiss- 
 ed her brow, and asked her to lie down. lone thanked 
 her, but she was quite refreshed, and she wondered what 
 made her aunt so tender, all at once. 
 
 " I will be a mother to you ! " Ah, fair lady, you had 
 not counted the cost of this beautiful impulse. 
 
 " lone, would you like to go to parade? " 
 
 " Of all things, dear Viola ! but I heard you say it 
 wearied you to death."
 
 50 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Well, it does sometimes, at other times I enjoy it very- 
 much, but everything must go just right." 
 
 " Dear me ! " said the artless lone. 
 
 They went to the hall, hats and parasols in hand. There 
 were no officers there ; they walked into the parlor, and 
 lone touched the keys of the piano, and played the " Offi- 
 cers' call," which she had caught by ear. In a few mo- 
 ments Lieutenants Storme and Burly ton came, and looked 
 into the windows. 
 
 " Here we are, lady fair ! will you honor us with your 
 commands ? '' 
 
 They came into the parlor, and lone retreated to the 
 window. 
 
 " Don't spring out, now ! Permit me to present Lieu- 
 tenant Storme ; Miss Smith. I believe you have the 
 pleasure of knowing Madam Bobaline." 
 
 This lady looked daggers at him. She had not noticed 
 what lone was playing, and would rather have stopped in 
 the house, than go out with the two gentlemen she was 
 more indifferent to, than all the rest. " We are waiting 
 for some friends," she observed in as quiet a manner as 
 she could command. 
 
 " O, then you did not mean to call ws, Miss lone ? " 
 
 " Call you ? " echoed her aunt. 
 
 " Yes, she played the ' Officers' call.' ' 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline's fair face darkened, and she sat down to 
 play. While she was executing some of her finest airs, 
 the gentlemen were enjoying a spirited conversation with 
 lone. Lieutenant Mera came in, and as he went directly 
 to Mrs. Bobaline, the young men concluded the "friend" 
 had arrived, and withdrew. 
 
 " DEPLOYMENTS." 
 
 " Lesson Second" 
 
 As soon as they were gone, Viola turned, and looked 
 at lone ; the girl became crimson as guilt. 

 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 51 
 
 " What did you do that foolish thing for ? Now we 
 shall be too late for parade." 
 
 Lieutenant Mera gave an inquiring glance at lone. She 
 smiled, and said, " I suppose it was foolish, but I caught 
 the air, by hearing it, and scarcely knew I was playing it, 
 and I assure you I knew nothing of their presence, or 
 even what Lieutenant Burlyton meant till he explained." 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline still felt much annoyed, and left the room, 
 lone related to her companion, how she had offended. ** I 
 love that martial bugle, and have caught several of the lit- 
 tle airs from it." 
 
 Lieutenant Mera bowed his head, and whispered " play 
 it softly sometimes, and I will come, at least if you desire 
 it." 
 
 " O, Lieutenant Mera, I could not do that ! " and she 
 blushed deeply, and followed her aunt, her companion 
 joined her, and though they walked quickly, were unable 
 to overtake the receding figure of Madam B., till she was 
 lost among the crowd of ladies and gentlemen gathered 
 about the iron seats on the parade ground. As they ap- 
 proached, they saw she had gained a seat, and that the 
 Colonel was standing by her. He soon left her, and 
 brought up one or two others, so that she was surround- 
 ed by officers till the parade was over. lone went as 
 near her aunt as she could get, but her ladyship took no 
 notice of her, and though the Colonel turned to permit 
 her to join the circle, Viola neither recognised nor intro- 
 duced her, which greatly surprised and mortified her, and 
 she stood in silence by Lieutenant Mera's side. 
 
 As soon as parade was over, Cadet Smith came and gave 
 her a book to read, assuring her that it was a charming 
 story. The Colonel and Lieutenant Mera walked with them 
 to the hotel, the former gentleman bidding Mrs. Bobaline 
 a very sentimental good-night, while the latter begged to 
 accompany them to tea, and took a seat on the piazza af- 
 ter tea, with them. 
 
 Here Lieutenant Burlyton joined them, and having
 
 52 Tactics; or, 
 
 saluted the ladies, said " Miss lone, what a fancy name 
 you have, how came you by it ? " 
 
 Viola glanced at her, and replied for her, " O, do not 
 ask." 
 
 " Why ? " he interrogated, curiously." 
 
 You are not sensitive about your name too, are you ? " 
 asked Lieutenant Mera. 
 
 " O, it is such a comical collection," laughed Madam. 
 
 " No, indeed, Lieutenant Mera, I am rather proud of it, 
 amusing as Viola seems to think it." 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline could not suppress another musical laugh. 
 
 Lieutenant Burly ton said abruptly, " I don't know a 
 more comical name than Bobaline ! " 
 
 " But her name is Isao-one Bobaline Smith isn't that 
 funny?" 
 
 They all laughed. lone blushed and parried the joke 
 by saying, her mother was French by descent, and that 
 her grandmother's maiden name was Isagone Bayard, that 
 her mother had given her the good lady's name in full. 
 
 " You never told me that. I thought the B. in your 
 name stood for Bobaline," said her aunt, resentfully. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera rose in the awkward pause that en- 
 sued, and asked Madam to walk. As they proceeded, he 
 very adroitly soothed her wounded vanity : " Any one 
 can see at a glance that-Bobaline is a change from Robert 
 Allreine, the name no doubt of a brave French knight, of 
 three or four centuries back ; only that Lieutenant B. is 
 such a noble, matter-of-fact fellow, that he never troubles 
 himself about such trifles." 
 
 " Trifles ! " cried the excited lady, " One's name is 
 no trifle ; and if it is so, why should not my husband at- 
 tend to it? He ought, for for my sake. I hate the 
 name, and have never been addressed by it without feeling 
 mortified." 
 
 " You must make him attend to it at once." 
 
 This delicate consideration made the humbled lady al- 
 most love the wily one, and he assumed at once the pro- 
 portions of a man of taste and discernment in her eyes.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 53 
 
 " Write your name B-e-a-u-b-a-1-l-e-i-n-e, is not that 
 pretty?" 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline said she would ask permission of Lieu- 
 tenant B., as she always called him ; she could not bring 
 herself to speak the disagreeable cognomen, but to do her 
 justice she had too mucli feeling to tell him so. She was 
 silent for some time and then said, " I don't see why his 
 name was not Bayard, that is a sweet name." 
 
 " Lieutenant Mera bit his lip, and thought " how wo- 
 manish ! " 
 
 " LESSON THIRD." 
 
 " Oblique Firings" 
 
 Lieutenants Mera and Saberin laughed merrily, as 
 they emerged from the breakfast-room, the former had 
 been amusing his friend by repeating the conversation of 
 the evening before, on the subject of names. They took 
 their hats and walked to the north door of the hall. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin asked, " What is the sum of Miss 
 Smith ? " 
 
 " Not much, she is just so so," replied Lieutenant Me- 
 ra shrugging his elegant shoulders. 
 
 " I perceive ; one who plays round the head, but 
 comes not near the heart." 
 
 " Precisely ! " 
 
 " Yet she seems rather brilliant in her tiltings with Bur- 
 lyton." Looking up, they saw Mrs. Bobaline on the piaz- 
 za, and saluted her as Mrs. Beauballeine, with a very dis- 
 agreeable look of mirth in their eyes. But their own 
 mortification would have been exquisite, had they known 
 that lone was seated in the private parlor, and had heard 
 every word they had said. 
 
 The book Cadet Smith had given lone the evening be- 
 fore, she had brought down in her hand when she came to 
 breakfast, and had gone in the parlor to read it, while Mrs. 
 Bobaline, supposing she had gone to her room, lingered 
 on the piazza, to get a bow from her hero.
 
 54 Tactics ; or, 
 
 The gentlemen conversed a few moments with her when 
 Lieutenant Saberin turned to go to the office, but stopped 
 before entering the hall, and drawing a letter from his 
 pocket, examined the address. Not a movement was lost 
 on Mrs. Bobaline, who, in the pause of the conversation, 
 heard him say, " She is mine, by Jupiter." She forgot to 
 reply to some nice remark from Lieutenant Mora, quite 
 piquing that young gentleman, who left her suddenly, just 
 as Lieutenant Saberin turned from the telescope, at which 
 he had stopped to take a peep at a yatch. He did not look 
 at Mrs. Bobaline, but as he turned and entered the 
 hall, a letter fell from his coat, and blew towards her. 
 She snatched it up and throwing it into the parlor-window, 
 retreated hastily around the piazza, in time to see Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin going quickly towards the post-office. 
 
 The letter flew into lone's face with such force, as to 
 make her nearly cry out. Glancing out of the window 
 and seeing no one, she concluded some cadet had thrown 
 it, and flew to her room, without looking at it. When 
 Mrs. Bobaline ran into the parlor to secure her treasure, 
 she looked diligently for it, but no letter was there. She 
 ran to the piazza ; had it flown out of the window ? No, 
 there was no letter, she could scarcely credit her senses : 
 but fearing Lieutenant Saberin's return to look for it, she 
 fled to her room, and like a wretched culprit, locked her 
 door, and wept violently, plead head-ache to lone, and was 
 invisible for the next twelve hours. 
 
 " LESSON FOURTH." 
 
 " Fire and Load Lying" 
 
 " Ah, that falsehood should steal such gentle shapes, 
 And with a virtuous visor hide deep vice. ' ' 
 
 As Mrs. Bobaline and lone sat on the piazza, lone look- 
 ed over the plain, and longed to become invisible, that she 
 might have one grand romp over its beautiful expanse.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 55 
 
 She felt like a poor prisoner, and heartily sympathized with 
 the cadets. " Viola, let us go and take a walk." 
 
 " You are not used to the trammels of society, are you, 
 lone ? " 
 
 There was something terrible in her aunt's scornful lit- 
 tle laugh, whenever the poor girl made a remark, and now 
 she looked so disappointed, that her aunt condescended to 
 say, " Why my dear, I could not walk across that plain 
 for any consideration, without an escort. When I was a 
 Florida belle, I knew Lieutenants Saberin and Mera, and 
 I never went out without one or two officers in my train, 
 and do you think I would let my old beaux see me walk- 
 ing like a servant, unescorted ? " 
 
 " Dear Viola, we need not care for any one. I am sure 
 I don't, and you are married, aren't you ? " plead lone. 
 
 " Hush ! do not let any one hear you express yourself 
 so vulgarly." 
 
 " I've seen ladies walking alone, do, dear Viola ! It 
 will be so charming." 
 
 " You see no person of distinction alone. I have never 
 done it. I wonder the cadets do not come for you ! " Mrs. 
 Bobaline spoke severely and lone felt it. 
 
 They sat a few moments and Mrs. B. arose and went to 
 the parlor window ; there sat Lieutenant Mera, with a book 
 before him, apparently fast asleep. She turned hastily and 
 entering the hall door said, " lone put on your things ; we 
 will go out ! " Her voice and manner had changed magi- 
 cally. They were soon walking rapidly down the cavalry 
 road, lone lost in wondering what her aunt would do next. 
 Near the chapel they met Cadet Smith. Madam gave him 
 a sweet smile, and he turned and came to lone's side. 
 
 " Where are your smiles to-day, Miss lone ? you are 
 walking so quickly and looking so demurely, I am afraid 
 you are * Wheaton-ing it,' or in other words, on your way 
 to the hospital." 
 
 lone smiled faintly, her aunt said tartly, " We are walk- 
 ing for our health ! " 
 
 " Indeed ? " he replied, then lowering his voice, asked
 
 56 Tactics; or, 
 
 lone, " how long since you have lost your health, and got 
 that pretty consumption tinge on your cheek ? " 
 
 lone laughed in a very natural way. Her aunt was 
 shocked. 
 
 " Bless me ! lone you certainly forget that you are in a 
 civilized land, and think you are in San Francisco." 
 
 Cadet Smith bowed low to lone, and said in his most 
 impressive manner, " I will bless her forever, if she will 
 always forget that she is here, if we are to be deprived of 
 hearing that musical laugh by the remembrance that she 
 is a prisoner too. Please laugh when you are with me, Miss 
 lone. Your laugh reminds me of my home, and my own 
 sweet sisters." 
 
 The boy spoke with so much emotion, that it touched 
 lone deeply, and quite subdued Mrs. Bobaline. 
 
 Seeing the clouds returning to lone's face, Cadet Smith 
 began to draw upon his imagination to elicit another 
 laugh. 
 
 " Did you ever hear the story of the poor ' Sep.' ? He 
 had heard of the cadets foraging for apples and grapes, 
 and not knowing about the fine fruit orchards of the 
 Kinsley place below us, he supposed they were taken from 
 the gardens of the professors, and seeing some tempting 
 apples in one of them, crept in after dark, climbed the 
 tree and was satisfying himself voraciously, when two 
 young ladies came out to walk in the garden, and talk 
 over their love affairs. They had walked and talked some 
 time, when they cosily put their arms around each other, 
 and in order to catch step, one of them said ' Hep ! ' The 
 poor boy, losing all presence of mind at the dreadful word, 
 started, let go his hold, .and put his " little finger behind the 
 seam of his pantaloons," and of course fell, in a very un- 
 graceful manner, at the feet of the young ladies. They at 
 first gave a little shriek, but after a moment's reflection, 
 knew it could be nothing but a cadet, that would come 
 tumbling, Ravel-like, from the clouds, and threw their 
 shawls and rigolets over him. By the time the family came 
 to their assistance, he was a prisoner between them. On
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 57 
 
 being asked the cause of the outcries, one of them said, 
 '* We saw two stars fall from heaven.' The old professor 
 being a scientific man, took off his spectacles, glanced at 
 the clouds and said, ' he did not wonder at their fright, as 
 it was a very remarkable thing for to see falling stars when 
 the sky was not to be seen for the clouds. It was proba- 
 bly an ignis fatuus, rising from the low grounds.' ' No, 
 indeed ! ' she cried, ' it did not rise, it fell ! ' Here her 
 sister gave a scream of laughter, and the poor fellow, 
 alarmed lest they should betray him, broke from them, 
 throwing shawls and caps in every direction." 
 
 lone shrieked with hysterical laughter, and Mrs. Boba- 
 line could not control her own sweet voice from forming a 
 fine alto. Cadet Smith clapped his hands with glee at his 
 triumph ; when seeing Lieutenant Mera approaching them 
 from an opposite direction, he cried " Keep dressed ! " 
 here comes a blue-coat, and I must decamp ! au revoir ! ' ' 
 and lifting his cap very gracefully walked away. 
 
 lone really sorry to lose the gay youth, returned Lieu- 
 tenant Mera's salute very gravely. 
 
 He had heard her musical laugh, and seeing her height- 
 ening color, and her beaming eye, it occurred to him, that 
 she was very lovely, and he said archly, " Ladies I have 
 fallen very deeply in love with a lady I just met ! " 
 
 The look of undisguised admiration he gave lone, be- 
 trayed his meaning to Mrs. Bobaline, but the young lady 
 not feeling particularly interested in the announcement, 
 had turned a look of regret after the retreating cadet, the 
 wicked smile the elder lady gave, brought the gentleman 
 to her side. " Most beautiful and womanly of your sex, 
 how are you to-day ? " 
 
 " Lieutenant Mera, I always feel like calling for an ex- 
 planation, when you address me ! " She said spirited- 
 
 iy." 
 
 " Ah, my lady ? that would be very cruel to your cap- 
 tive ! " 
 
 She stepped beyond lone, leaving her next Lieutenant 
 Mera. 
 
 3
 
 58 Tactics; or, 
 
 " What are you thinking about, Miss lone ? " 
 
 " I ? I was just wishing I was over at yonder pretty 
 cottage, feeding chickens." 
 
 " O, lone ! you are incorrigible !" 
 
 " And I wish I were with you ! which cottage will you 
 have ? you can have any one you prefer." Said Lieuten- 
 ant Mera rubbing his hands. 
 
 " I'll have the one near the wood, for I love the woods." 
 
 " lone ! one might know that you were brought up in 
 the wilderness, without, trumpeting it forth on all occa- 
 sions," sneered Mrs. Bobaline. 
 
 " I wish I had been. I have always longed for the 
 woods like a young squaw, but have dwelt in cities, as Miss 
 Barrett says, " The blue sky covering me like God's great 
 pity ! " 
 
 " And I," joined in Lieutenant Mera, " always think of 
 Holmes' poor drudge of the city ! 
 
 How happy he feels, 
 With burrs on his legs, 
 And the grass at his heels ! " 
 
 "LESSON SIXTH. 
 " Bayonet Exercises" 
 
 They reached a turn in the walk, and Mrs. Bobaline 
 took a diverging path ; lone did not see her and walked 
 on. Lieutenant Mera stopped on the bank above the 
 " Dade monument," and sighing heavily said, " How stern 
 is the lot of man ; to plod the unbroken wilderness, bear- 
 ing the heavy burden of life ; breasting its dark waves ; 
 each for himself, alone ! " 
 
 " But the reward ! Glory, honor, undying fame ! 
 
 " I would spend my every breath, 
 To live by fame forever, after death ! " 
 
 said lone enthusiastically.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 59 
 
 He curled his lip, saying bitterly, " Honor ! the huzzas 
 of the stupid multitude whose voices when you are unfor- 
 tunate, are a thousand times more clamorous to crucify, 
 than they were when your sun shone in splendor, to deity 
 you ! And devotion ! The simpering of some lovely belle 
 before the cold slab, * How beautiful that marble wreath 
 is ! ' " 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline had joined them unperceived. 
 
 " Nonsense, Lieutenant Mera ! don't give us the blues, 
 because you have them, it is unmanly." 
 
 His dark eyes glowed like coals of living fire ; she had 
 snapped the last link that bound him to a vain, spiteful wo- 
 man. 
 
 " Miss lone, I beg you will pardon me, if I have given 
 you pain, but 'tis true as gospel ! Content yourself to be 
 a belle, and slay with the rest of the destroyers ! " 
 
 Madam walked away. lone stood a little above him on 
 the bank, subdued by the picture of the lot assigned to 
 man by the stern soldier, her eyes filled with tears ; she 
 laid her hand softly on his arm, " Caius Marius, take me 
 down to see the monument if you please. Tuckerman 
 says ' sepulchral monuments address the feelings both of 
 love and pride, which bind generations of heroes togeth- 
 er." 
 
 Lieutenant Mera took her hand, and helped her down 
 the bank, and while she was reading the inscription, his 
 eyes were fixed upon her with a cold scrutiny ; but when 
 she finished, and turned away her head to hide the large 
 tear that hung on her dark lashes, he took her hand, and 
 drew it kindly in his arm. "By heaven, Miss lone, I have 
 given you pain ! and it is as Mrs. Bobaline says, unmanly 
 of me ! What do you think of me ? " 
 
 " What do I think of you just now ? O just now 
 you are a hero ! A * stern herojc figure, self-sustained and 
 calm, seated in meditation, amid prostrate columns which 
 symbolize his fallen fortunes, and an outward solitude 
 which reflects the desolation of his exile,' as Tuckerman 
 so grandly says of Vanderlyn's Marius."
 
 60 Tactics ; or, 
 
 " Fallen fortunes, and exile ! " repeated he as if in a 
 dream. " How truthful the picture." 
 
 They walked slowly, he stopped lest they should over- 
 take Mrs. Bobaline who was lingering for lone. " And 
 you, Miss lone ! Permit me to quote your favorite Tuck- 
 erman also. His Ariadne, an ideal of female beauty, ' re- 
 posing upon the luxury of its own sensations, and yielding 
 with childlike abandonment to dreams of love, how like a 
 vision of pure love she seems.' ' 
 
 u Lieutenant Mera, pray do not punish me so severely ! 
 I quoted, because what you said, and your state of mind 
 brought the picture, and the description, powerfully to 
 mind." 
 
 " Indeed, indeed, Miss lone, I was as powerfully struck 
 with the resemblance to which I allude, the portrait is per- 
 fect." 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline beckoned to lone, and Lieutenant Mera 
 deliberately took her hand from his arm, held it a moment, 
 raised his cap, and vanished down the bank toward the 
 river. 
 
 lone joined Mrs. Bobaline, whose burning cheek fore- 
 told a storm, " I am vexed beyond endurance that I came 
 out to-day. When a man runs on as Lieutenant Mera 
 did to-day, he must be intoxicated. I declare it is insuffer- 
 able ! " She was ready to cry. lone prudently fore bore 
 to reply. 
 
 PART THIRD. LESSON SECOND. 
 
 Marching Backward 
 
 A voice behind them, called, " Madam ! madam ! 
 Please do not be my death, by making me run after you 
 this way." A blush of pleasure suffused madam's face, 
 while she waited for him, the gallant colonel being the 
 pursuer. 
 
 lone moved slowly forward, afraid to give her aunt an 
 opportunity of taking vengeance on her by giving her " the
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 61 
 
 cut direct," as she had done a few evenings before. Her 
 silvery laugh evinced her returning self-control, and lone 
 was very grateful to the Colonel for his timely appear- 
 ance, and powers of pleasing. A very polite little skir- 
 mish seemed to be progressing between them, but lone did 
 not turn her head, so did not see it was about a handker- 
 chief she had dropped. She ascended the steps of the hotel, 
 but not daring to enter lest she should offend the capri- 
 cious lady, her aunt, she looked with the deepest interest 
 toward the river, sweeping the plain with her eyes for 
 Cains Marius, but he was nowhere to be seen. 
 
 The Colonel assisting Mrs. Bobaline, ran gaily up the 
 steps like a boy of fifteen, left her, and approached lone. 
 With a bold stare of admiration, he presented her a hand- 
 kerchief, saying, " I never in my life did hear of chal- 
 lenge urged more modestly !" 
 
 lone's face became scarlet, she looked at the dainty ar- 
 ticle, held by the extreme corner, between his thumb and 
 finger, to her own hands and pocket, then to her aunt, 
 Avhose face was beaming with wickedness, she cast down 
 her eyes, pained to a degree, took the handkerchief, cour- 
 tesied very haughtily, entered the hotel, and her own 
 room, and gave vent to her deep humiliation in a flood of 
 tears. 
 
 After a "splendid time," with the gallant Colonel, Mrs. 
 Bobaline went into the parlor, sat down to the piano, 
 played and sang with her usual not self-forgetfulness, 
 but forgetfulness of everything but self. The Colonel 
 said she must come out to parade. Well, where was lone ? 
 
 " LESSON THIRD." 
 
 " Tlie March by the Flank." 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline went to lone's .door. " lone, I am going 
 to parade, come ! " lone did not answer. Madam open- 
 ed the*door. " lone, you have spoiled your eyes, and are 
 not fit to be seen ; and I want to go to parade. Never
 
 62 Tactics; or, 
 
 mind, I'll disappoint you, when you are wishing for some- 
 thing." She turned to go away, but a new thought seem- 
 ed to strike her. " I'll not be so annoyed ; just wash your 
 face and come along. If you do not, I'll never forgive 
 
 you ! 
 
 " FACE. FORWARD. MARCH.' 
 
 lone rose, bathed her red eyes and nose, the nose had 
 the vote this time, and shewed its triumph, by looking like 
 an English ensign. To parade they went. A group of 
 officers hovered near, among whom she saw Lieutenants 
 Mera and Saberin. Her aunt's discomforture was com- 
 plete, for after walking across the plain like a servant, un- 
 escorted, the Colonel had a party of ladies there, from 
 Cozzens, and did not even come to speak to her,aud had not 
 the " odious " Lieutenant Burlyton joined them, she would 
 have had to leave the seats unattended. But she lisped 
 her sweetest phrases in gratitude for his attention. lone 
 thought " sleek flattery and she, are twin-born sisters." 
 Her arts were lost on the sturdy soldier, who paid little 
 heed to them, but made the most of his time with " little 
 one," as he called lone, and had, as he reported in bar- 
 racks, " A perfect hocus-pocus time, with Mrs. Bobaline," 
 spending the entire evening, much to that fine lady's cha- 
 grin. It never occurred to the matter-of-fact Lieutenant 
 that an officer of the U. S. A. could be anything else than 
 captivating to a woman. He told lone what the color of 
 her eyes were, the quality of her hair, the imperfections 
 of her complexion, the shape of her head, etc., quite in a 
 friendly way. After he was gone, Mrs. Bobaline sat and 
 gave vent to her mortification by explaining to lone, causes 
 and their effects. " The officers all court wealth, you see, 
 from the Colonel down to the cadet captain ; girls need not 
 come here, looking for attention, who have not splendid 
 homes to invite them to, or a grand party to accompany 
 them. That reminds me ; Lieutenant Mera asked how 
 you came from San Francisco. I did not know, and was
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 63 
 
 ashamed to say you travelled unattended, so I said you 
 came on with a party. How did you get here ? " 
 
 " As you say, with a party, Senator Dasher's family 
 on their way to Washington. He put me on the cars at 
 New York, under the care of Governor Morgan, to this 
 station over the river." 
 
 " Is it possible ? " 
 
 " Yes ma'am," replied lone quietly. 
 
 " Well do bring it in, in some way, and tell Lieutenant 
 Mera ; I have been annoved to death by questions about 
 you." 
 
 " I cannot see why people should interest themselves 
 about me, I never ask who they are, and shall certainly 
 not take the pains to tell Lieutenant Mera anything about 
 it ; why should I ? he is nothing to me." 
 
 " Yes, but we owe something to society ; we must all 
 give a quid pro quo, for what we receive ; if you pretend 
 to be white, you must substantiate your claims to the con- 
 siderations of society." 
 
 .Tone's spirit was fast getting roused ; hunted like a hare 
 out of all her pretty resources, reading, walking, and mu- 
 sic, which had always made her feel independent of the 
 whims and caprices of those around her, she began to 
 view life as a battle field, in which it was every one for 
 himself. " I came to see you, and uncle, and have a 
 pleasant little visit, and can be very happy seeing all these 
 gay sights, hearing this delicious music, and walking 
 through these enchanting scenes. I don't see why any one 
 with the senses God has bestowed upon most of the hu- 
 man family, should not be happy, perfectly happy ! " 
 
 " Don't talk like a fool, lone ! When you are with me, 
 I do not care to fall into the shade, or be dragged into in- 
 visibility, by having those around me of such poor aims, 
 and no ambition ! " 
 
 "I view life in a different light : I cannot see the neces- 
 sity of making myself wretched, because Lieutenant Mera 
 minds his own aft'airs, at least a part of his time. I sup- 
 pose they are not gentlemen at their leisure ; each one
 
 64 Tactics; or, 
 
 seems to have his imperative duties to attend to, and when 
 at liberty, why should they be obliged to rush for me, or I 
 be blue, and feel slighted, because they walk with, or talk 
 to another lady ? " 
 
 " lone, you are too much ! You view life ! When 
 your mother sent you here, away from home, I warrant 
 you she had an object, and a very important one, that is, 
 to get you settled in life. It is natural to suppose so. A 
 poor widow's daughter should try to do what she can for 
 herself." She looked at lone out of the corner of her 
 eye, and saw a very perceptible curl on her lip. " To be 
 sure, you might do better in San Francisco than here, and 
 
 " And, as you say, the officers are like sleep 
 ' And ready yisits pay, where fortune smiles ' 
 
 " Let me, a poor widow's daughter, be grateful for 
 the crumbs of flattery, and smiles, that fall from these 
 fortunate belles' table." 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline out of temper and patience, could give no 
 more advice to one on whom the valuable commodity was 
 only thrown away. She retired to her room without 
 deigning to say good-night. 
 
 lone went to her prayers, and was very penitent that 
 she had vexed her aunt, and promised to be more dutiful 
 in the future. 
 
 " LESSON FOURTH." 
 
 " Wheeling- and Turning in Double Quick Time" 
 
 (Lieutenants Saberin and Mera conversing on the piaz- 
 za of the hotel.) 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin. " You call that Miss Smith so 
 artless ! She was going to walk with her Cadet Smith, the 
 other evening, they went off the piazza, when she looked 
 back and saw me, and immediately returned, and went up
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 65 
 
 to the parlor-window and called to Miss Dora Bellamy, ' I 
 hope you are not to stay here alone, come with us ? ' but 
 kept glancing at me, while she was talking, and her eye 
 was more eloquent than her tongue, but I stood fire like a 
 statue, and did not take the hint. I thought, my little la- 
 dy, I'll foil you for once. Dora went with her, who by 
 the way, I consider much the prettiest of the two, Miss 
 Smith turned her head twice, as much as to say, Can 
 you resist ? 
 
 Lieutenant Mera asked slily, why he did not go with 
 her, as he did not doubt she had a message from Madam, 
 for him, adding, " you conceited fop, she is as far from being 
 a flirt as a fool, which you are trying to make her out; be- 
 sides, she does not admire you at all, she told me, you al- 
 ways reminded her of a bachelor friend, who, reveled the 
 majority of his time in the sulks, and in those moods flew 
 into a vehicle, which he called in an eminently proper 
 manner a ' sulky, ' which he nearly lived in." 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin was not flattered, and said he did 
 not see the application. 
 
 " Never mind the application ; " said Lieutenant Mera, 
 delighted to have vexed him, for his conceit. They arose 
 and walked. Presently they met Miss Smith and Lieu- 
 tenant Burly ton ; truly enough, lone looked wistfully at 
 Lieutenant Saberin. Lieutenant Mera was profoundly 
 puzzled. He had thought her too modest and sensible to 
 show such public admiration for any man ; could she have 
 taken it into her head to try to attract that unsocial and 
 aristocratic fellow by this folly ? This was simply absurd, 
 no, there was something going on under this pretty panto- 
 mime. He tried in vain to convince Lieutenant Saberin 
 of this, who thought Lieutenant Mera jealous, told him he 
 need have no fears, he could not condescend to rival him. 
 Lieutenant Mera was offended, they parted, Lieutenant 
 Saberin taking refuge in the impugnable sulks.
 
 66 Tactics 5 or, 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 " LESSON SECOND." 
 
 " Ready. Aim. Fire" 
 
 Lieutenant Mera entered the parlor, one day after din- 
 ner, and found Mrs. Bobaline and lone seated with Lieu- 
 tenant Burlyton, and a lady a new arrival a Mrs. Mor- 
 dant Maryglot. English by birth, and a great traveller, 
 she was a George Sands in propria persona. tfc Bless you I 
 had seen all the world ! " A lover of the fine arts 
 a great worshipper of glorious queen Bess ! They all 
 seemed insane with mirth. He drew a paper from his 
 pocket, and sat down to listen, and for a time, thought the 
 two ladies destitute of soul and sentiment, and was rapidly 
 losing faith in their truth and humanity, so much did 
 they appear to enjoy the quizzing Mrs. Maryglot was un- 
 dergoing from Lieutenant Burlyton. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline laughing gaily at some lively sally from 
 the witty stranger, called to Lieutenant Mera to sit up 
 and join the party ; but he, rather offended than flattered, 
 politely declined. 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot looked slighted, and remarked in a low 
 voice to lone, " Poenus est," " he is a Carthagenian ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton glanced at Mrs. Bobaline, and re- 
 plied " Oh, you must speak in his own tongue to him ! 
 You recollect Charles V. used to say, ' you must speak 
 Spanish to the gods, Italian to the ladies, French to gentle- 
 men, German to soldiers, English to geese, Hungarian to he- 
 roes, and Bohemian to the devil ! ' "
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 67 
 
 " Dear me ! " said the learned lady, " and which am I 
 to speak to your friend, Bohemian ? " 
 
 Lieutenant Mera rose and walked away in high dudgeon, 
 followed by peals of laughter, just catching Mrs. Mary- 
 glot's pleasant remark, that she should have taken him for 
 a Boeotian. She then fell upon Charles V. with true 
 English vigor, " confounding him for his impudence, au 
 illustrious Bob Acres, milksop, whiteliver, nidget &c." re- 
 venging the insult to her che'rissable mother-tongue. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera avoided the terrible party of humor- 
 ists for some time, and returned to his strolls with Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin. They often saw lone with cadets, her 
 aunt or Lieutenant Burlyton, she always looked at Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin till Lieutenant Mera was forced to yield 
 that she was making a fool of herself about his friend. A 
 fine development of such a character as he had conceived 
 Miss lone Smith to be ! So beautifully consistent as she 
 had been in nearly all the phases of her nature. " She 
 is a woman, and that is enough to account for her imper- 
 fections, how could she be faultless? '' 
 
 " Charge Sabre Bayonet" 
 
 Four o'clock had already passed, and Cadet White had 
 not come. Lieutenant Burlyton passed and repassed lone 
 on the piazza, as she sat waiting for him ; at length stop- 
 ping and bowing before her with his coat-skirts spread out 
 repeated like a school-boy, " ' Oft expectation fails, and 
 most oft there when most it promises ; and oft it hits 
 where hope is coldest, and despair most sits ! ' why comes 
 not your tardy cavalier, fair lady ? " 
 
 Taking refuge in one of Viola's pretty caprices, she did 
 not answer him, but rose, went directly through the hall, 
 and ran down the path to the river-side. Loitering along 
 dreamily, she entered a tempting spot, shaded so lovingly, 
 that the sun's rays wer,e completely excluded. She stepped 
 from rock to rock, and seated herself quite among the tops
 
 68 Tactics; or, 
 
 of the evergreens growing on the crags beneath her. 
 Here she sat perfectly enchanted by the delicious, quiet 
 beauty of the scene, and purity and balminess of the air ! 
 So rapt was she, that she forgot her own existence for a 
 long time, but the fact that there was a Miss lone Smith, 
 was forced upon her when, " with wild surprise she stood " 
 and listened, most unwillingly, to the conversation of two 
 gentlemen on a path below her. She could not see them, 
 but as they addressed each other by name, she discovered 
 that they were Lieutenants Mera and Saberin. 
 
 " O Saberin, I succumb, the old witch certainly was 
 right ! I am a Boeotian ! I never was so deceived in a girl ! " 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! Love is a celestial humbug ! " laughed 
 Lieutenant Saberin. " Faith, I am sorry for the little 
 thing, but I am to be gone so soon, and then she'll fall 
 back on her cadets ! She's ambitious, Mera ! she's ambi- 
 tious ! " 
 
 " Bah ! " was Lieutenant Hera's reply. lone wished 
 for wings, but had not got hers yet, poor girl ! 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin sang 
 
 ' Cupid is a knavish lad, 
 Thus to make poor females mad ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Mera said " bah ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin laughed. " O, gentle Protheus, 
 Love's a mighty lord ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Mera turned fiercely, " What do you mean ; 
 that I am in love with Miss Smith ? " His friend did not 
 answer, and when Lieutenant Mera spoke again, his voice 
 was husky with rage. " Saberin, you are a puppy ! " 
 
 " Go wretch ! and give a life like thine to other wretches 
 live ! " shouted Lieutenant Saberin in mock tragedy, 
 their voices mingled in a boisterous, heartless laugh, and 
 they moved on. lone was petrified. She had not the pow- 
 er to move. She gradually recovered from the shock, but 
 had undergone a metempsychosis ; she found herself seated 
 on her bedside in her own room, marvelling at the extraor-
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 69 
 
 dinary chance that should have led her to that spot, the first 
 time she had ventured forth alone. 
 
 She sat still till her aunt came, having searched the 
 house for her. " Why lone, you look as if you had seen 
 a vision ! where have you been child ? " Mrs. Bobaline 
 exclaimed in unfeigned anxiety. 
 
 " Only a stroll down the bank ; and have tired myself 
 out ! " she replied petulantly. 
 
 " Well, arrange your hair for tea, as I am going down ! " 
 She found her aunt talking with Lieutenants Mera and 
 Saberin in the hall, and sweeping past them with the 
 erect head of one who was perfectly aware that she was 
 misunderstood, and maltreated generally, she entered the 
 tea-room alone. 
 
 After she passed, Lieutenant Mera said, " what's up ? " 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline smiled, and replied " she did not know 
 unless lone was in love ! She had been wandering away 
 down ' flirtation walk,' alone for hours, that afternoon." 
 
 The friends glanced at each other. They went in with 
 Madam and sat by her. lone however never raised her 
 eyes, and answered a question Lieutenant Mera put to her, 
 in such a way that they saw she meant to be uncivil, and 
 they became in consequence very polite to Mrs. Bobaline. 
 lone left them at the table, and went into the parlor, 
 where a lady was singing, and as the sweet notes stole 
 through the hous"e, the two young men heard it, and both 
 being fond of music entered the parlor together, the first 
 time since lone came. The sweet singer left the piano, 
 and Lieutenant Saberin to amuse himself with the " love- 
 sick damsel," advanced to her with his most fascinating 
 bow, and asked her to favor him with a song. 
 
 lone simple and natural as a child, said she knew only 
 one or two old songs, and that she feared to sing after the 
 lady who had just sung. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin loved old songs and home-singing 
 best, and led her to the piano. She was frightened, but 
 this only lent a tender tremulousness to her naturally 
 fine voice. She sang the old song :
 
 70 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Oh, no, it never crossed my heart, 
 
 To thiuk of thee with love, 
 For we are severed far apart, 
 As earth, and arch above ! 
 And though in many a midnight dream, 
 
 You've prompted fancy's brightest theme ; 
 I never thought that thcu couid'st be, 
 More than a midnight dream to me ! " 
 
 " A something bright and beautiful, 
 
 Which I must teach me to forget 
 E'er I can turn to meet the dull 
 
 Realities that linger yet ! 
 A something girt with summer flowers, 
 
 And sunny smiles, and laughing hours ; 
 While I, too well I know would be 
 
 Nut e'en a midnight dream to thee ! " 
 
 As she rose from the piano, Lieutenant Saberin, really 
 penetrated, offered her his arm, and led her to the piazza. 
 
 She had longed for this opportunity, and abruptly be- 
 gan, "Lieutenant Saberin, you lost a letter, some time 
 
 Startled out of his sentimentality, he replied, " Yes ! " 
 
 " I found it, and have been very impatient to return it," 
 lone went on rapidly, lest he should interrupt her. 
 
 " Impatient ! could you not have given it me at first? " 
 It is sometime since I lost it." And genuine surprise 
 made the tones of his voice imperious, and harsh, and lone 
 quaked like a culprit before her judge, when she supposed 
 she had acted a Solon's part and would be completely at 
 her ease. 
 
 " Yes," She faltered, " but now now that you have 
 it in safety and I have tried to act for the best, is not 
 that enough ? " 
 
 " This is very strange ! " replied Lieutenant Saberin. 
 " Where did you find it ? When did you find it ? " 
 
 lone evaded the first question, but replied to the sec- 
 ond, " Perhaps not ten minutes after you lost it ! " 
 
 " Where ? '' demanded Lieutenant Saberin. 
 
 " Naar where you lost it, I suppose ! " she said timid-
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 71 
 
 " Miss Smith, you are evading my question ! I don't 
 know where I lost it ! " 
 
 " Did you not drop it on the piazza ? " 
 
 " Did I ? " said he impatiently. 
 
 " I suppose so ; but now that you hare it, is not that 
 enough ? " 
 
 " Did you know that it was mine ? " 
 
 " No indeed, Lieutenant Saberin ! " 
 
 " Your aunt knew it ! ; ' 
 
 " Yes, but slie did not speak to me of it." 
 
 " This is very unaccountable ! Strange that your aunt 
 did not find it, I left her there ! " 
 
 " I told you I found it," she replied really distressed. 
 " I don't know that my aunt even saw it. I will leave 
 you a moment and bring it you." And she vanished into 
 the hall. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin was confounded, and quite incapaci- 
 tated for his adroit plan of cross-examination, which poor 
 lone would certainly have undergone under other circum- 
 stances. She came out in a few moments, and handed 
 him the letter and was retreating precipitately, when Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin caught her sleeve. " Stay ! " She invol- 
 untarily stopped. He offered her his arm, saying, " I 
 must know more about this ! " lone tried to draw her 
 hand from his arm, he would not let her go, but said slow- 
 ly and deliberately, " Is there any mystery about the 
 finding and detaining of my letter from me, all this 
 time ? " 
 
 lone felt that she had fallen into the hands of an inquis- 
 itor-general, but her pride came to her aid, and she told 
 him that on the morning he lost it, she had a pleasant book 
 to read, that she went from the table before Viola, to en- 
 joy it awhile, in the parlor, alone. She did not know her 
 aunt was on the piazza, till she heard the gentlemen ad- 
 dress her, she felt no necessity for retiring, but sat absorbed 
 in her book, till she was startled by a smart blow in her 
 face, and a letter fell on the floor. She sprang up and 
 looked out of the window, saw no one and supposed at
 
 72 Tactics ; or, 
 
 once, some person had passed and thrown her a letter. 
 She thought of her cadet friends, up at the hotel without a 
 " permit ;" she ran up stairs without looking at the address, 
 when about to open it she turned it, and saw it was not 
 for her. She was just going to tell Viola about the sin- 
 gular circumstances, when her aunt rushed past her and 
 shut her door violently. " I thought she was ill," she con- 
 tinued, " and as she likes to be alone when she does not 
 feel well, I went to my room, and concluded to keep my 
 own counsel till I heard something more about it, and if 
 possible restore it to the loser. A good while after, Vio- 
 letta said to me, ' I would give anything to know what 
 became of that letter.' I replied, what letter? She 
 looked surprised, and said ' Lieutenant Saberin has lost 
 a letter and every one in the house has been looking for 
 it, have you heard nothing of it?" I said I had not 
 heard a word about it. And ever since I have been try- 
 ing to give it to you unseen." 
 
 " But why unseen ? " he demanded. 
 
 " Lieutenant Saberin, please do not ask me any hiore 
 question's," she plead, in a piteous voice. " Only don't 
 mention it to any one, now that you have the letter is 
 not that enough ? " 
 
 " Not at all I the letter should have reached its destina- 
 tion long ago, and now it cannot go at all ! " he grumbled 
 in a petulant tone. " I don't see why you should be so 
 very careful of anything belonging to me, unless you 
 wished to place me under obligations to you ! " 
 
 " O, no ! " was all the poor girl could say, and tried 
 again to disengage her hand. 
 
 He dared not let her go offended, it was no part of the 
 young gentleman's policy to offend any one, and certainly 
 not a lady, as he desired to be a general favorite. He 
 changed the subject. " Now, my little friend, tell mo 
 where you have been this afternoon ? " lone shuddered 
 perceptibly, which determined Lieutenant Saberin to 
 satisfy his misgivings on this subject. " You are very in- 
 trepid to venture forth *alone to the river-side ! " he said 
 in his sweetest tones.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 73 
 
 " Who told you I was alone ? " 
 
 " You will not tell me anything ! and you want me to 
 tell you everything," said he playfully. She did not speak, 
 he added, " I will be more frank than you ; your aunt 
 told me." 
 
 lone concluded that her aunt had raised the house 
 about her, and said, " I was weary of waiting for a friend, 
 who promised to take me down to the river-side, and ran 
 down by myself and " 
 
 "And, what ? " said he eagerly. 
 
 " O, I profited marvellously by my adventurousness 
 saw the world in quite a new phase ! and came home a 
 wiser, but I fear a less charitable person than I could wish 
 myself." 
 
 " Should such an ardent young lover of nature be un- 
 charitable ? " he asked. 
 
 " It was Avith regard to human nature, that the band- 
 
 O 
 
 age was so rudely torn from my eyes. Inanimate nature 
 commands our love and admiration, for that is as it came 
 from the hand of Divine wisdom ! " 
 
 " You say the bandage was torn from your eyes, yet 
 you were alone," exclaimed he. 
 
 " Yes, but I was made the unwilling listener to a con- 
 versation, painful in the extreme, between two gentlemen, 
 respecting myself." 
 
 She ceased speaking, and Lieutenant Saberin was for 
 once in his life humbled in his own eyes ! What must 
 this young girl think of his vanity and presumption ? She 
 had heard him say that she was ambitious, in falling in 
 love with him ! and Heaven only knows what else, for his 
 ideas were not nearly as collected as they generally were, 
 when conversing with young ladies, neither could he gather 
 his scattered wits, to attempt the slightest vindication of him- 
 self. He led her to some chairs at the dark end of the 
 north piazza, and said quietly, " Sit down, Miss Smith ? " 
 
 lone declined very haughtily, and turned to go back to 
 the parlor, Lieutenant Saberin walked at her side to the 
 door. A fine looking young man sitting near the door, 
 4
 
 71 Tactics; or, 
 
 remarked " That lias been a tip top flirtation ! " He luul 
 been watching them closely. Lieutenant Saberin bowed 
 low at the parlor door, and said, " Permit me to see you 
 for a few moments to-morrow at any hour! " 
 
 She left him without appointing the hour, and entered 
 the parlor. The flashing eyes of her aunt terrified her, 
 and she went to her own room. It was late when Viola 
 came up. She heard with great surprise, the most hyster- 
 ical sobs and sighs escaping from her aunt's room. 
 
 " Remarks." 
 
 lone sprang from her couch, with a vague apprehension 
 of something still to do or bear. Ah ! how she sighed 
 for her sacred quiet home. How she dreaded to meet her 
 aunt ! Why, she could not have told. Violetta was 
 very beautiful, exquisitely so, to lone's mind, and certainly 
 she was so to others. The elegant Colonel always gave 
 her one of his grandest bows, and often called on her, 
 though lone had never been introduced to him. Why 
 should her gay, witty, lovely aunt, weep ? lone thought 
 if any one in the world had cause to weep, she had. Had 
 she not tried to please every one ? Her mother told her to 
 be perfectly unselfish, and then she would forget to be 
 homesick. Had she pleased anybody ? no, she had suc- 
 ceeded in a matchless degree in arraying every one, like 
 
 . O .' 
 
 so many antagonists, against her diminutive self! What 
 could it mean ? There Avas Lieutenant Mera, a superb 
 man, that God had made " on purpose," to protect little 
 defenceless maidens ; he met her with a grand dignity of 
 manner, that would have frozen the blood in the cheeks of 
 fifty sachems. What had she done to him ? Then there 
 was Lieutenant Saberin, to whom she was an " entire 
 stranger," accusing her of compassing heaven and earth, 
 to make him fall in love witli her ! Horrors ! 
 
 Cadet Smith too, what had she done to him ? Had he 
 not made " ever so many," engagements with her, and 
 kept none of them ? Yet she had seen him lino-orino 1 beside
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 75 
 
 a lovely girl, carrying her shawl and parasol all devo- 
 tion to her. Here she nearly screamed aloud, in deep sor- 
 row for herself, and imagined she was broken-hearted ! 
 She shook her head, to get these disagreeable thoughts out 
 of her little brair ; as if they had been so many wasps, 
 and sat down to write to her mother. " Dear mother ! ' 
 But she had taken more time to dress and dream,, than she 
 thought. 
 
 " To Mark Time. March." 
 
 A smart rap on the door informed lone that her aunt 
 was in the flesh, and going down to breakfast. She made 
 haste, and joined her in the hall. She was surrounded by 
 a group of officers, chatting in the liveliest mood with 
 them, and Mrs. Maryglot. They all turned so suddenly 
 upon her, that she blushed deeply. 
 
 " Charming.! " murmured Lieutenant Mora. 
 
 " The blushing beauties of a modest maiden ! " brayed 
 Lieutenant Burlyton, "nay, will you not deign me one 
 smile ? " and he intercepted her way to the dining room. 
 
 lone laughed, and said " ' Think not thou, no smile I 
 can bestow upon thee, there is a smile, a smile of nature 
 too, which I can spare, and yet perhaps, thou wilt not thank 
 me for't.' ' 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton assumed an attitude of mock hu- 
 mility, and responded, " ' Heaven help me ! to beg of thee 
 dear Violet ! some of thy modesty ! ' All laughed, 
 and he pointing in fine tragic style to the dining-room 
 door, quoted Miss Barrett. " ' On the door you will not 
 enter ; I have gazed too long adieu ! ' " and left them. 
 
 Madam Maryglot followed him saying, " Partons ! Je 
 ne vous retiendrai pas plus longtemps ! " 
 
 This was the most delightful morning lone had had 
 since her arrival ; everybody seemed in their best humor, 
 and the hour was one of unalloyed pleasure. The officers 
 left them, and the ladies Averc all talking and laughing at 
 once, when the colonel entered.
 
 76 Tactics; or, 
 
 " 1st. Forward. 2d. March" 
 
 The colonel took a seat beside Mrs. Bobaline, called for 
 a cup of coffee, and whispered to her to introduce him to 
 her cousin. Mrs. Bobaline spoke to lone, and introduced 
 them. 
 
 The colonel rose with his cup in his hand, went to the 
 other side of the table where lone had seated herself, and 
 sat down beside her. She looked painfully conscious of 
 having robbed her aunt of her finest feather, which highly 
 incensed the penetrating lady, for she read quite plainly, 
 "Dear Viola, I I don't want the Colonel !" Madam 
 concealed her chagrin behind a sprightly mischievousm--. 
 completely disconcerting the poor girl, so that she scarcely 
 knew what she was saying. 
 
 " Fair lady," began the colonel, " may I presume on a 
 few moments of your precious time, since all the fascina- 
 ting younger men are gone."' 
 
 lone looked at Viola, a blush and a spasmodic working 
 of the mouth, were her only reply. 
 
 " Will you take a turn in the carnage with me this 
 bright morning ? " 
 
 lone dared not raise her eves, but answered, " I'll a-k 
 Viola." 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline laughed loudly. " Do as you please, lone, 
 one would suppose I was an old beldame, keeping watch 
 and ward over you ! '' 
 
 The colonel turned his eyes from Tone's burning face, 
 in pity, bowed in the most courtly manner to Mrs. 
 Bobaline, and replied for lone, " Ah, Madam ! do not 
 such injustice to yourself; who will bear the bell when you 
 think it not worth your while to wear it ? " 
 
 " We'll have it put on the cat, to frighten the old rats 
 away ! " sneered Mrs. Maryglot. Mrs.' Bobaline laughed 
 rudely. The colonel was not easily foiled ; he begged 
 to change the selfish drive into an excursion across the 
 river, to visit the home of the sweetest of our poets, 
 'The Homer of America!' nestled so lovingly in the 
 bosom of the grand old mountains."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 77 
 
 " O, yes ! let us make up a party," cried Mrs. Boba- 
 line eagerly, " and permit me, colonel, to make out a list 
 of those to be invited ? " 
 
 " Certainly ! " said the colonel, " if you will include 
 sweet lone and I," and he folded his napkin very care- 
 fully. Mrs. Bobaline curled her pretty lip. They ad- 
 journed to the piazza. The Colonel lingered beside lone 
 for an hour, saying many flattering things, till Mrs. Boba- 
 line descended from her room, with the list, on which she 
 had written Lieutenant Saberin's name twice. " The 
 party," she said, " should be a rechercher affair ! " 
 
 " Indeed it will be, if you have two Lieutenant Saber- 
 ins,' " laughed the Colonel. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline blushed deeply, and drew her pencil 
 across the name. u Now, Mrs. Maryglot, you must leave 
 your quiver at home, and be your own charming self!" 
 she said. 
 
 " Diana without her quiver ? " asked lone. The colonel 
 declared that lone was Diana's self, and she needed no 
 other arrows than her eyes, " and I shall be your beau." 
 
 Mrs. Viola bade him not spoil lone by saying those silly 
 things to her. 
 
 " My dear lady ! " said the colonel demurely, " pray do 
 not call one of my most poetical efforts silly ! " 
 
 " Poetical ? ah, yes, they are what they call blank- 
 verse," laughed Mrs. Bobaline. 
 
 Airs. Maryglot came on the field armed and equipped for 
 the excursion, and immediately began to warn lone against 
 her new admirer, telling her she would find the officers 
 and military men, " an unco squad, an muckle they will 
 grieve ye." 
 
 Poor lone looked really alarmed, as her own experience 
 corroborated the good lady's words. Her shrinking ti- 
 midity interested the colonel very much ; he drew her hand 
 in his arm saying, " There's ae wee faut, they whiles lay to 
 me, I like the lassies, Gude f'orgie me ! " 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline had made out her list, but it was quite 
 another affair to muster her forces. The ladies were mostl v 

 
 78 Tactics; or, 
 
 pre-engaged, or disinclined to take such a tiresome trip, 
 and the officers were still more unattainable, each one 
 positively engaged, except Lieutenant Saberin. 
 
 " It will give Lieutenant Saberin great pleasure to ac- 
 company Mrs. Beauballeine's party." The lady read and 
 re-read the " charming note." She would not let lone see 
 it, and secure to herself this coveted escort. But what 
 shall she do with Mrs. Maryglot ? She saw Lieutenant 
 Burly ton just descending the steps. She flew to him, told 
 him lone was crazy to visit the home of the " Horace of 
 the age ; " that they were making up an excursion party ; 
 that he was indispensable to her happiness, with much 
 more to that effect, all of which Lieutenant Burlyton, the 
 generous, as he should have been styled, believed, and fell 
 into the snare at once, saying " All right, I'm ready." 
 Eleven was the hour named, and all were to meet on the 
 piazza. The colonel took his leave of the ladies. lone 
 and her aunt, arrayed themselves very tastefully, for reasons 
 best known to themselves. lone did not know that Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin was going, but was greatly flattered by the 
 devotion of the colonel. They were soon reminded by the 
 untiring Mrs. Maryglot, that the hour had arrived but not 
 the beaux ! The ladies descended, and were not a little 
 annoyed to find only Lieutenant Burlyton, with whom 
 none of them happened to be in love. Presently, Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin came, and took his station by lone. Mrs. 
 Bobaline could not have this ; she beckoned her into the 
 hall, and gave her a little motherly advice. " The colonel 
 had invited her to go, and she must show a little character, 
 and not bring superior officers into juxta-position with sub- 
 ordinates, that they might fight and kill each other ! " 
 lone was ready to cry, and begged to stay at home. Mad- 
 am laughed in her bracelet, and said, " O, by no means, 
 only be a little discreet, I'll give you hints occasionally ! '' 
 She promised to obey, and they set out. 
 
 The tardy Colonel came directly to lone, and apologized 
 for his want of punctuality in not meeting her precisely at 
 the hour.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 79 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin looked sulky and greatly inclined to 
 "' back out," but Mi*s. Bobaline came to his rescue, like a 
 skillful general. " Colonel, I would like to consult you for 
 a moment," she cried after him. The Colonel turned to 
 her, and Lieutenant Saberin took the post he wanted, 
 while Lieutenant Burlyton shouted behind her, " Plow 
 can the queen of love and beauty bear the fatigue ! " 
 Lieutenant Saberin put his hand in lone's arm, and walked 
 faster to get away from them, and when far before them, was 
 silent and gloomy. lone at first felt resentful, but glanc- 
 ing at his proud, dark face, the thought entered her in- 
 nocent heart, " Perhaps he has some deep sorrow, that 
 lies buried in his own breast." And forgetting her pride, 
 and that he was a reserved young officer, expecting to be 
 amused, she warbled lowly and sweetly, 
 
 " Ne'er tell me of glories serenely advancing ; 
 
 The close of our day, the calm eve of our night ; 
 Give me back, give rue back, the wild freshness of morning, 
 Her clouds and her tears, are worth evening's best light."' 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin started from his reverie, and begged 
 her to sing the whole song for him. She did so ; he was 
 delighted with it, and the rest of the party joined them. 
 Mrs. Bobaline looked eloquently at lone, and she gravely 
 took her seat in the boat beside the Colonel. Lieutenant 
 Saberin looked questioningly at her, and at every one else, 
 but saw no solution of the enigma. There lurked a very 
 bewitching smile about the mouth and downcast eyes of 
 Mrs. Bobaline. Lieutenant Saberin thought, " The little 
 one is stupid, Madame sees it, and Madame is very ap- 
 preciative, and by George ! very pretty," and he seated 
 himself, by Madame. In a few moments they were ex- 
 changing those nameless little courtesies, which seem to 
 constitute such a spell of enchantment over the minds of 
 the members of the " Mutual Admiration Society," and by 
 the time the boat reached the shore, they set off togeth- 
 er, apparently perfectly satisfied with the arrangement. 
 Lieutenant Saberin had a method in his madness, however,
 
 80 Tactics ; or, 
 
 for the idea had entered his brain, to sound Mrs. Bobaline 
 about lone. " She is rather interesting, and amusingly do- 
 cile but is she rich ? How came she to West Point ? " 
 Violetta evidently did not care to show her off, she had 
 avoided introducing him to her. Was she ashamed of her 
 family ? She had waylaid him to introduce him to Mi<s 
 Arnold." All these things passed in review before him, 
 and made him curious to fathom her ladyship's designs. 
 He said to himself, " I will begin sarcastically ; that will 
 either please, or pique her, and draw her out. 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! Miss lone reminds one of Cunningham's 
 " ' Xannin O,' " sae saintly and sae bonny O." 
 
 " Yes, she is very demure ; unaccustomed to society, I 
 imagine," answered Mrs. Bobaline. 
 
 "You imagine ? do you not know ? Is she some prin- 
 cess in disguise, ' some fay from fairy-land ? ' 
 
 " She certainly is no princess, though the Colonel ap- 
 pears to think her a fairy or something of the sort, he 
 talks such nonsense to her ! " 
 " Who is she ? What is she ? " 
 
 " Well, she is the child of Lieutenant Bobaline's only 
 sister; her mother is a poor widow and and I sur- 
 mise, sent her here to get a settlement." 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! a poor place to get a settlement ! " 
 A long silence followed " the short and simple annals " 
 of poor lone, and Lieutenant Saberin set his sails to in- 
 vestigate for himself this terre incognita, and falling into a 
 ruminating state of mind, he walked on without speaking, 
 chagrining Madame extremely, for she saw that she had 
 overstepped the bounds of policy. She certainly had 
 shown no kindly feeling for her young ward, and that to a 
 man to whom, above all others, she would fain appear an- 
 gelic ; she was far too selfish and " beautifully impulsive," 
 to be mistaken for an angel by any one who had seen her 
 often ; and she had shown such undisguised admiration for 
 Lieutenant Saberin, that a secret contempt had crept into 
 that gentleman's mind for the poor infatuated lad/ ; still, 
 his human nature could scarcely resist the worship of such 
 a pretty woman.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 81 
 
 "Qiange Step" 
 
 Mrs Bobaline showed signs of fatigue, supposing Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin would offer her his arm ; but she was dis- 
 appointed ; for he begged her pardon, and arranged a seat 
 for her, to await the coming up of the company. They 
 sat quietly enjoying the scene, apparently, but each was 
 busy with the darling scheme, Lieutenant Saberin plot- 
 ting to get possession of lone ; and poor, imprudent Mrs. 
 Bobaline smothering the sighs, and crushing back the tears, 
 that nearly found their way to the hot cheeks several times, 
 was building a Jacob's ladder to regain her lost elevation 
 in his eyes. 
 
 " Ho ! Saberin," shouted Lieutenant Burlyton. " Giv- 
 en out?" 
 
 " Yes," he answered gruffly. 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot had performed the walk in true English 
 style, and pranced up, glowing like a rose, to the panting 
 Mrs. Bobaline, " Up, up ! " cried she " labor vincet omnia." 
 
 " Miserere mei ! " affectedly murmured the exhausted 
 lady. 
 
 " Ipse frueris otio," continued Mrs. Maryglot. 
 
 " Pray, Mrs. Maryglot, speak German, we don't under- 
 stand you ! " said Lieutenant Burlyton, looking very 
 drolly at the learned lady. 
 
 " Very well ; " she replied " after this, you shall con- 
 verse in your native tongue, ' German to soldiers ! ' I 
 think you said." 
 
 " My native tongue ? I hope you don't take me for a 
 Dutchman ! Ha ! ha ! " and Lieutenant Burlyton lay 
 down on the grass, and rolled. 
 
 " Mrs. Maryglot has just told Mrs. Bobaline, that she 
 beats an omnibus ; Colonel, what do you think of that ? " 
 Seeing Mrs. Maryglot taking aim at him, he went on, 
 " not ih so many words to be sure, but as near as he could 
 understand her," and he laughed immoderately. 
 
 " Speaking of omnibuses," said Mrs. Maryglot, " re- 
 4*
 
 82 Tactics; or, 
 
 minds me of those that run between Berlin and Charlotten 
 burg, a delightful little drive of an hour or less ; ah, 'tis 
 charming ! the perfume of orange groves, and such associa- 
 tions gilding every spot your eye rests on. What a tame, 
 humdrum country is this ! " 
 
 " Humdrum, madam ! " screamed the Colonel, turning 
 scarlet, " is it possible that your mind is in such a benight- 
 ed state ? " 
 
 Lieutenant Burly ton had arisen and drawn near the" 
 belligerents, enjoying the prospect of fun. " When Greek 
 meets Greek," he shouted. 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot fell into a tragical attitude, grasping the 
 shawl that was falling from her shoulders, so that almost 
 unconsciously she assumed the grand grace and dignity of 
 a Roman senator. Waving her uncovered and finely 
 moulded arm to and fro, her voice rang out, " What, what 
 are your barren hills, and chaotic scenery, compared to 
 classic, storied Europe, where we breathe the air of Eden 
 and behold the foot-prints of an Alexander, a Julius Cesar, 
 a Frederick William ? What are your savage haunts com- 
 pared to such scenes ? " Her nostrils dilated like those of 
 a war-horse. lone drew near the place of conflict, and 
 laid her hand softly on the Colonel's arm. 
 
 ' Madam ! madam ! " cried the infuriated man, " was 
 Washington a savage ? Are not his foot-steps more more 
 yes, more?" 
 
 " Yes, yes," echoed Lieutenant Burly ton. 
 
 Just at that instant they were shocked by peals of laugh- 
 ter from Mrs. Maryglot. She pointed beyond them, they 
 turned, and saw Lieutenant Saberin with his cap nicely 
 adjusted on a crotched stick, preparing to photograph the 
 group. Squinting over it, he cried in the most business- 
 like tone, " Eyes a little oblique, Colonel." They all 
 laughed, and good humor was restored. Lieutenant Saberin 
 put on his cap, and advancing to lone, took the wild flow- 
 ers from her hand, in a quiet brotherly way, and offered her 
 his arm. " Poor little girl ! those furious people have ter- 
 rified you to a degree, I'll be sworn you are glad to get 
 under my wing."
 
 Cupid ill Shoulder Straps, 83 
 
 She could think of nothing just then, but the gravity 
 with which he had enacted the daguerreotypist ; and her 
 laugh rang through the air, awakening the echoes among 
 the hills, and rather throwing Lieutenant Saberin on his 
 dignity. She explained that it was his cleverness that 
 amused her, and he rewarded her, by throwing off the 
 magnificent officer, and donning the fascinating young 
 gentleman, and succeeded beautifully. Their walk was at 
 an end, much too soon for either party. Mrs. Maryglot 
 was with the warlike Colonel, who was anxious to retrieve 
 his character in her eyes, by enlightening her dark mind, 
 as it regarded the hallowed ground she was treading. As 
 they approached the home of the poet, she asked " If the 
 village was built on the General's domains ; were they 
 his tenantry ? " Mrs. Bobaline and Lieutenant Burlyton 
 were directly behind them, and enjoying their conversation 
 very much, but this was too much for the fun-loving 
 Lieutenant, he gave forth one of his sonorous neighs, mak- 
 ing both ladies shrink with affright The Colonel, unwilling 
 to lower this grand idea to the democratic fact, darted a 
 savage look at Lieutenant Burlyton, and said gravely, 
 " There are several estates joined here, I believe." 
 
 " What great man owns and cultivates these enormous 
 hills, or do they cultivate them ? " 
 
 " O, yes ; there are many cottages built at intervals, 
 and there are fine graperies, and orchards of rare fruit, 
 and such things." 
 
 She thought this very fine ; saying it was quite a re- 
 spectable country. She was indignant that the General 
 did not preserve acres and acres of park and green-sward 
 around his mansion, and have herds of deer, and ponds for 
 fish, and swans, etc. she could not forgive him for it ! 
 Lieutenant Burlyton ground his heel in the earth, and 
 leaning over it examined it closely. Mrs. Bobaline bit her 
 lip politely, the Colonel led the way into u Undercliff." 
 
 " Undercliff ! " murmured Mrs. M. "the home of an 
 American poet." 
 
 " Yes," responded Lieutenant Burlyton, " ' Woodman 
 spare that tree.' "
 
 84 Tactics; or, 
 
 The lady looked in every direction, and turning to him 
 said sharply, " What tree ? " 
 
 " O, 1 was quoting." Making a grimace at his ccm- 
 panion, for her stupidity, as he said in an " aside." They 
 walked in, and around, rather lawlessly, as the family 
 were absent. Mrs. Maryglot pronounced it quite " home- 
 like," but was disappointed that she could not see the poet. 
 They strolled far above the place on the hill, and were 
 now weary enough to return. lone and Lieutenant Sa- 
 berin had reached the boat. 
 
 " Have you taken the tenderest care of Mrs. Bobaline, 
 Colonel ? " asked Lieutenant Saberin, which consideration, 
 flattered the lady into sprightliness, and she said quickly, 
 " Indeed, he has ! " and pointing to lone she quoted, " ' To 
 this great fairy, I'll commend thy acts, make her thanks 
 bless thee, O, thou day o'the world.' ' 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton, who had to drag the weary lady 
 every step, as he afterward said, dropped his head, rushed 
 from her side, stepped into the boat, and giving lone his 
 hand, seated her cosily by his side, leaving the rest to take 
 care of themselves. Mrs. Bobaline stood back and let the 
 Colonel help Mrs. Maryglot in, and seat her, he turned to 
 Mrs. B. " O, never mind me ! " she said ; but he still 
 stood up in the boat. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin regarded Mrs. Bobaline curiously. 
 " You are going, are you not ? " he said, but made no ef- 
 fort to assist her. She blushed, did not answer, but spi'ang 
 forward to get into the boat unassisted, stepped on the 
 edge, as it was swaying about from the restlessness of the 
 tall Colonel, it upset at once. The whole party were in 
 the water in an instant. Lieutenant Saberin had leaned 
 Inrward to catch Mrs. Bobaline, lost his balance and fell 
 after her head-foremost into the water also ; he righted 
 himself quickly and caught her up, as being the object of 
 his pursuit, but was unconscious that any one else was in 
 the water till he had landed Mrs. Bobaline ; what was his 
 dismay to see the half-drowned Colonel clinging to the 
 boat, and the Lieutenant and Mrs. Marvo-lot rollin^ over 
 
 -
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 85 
 
 and over each other like playful porpoises, while lone was 
 drifting away, with a piteous look on her death-like face, 
 lie could not reason, he rushed into the water, and after 
 a sharp struggle secured her with one arm, while he at- 
 tempted to reach the shore with the other. Many per- 
 sons had gathered to their aid, and but a few moments 
 elapsed till all were safely on terra h'rma again. lone was 
 nearly exhausted, but Mrs. Maryglot shouted so lustily 
 that " she was drowned," and Mrs. Bobaline was really so 
 nearly dead with fright and the chill, that she received but 
 little attention, till she saw Lieutenant Saberin advancing 
 to her with two men, and a large chair between them, to 
 carry her to a house for dry clothes, and to get warm. 
 She begged he would take Mrs. Bobaline, but he resolutely 
 refused, and taking her up, seated her in the chair, ordered 
 the men to take her to the hotel. Her aunt was at once 
 endowed with new energies, she rose, put her arm in that 
 of Lieutenant Burlyton, gathered her wet dress about 
 her, and said " Take me after lone." He led her to the 
 hotel, and Madam Maryglot coming up with the Colonel, 
 thev were confided to the care of some women, and were 
 presently arrayed after a very droll fashion, in garments 
 " a world too wide," too long or too short, too large or too 
 small. Their own wet habiliments parcelled together, 
 and they parcelled into the boat, to the amusement of the 
 spectators. 
 
 " 1 Squad Backward. 2 March." 
 
 " They spake not a word, but like dumb statues or 
 breathless stones, stared on each other, and looked deadly 
 pale." The accident occurred so suddenly, that no one 
 appeared to know how the boat was upset. The by-staml- 
 ers had told a variety of stories, some that it was the Colo- 
 nel helping a lady in ; "other some " that it was Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin, losing his balance and falling forward when 
 helping a lady, but Lieutenant Saberin saw and under- 
 stood the- whole affair, that Mrs. Bobaline would permit
 
 86 Tactics ; or, 
 
 no one to help her, but him, while his vanity allowed him 
 to mortify her, and thus it happened that the boat was up- 
 set. Every one was sullen or thankful, and even poor 
 Madam Maryglot had not a word to say for herself, except 
 that, " It was a wonder of mercies that they were not go- 
 ing home dead corpses ! " in a very quiet, Christian way. 
 Lieutenant Burlyton's chin was buried in his wet bosom, 
 which heaved and shook at this sally, like a disturbed jelly, 
 but his mouth was serene as usual. He however had fun 
 enough, marshalling and marching them up to the hotel, 
 which they reached unseen, but there, ye gods ! 
 
 " The handsome bar-maids stare, as mute as fishes ; 
 And sallow waiters, frightened, drop their dishes ! " 
 
 The servants ran out to see them, but the ingenious 
 Lieutenant B. asked them if they had never heard of peo- 
 ple going in swimming, or bathing, before, attitudinizing 
 before them he repeated, 
 
 " The torrent roar'd ; and we did buffet it 
 With lusty sinews ; throwing it aside, 
 And stemming it with hearts of controversy." 
 
 They retired abashed. 
 
 The Colonel complimenting him in prose, " Well Burly- 
 ton you are a great fool ! " bowed to the ladies, who were 
 disguised like washer-women, and each took himself to 
 his retreat as quickly as possible. Mrs. Bobaline kept her 
 room and her bed for some days, really sick from the ef- 
 fects of her impromptu bath.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 87 
 
 "LESSON THIRD." 
 
 " Two" 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin felt a languor and depression un- 
 known to him, for some days, and avoided every one. In 
 one of these new phases of his character, he seated himself 
 in the loneliest spot he could find. Here Love, the mis- 
 chievous boy, brought to his side a pretty blue-eyed girl, 
 just as he had adjusted his lorgrette to peep at a black-eyed 
 one, from New Orleans. Of course he could not expose his 
 infidelity to the intruder, so he politely offered her a seat 
 at his side to admire, as he knew she would, the lovely 
 scene around him. The little lass was " fond and fair to 
 see." 
 
 She asked him if he had a little notelet in his " vade 
 mecum," he had never read. With a rueful tinge on his 
 ingenuous face, he drew out the little book, and among the 
 leaves discovered, 
 
 " The Lost Bird." 
 
 " My bird has flown away, 
 Far out of sight has flown, I know not where; 
 Look in your lawn, I pray, 
 Ye maidens kind and fair, 
 And see if my beloved bird be there ! 
 His eyes are full of light, 
 The eagle of the rock has such an eye, 
 And plumes, exceeding bright, 
 On his smooth temples lie ; 
 And sweet his voice, and tender as a sigh ! 
 Look where the grass is gay 
 
 With summer blossoms haply there he cower.? 
 And search, from spray to spray, 
 The leafy, laurel bowers ; 
 For well he loves the laurels and the flowers ! 
 Find him, but do not dwell, 
 With eye too fond, en the fair form you see, 
 Nor love his songs toe well :
 
 88 Tactics; or, 
 
 Send him at once to me, 
 
 Or leave him to the air, and liberty ! 
 
 For, only from my hand 
 
 He takes the seed into his golden beak. 
 
 And all unwiped, shall stand 
 
 The tears that wet my cheek, 
 
 Till I have found the wanderer I seek ! 
 
 My sight is darkened o'er, 
 
 AVhene'er I miss bis eyes that are my day. 
 
 And when I hear no more, 
 
 The music of his lay, 
 
 My soul, in utter sorrow, faints away !" 
 
 When he looked up, the blue-eyed one had vanished, or 
 he saw her not for the tears that, " stealing from his eyes 
 in large, silent drops, without his leave," " dropped on his 
 doublet as Nature had intended them for ornament ! ' 
 Long he sat, in contrite sadness. " If she would only 
 hate me ! I hate myself ! The pure and lovely angel ! 
 She would be as happy as a bird in Paradise with me 
 here ! but that can never be ! No, no ! I am commit- 
 ted to Pauline. "Heavens ! I could drown myself." His 
 monologue was interrupted by the voice of Lieutenant 
 Mera, behind him. 
 
 44 That little piece of poetry, if you please, Mr. Sa- 
 berin." 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin turned upon him like a " tiger chafed 
 by the hunter's spear.'* 
 ' Mera ! " 
 
 Mera's frank, manly face saved him. Ne'er had Al- 
 pine son such need," for Lieutenant Saberin was ready to 
 dash him down the rocks, had he not been arrested by the 
 majesty of Lieutenant Mera's mien, and the lion-like, de- 
 fiant look of his large, dark eye. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera divined at once, that his friend sup- 
 posed he had heard his soliloquy, when he had that mo- 
 ment dropped upon the grass at his side, the damp green- 
 sward muffling his tread, so that Lieutenant Saberin, bu- 
 ried in such an intense depth of thought, had neither seen 
 nor heard him. He supposed the last exclamation addressed 
 to himself, as a prefatory remark to some confidence about
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 89 
 
 to be placed in his keeping ; and seeing the poetry lying 
 on the ground, asked familiarly, and as he thought, face- 
 tiously, for it. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin covered his flashing eyes with his 
 hand, snatching the paper from the ground, turned and 
 walked away. Lieutenant Mera, generous as brave, arose, 
 fol lowed him, and laying his hand in his arm gently as a 
 girl, began in low, loving tones, to tell him some of his 
 own plans. 
 
 They walked on till, coming in sight of the hotel, he 
 said, " Hallo ! Ladies ? Who are they ? " They could 
 not see, till near the hedge, when they discovered they 
 were Mrs. Bobaline and lone ; the former looking lovelier 
 than ever, in a white robe. Lieutenant Saberin, really 
 pitying her, had looked for her reappearance, to pay his 
 most deferential respects to her. He now ran lightly up 
 the steps, and without noticing lone, greeted her warmly. 
 His tactics said that he could not pay one lady a proper 
 compliment, without sacrificing another lady to her. He 
 expressed his delight that her bright presence would make 
 the house inhabitable again, he had scarcely been in the 
 house since that unfortunate affair. A pearly tinge over- 
 spread her pale face, showing that his barbarity to her had 
 not drowned the love of flattery, or dethroned the idol in 
 her weak heart. 
 
 " Four." 
 
 " lone, here are invitations to a party given by the 
 Coldes, Wednesday evening," said Mrs. Bobaline, entering 
 Tone's room, " and, darling, if you have no pretty eve- 
 ning dress, we must get one up, as you must look nice on 
 your first appearance at a party, here." 
 
 " Thank you, Viola, I have some evening dresses in one 
 of my trunks, I believe ; but what sort of an affair is it to be ? 
 Who will I see ? I mean, will the cadets be there, or, poor 
 fellows ! are they denied the pleasures of attending a stu- 
 pid party? "
 
 90 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Why no, lone, of course cadets cannot go. It is strange 
 you prefer the cadets to the offcers ; yet I don't know that 
 it is, as they prefer the society of married ladies to that 
 of girls, they are so stupid and silly ! But for your own 
 sake I beg you will not insist on identifying yourself en- 
 tirely with the cadets ; they are nice enough, but for a 
 poor young girl, who should think of establishing herself, 
 or of something beside flirting, the young officers are 
 much more available. There's Lieutenant Mera ; be 
 more polite and attentive to him ; he has spoken to me of 
 you several times. You are altogether too independent with 
 the officers, to be fascinating ; the cadets like it because they 
 are not independent, but the officers hate an independent 
 woman." 
 
 " Why, Viola, there is nothing an officer so much seeks 
 as an heiress, I have heard you say so yourself; and sure- 
 ly she is independent of them." 
 
 " No, lone, she may show her dependence on them 
 for their assistance, in a thousand ways, their opinion, or 
 their affection, to enhance her own happiness ; if she does 
 not do this, she is not loved." 
 
 " Then," said lone laughing, and seating herself cosily 
 on the carpet, " I will insist upon Lieutenant Mera giving 
 me his arm, or I shall not be able to walk across the room ; 
 do you think that will be taking ? " 
 
 " Yes, such airs would come very well from an heiress, 
 but a poor girl must be very sweet, and kind not to 
 make a fool of herself though, and show one particular 
 officer that she wishes his attentions alone." 
 
 " O, don't I wish the bonny boys in grey were to be 
 there, and not a shade of blue should tinge my sky ! " 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline arose looking offended, and said as she 
 reached the door, " I suppose Miss lone will not object to 
 a few invitations to dance, from the shades of blue." 
 
 " No but what are they to me or I to them, sweet 
 Viola? all you married ladies are constantly ding-don^ini,' 
 it in our ears, that the officers avoid a poor girl as they 
 would the the small pox. Pray permit us to enjoy
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 91 
 
 what we can have ; the cadets are generous, and come 
 away from the barracks to see us 'poor girls,' while the 
 calculating officers, would not walk across the hall to see 
 one, unless you go and cany them in your arms, as it 
 were 1 " and lone laughed merrily. 
 
 " Innocent ! " exclaimed Mrs. Bobaline, shutting the 
 door with a click. 
 
 When lone was alone, she ruminated. " Lieutenant 
 Mera has spoken to me of you several times," yes, and he 
 spoke of me to Lieutenant Saberin, " so so," with a shrug 
 of his manly, elegant shoulders. Did that mean love, or 
 any desperate degree of admiration ? Not in her poor es- 
 timation. So she chose not to think about the disagreea- 
 ble creatures any more, but took out one of her dresses. 
 She would dress herself prettily this afternoon, as she was 
 to go to walk at four o'clock with a " bonny boy in grey." 
 Her toilet completed, she did not stop to speak to Viola, 
 fearing to displease her by her elaborate attire ; she ran 
 hastily down the stairs, hoping she might not encounter 
 any one to detain her, as she must meet her cavalier more 
 than half way, just outside the north door, which she had 
 chosen, to avoid being seen.
 
 92 Tactics ; or, 
 
 "INSTRUCTION." 
 
 " ARTICLE FIRST. FOR SKIRMISHERS." 
 
 " Relieve Skirmishers" 
 
 She met Lieutenant Storme. 
 
 " Oh, Miss lone ! how glad I am to see you. I was 
 just going to send up for you, (a white lie) there is to be 
 riding in the hall this afternoon, I thought you might like 
 to go, and now you are all ready and looking as lovely as 
 Wenus. Let us start down here, and take " Flirtation " 
 in our way." 
 
 " Thank you Lieutenant Storme, but I have an engage- 
 ment to walk, at this hour." 
 
 " With whom, may I ask ? " 
 
 " Cadet " began lone. 
 
 " O, never mind. Where were you to meet, outside 
 the hedge ? " 
 
 lone bowed. 
 
 " Well, we can go on, and if he is there, we shall meet 
 him. Will that do, Miss lone ? " It would be a pity to 
 lose the riding and walk too, as those young men are not 
 the most reliable persons in the world. 
 
 Lieutenant Storme knew that lone's cadet was in the 
 south parlor ; and if he could get lone outside the hedge, 
 they could not meet, and he would take the little beauty 
 where she would be seen, and he envied, by officers and 
 cadets. 
 
 lone was positive that she should meet Cadet Smith at 
 the hedge, and accepted Lieutenant Storme to that spot ; 
 but was astonished at not finding him there. He glanced 
 in every direction.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 93 
 
 ; ' You see the young man is not as good as his word." 
 
 lone looked annoyed, and replied, " I fear your remark 
 is too true, they are unreliable." 
 
 Ah, well, Miss lone ! I will do my poor endeavors to 
 atone for the young man's delinquency, and do " Flirta- 
 tion " in good cadet style, and then / can take you to 
 see the riding, which Cadet Smith could not do ; so please 
 be consoled, and don't look so doleful." 
 
 " How can you, Mr. Storme, make fun of me so cru- 
 elly ! I am sure he has not neglected to come, and I 
 feel there has been some mistake ; and I would not appear 
 to disregard our engagement, for the world." 
 
 " O, Miss lone, do not you know that young ladies 
 should not make engagements with cadets ? Their great 
 subordination renders them liable to receive orders from 
 their superiors, at any moment." 
 
 " Their superior officer, if you please, Lieutenant 
 Storme," said lone, vexed. 
 
 " That is better ; I would not have you suppose that 
 Cadet Smith has his superior on the Post, except in rank ; 
 and I dare affirm has not willingly neglected his engage- 
 ment," he said cunningly ; " and I will give you his ex- 
 cuse very soon." 
 
 " You will be saved the trouble, for I think we shall 
 meet, him." 
 
 " He is very unlike me, if he gives up the chase, with 
 such a prize at the end." 
 
 " Which way are you going ? this is not the way to 
 * Flirtation.' ' : 
 
 " No, but I did not wish to leave the hedge too soon, so 
 I thought we would take a look at Fort Clinton, and then 
 return to the hotel, and so around ; have I your approv- 
 al ?" He said this very earnestly. 
 
 " O, yes, Lieutenaut Storme, you are very kind ; and 
 if we do not find him on his knees, at the entrance of the 
 hedge, ' let me see his eyes, that when I see another man 
 like him, I may avoid him ! ' 
 
 All this time Cadet Smith was in no amiable mood :
 
 94 Tactics; or, 
 
 thinking he would be a little civilized, or do as civilians 
 would think it only civilized to do, go to the hotel for 
 her, he entered just as Lieutenant Storme stepped out 
 of the north door ; so he went into the parlor, to 
 await lone, thinking he would see her passing the door, 
 and not run the risk of being reported, he waited some 
 time, walked to the window, and could scarcely credit his 
 senses when he saw Lieutenant Storme and lone walking 
 deliberately past the very spot he had appointed to meet 
 her. Burning with indignation, he went out on the piaz- 
 za, repeating " When was woman true ? " He saw them 
 go to Fort Clinton. Had he felt indifferent, he would 
 have given chase and claimed her from the superior offi- 
 cer, but he was not ; and turned on his heel, more wounded 
 than angry very sentimentally indignant. In the door 
 stood a young lady, an old friend of his, her jaunty little 
 hat hung over her shoulder by the strings. Cadet Smith 
 asked her whither she was bound. She replied, 
 
 " O, anywhere for a walk ; I thought it a pity to stay 
 in this pleasant afternoon, where are you going ? " 
 
 He would invite her, take her to meet lone, and give 
 her the cut direct. *' Nowhere ; I came to see a friend, 
 and found her out ! Permit me to accompany you ? " 
 
 " O, no indeed. I will not take you away, perhaps your 
 friend may come in, and be disappointed." 
 
 " Why, what in the world could a fellow have to do 
 that would be pleasanter than to take a walk on such a 
 delicious day with an old friend, Miss Lizzie." 
 
 " Thank you for the old part of the compliment, just 
 wait till I ask mamma, and tell her who I am going with. 
 She ran through the hall to the parlor. 
 
 Cadet Smith thought her pretty and graceful, and chided 
 himself for having shown her so little attention since lone 
 came : she would not have behaved as his new fancy had 
 done he would treat Miss lone as if he had never known 
 her, so he would. 
 
 Lizzie Arnold was a formidable rival for any young 
 lady. An officer's daughter, with a brother in the corps,
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 95 
 
 she was at home on West Point. Her mamma, a very 
 lovely woman and very wealthy, won a large circle of 
 friends among the best people, for her beautiful and natu 
 nil Lizzie. 
 
 She soon returned to Mr. Smith. lie proposed Fort 
 Clinton first, but they were too late for lone and her beau, 
 for while Lizzie was gone to her mother, the Lieutenant 
 had returned with lone, and gone down the steps to the 
 far-famea " Flirtation." lone thought Lieutenant Storme 
 handsome, but could not judge of his brilliancy, as she 
 had only been introduced a short time before, since which 
 time he had only bowed to her in the most formal man- 
 ner, manifesting the greatest indifference about becoming 
 " better acquainted " with her. What power hud placed 
 him in her path this afternoon, good or ill? His familiar- 
 ity frightened and piqued her. If she was astonished at 
 his invitation and evident wish to atone for Cadet Smith's 
 non-appearance, she was still more so at his conversation, 
 lie flattered her in the most delicate manner, told her 
 amusing stories, and commented most freely upon all the 
 residents of the post, mentioned who were his favorites 
 among the young officers, in short, was confidential to a 
 most complimentary degree. 
 
 lone, between perplexity as it regarded the conduct of 
 Cadet Smith, and not knowing what to make of Lieuten- 
 ant Storme, was in a perfect maze of emotions. Cadet 
 Smith had been very polite to her, she had found him un- 
 varying in his attentions, manly and straight-forward 
 their little interviews on the piazza, and one or two strolls, 
 she had enjoyed very much ; and now, to her amazement, 
 she found herself entertained in an equally agreeable man- 
 ner by one of " the shades of blue " that only the day be- 
 fore she should have protested she was not acquainted 
 with ; and her friend had broken an engagement that he 
 seemed to think his existence hung on arranging ! O, 
 West Point ! would it not take a longer head than unso- 
 phisticated lone's, to understand your tactics ? and how 
 much more your accomplished tacticians !
 
 96 Tactics; or, 
 
 Lieutenant Storme had succeeded in making himself so 
 entertaining, that lone had almost forgotten her disappoint- 
 ment, in her mirth at his ludicrous stories, when at the 
 turn in the path, near " Gee's Point," they met Cadet 
 Smith and the young girl she had noticed with him at the 
 hotel. All parties look surprised. " O, conscience, con- 
 science, man's most faithful friend ! " Cadet Smith sa- 
 luted Lieutenant Storme, but did not look at lone. Miss 
 Arnold gave Lieutenant Storme a pleasant bow^ and poor 
 lone looked petrified. 
 
 " Is not that the young man you were to walk with ? " 
 
 " Yes, Lieutenant Storme," trembled on lone's lip. 
 " What have I done to offend him ? " 
 
 " Please don't mind the freaks of a boy in this way, he 
 has given his conscience a vacation. Really, if you insist 
 on looking so miserable, I shall be tempted to turn, and in 
 the face of the pretty girl, give him a sound thrashing ! " 
 
 " O, Lieutenant Storme, you would frighten me to 
 death. Indeed, I don't mind, only I fear he has something 
 to blame me for, or he would never treat me so." 
 
 Lieutenant Storme's heart melted at the sight of her 
 pretty distress and trembling lip. " It may be he has been 
 a little late, and some one has told him of our going out 
 together, and the young scamp has seen fit to vent his 
 vexation in this ungentlemanly manner; and in such a 
 case the best way is to take no notice of him ; he will 
 come to his reason if he is worth the interest you take in 
 him." 
 
 Poor lone heard, but refused to be comforted. When 
 they reached the riding hall, the ladies and officers con- 
 cluded that was a case past help, a clear case of a propo- 
 sition accepted, they both looked so demure. 
 
 " Load at Will." 
 
 W\hen they were seated, Lieutenant Mera joined them. 
 " Miss lone, your aunt is half crazy about you, she has 
 had criers out, all over the plain ! "
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 97 
 
 *' Weeping cadets ! " interrupted Lieutenant Storme. 
 And lias had a detachment detailed to fire a ten-inch 
 columbiad, to bring you to the surface, if you had gone 
 desperate and leaped into the river." 
 
 " It would take more than a columbiad to bring Miss 
 lone up, this afternoon," said Lieutenant Storme. 
 
 "But really, is Viola coming to see the riding?" she 
 asked. 
 
 " Yes. Fearing her last remark had offended you, she 
 thought you might have gone off on a high horse ; she 
 will soon inspect the riding- hall, assisted by Lieutenant 
 Saberin." 
 
 lone looked troubled. " She could not think that I 
 would be offended at that ; she meant it for my good, no 
 doubt." 
 
 " But, Miss lone, all do not attribute such disinterested 
 motives to the interference of others, particularly if 
 shall we let Lieutenant Storme into our family secrets ? " 
 
 " It is no secret, what were you going to say? " 
 
 " Particularly if " said he, nonplused because lone 
 had not fallen into the snare he had laid for her, and fear- 
 ing to betray his utter ignorance of what she meant, and 
 only intending to be witty, stammered again, " Particu- 
 larly if it calls in question our our What word shall 
 I use, Miss lone ; can't you help a fellow ? " 
 
 " Get Lieutenant Storme to help you, he is in the ethi- 
 cal department. I never was felicitous in expressing my 
 own thoughts. 
 
 Lieutenant Storme laughed, pleased to see Lieutenant 
 Mera fairly matched. lone, never doubting that her aunt 
 had told him something, and fearing that something was as 
 wide of the mark as usual, dared not commit herself. 
 
 " Help me, Storme." 
 
 " Certainly, certainly, deliquescence calls in ques- 
 tion our deliquescence; that will do." 
 
 They laughed, and at that juncture the gallant boys in 
 grey came into the hall. 
 5 

 
 98 Tactics; or, 
 
 " LESSON FOURTH." 
 
 " Firings" 
 
 Lieutenant Smith whispered to lone, " The fourth cadet 
 is Smith, Miss lone." 
 
 She looked at him just in time to catch one glimpse of 
 recognition, but no bow. Not a moment did she lose sight 
 of him, even the entrance of her aunt, who touched her 
 shoulder as she seated herself behind her, did not attract 
 her notice. Cadet Smith's horse Avas very vicious one 
 he had chosen as their standing entitled the young men 
 to a choice among the high-bred animals this important 
 Post always commands. He rode well, took the ring eve- 
 ry time, cut the heads with a will, and his " firings " were 
 terrible to the unstrung nerves of the uninitiated lone. 
 Two cadets were thrown, but she did not show much 
 alarm until his horse, on starting out, reared, plunged, 
 reared again, and fell, falling on Mr. Smith. The dra- 
 goons soon brought the horse to his feet, but poor Cadet 
 Smith lay senseless. The cavalry officer ordered a litter 
 brought, and he was lifted like a dead man, and taken 
 from the hall. 
 
 lone had risen at first, and now stood holding by the 
 iron railing, as white as marble. Not one sound escaped 
 her lips until most of the people were gone, she then ask- 
 ed in a suffocated tone, " Do you think he is killed ? " 
 
 " No, Miss lone ; pretty seriously injured though, I 
 imagine ; shall we go ? " 
 
 " Where is Viola ? I have not seen her." 
 
 " She has just left your side, with Lieutenants Saberin 
 and Mera." 
 
 They left the hall, but her aunt and her escort were far 
 up the hill, so they did not overtake them before they were 
 at the hotel. At the door, Lieutenant Stonne left lone, 
 saying he was sorry their afternoon should have commenced 
 and ended under such unpleasant circumstances." 

 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 99 
 
 " LESSON FOURTH." 
 
 " Cease Firing-." 
 
 lone went to her room, the little sanctum, to think over 
 with astonishment, the unaccountable changes she saw in 
 people, each day ; and wept over those changes, and offer- 
 ed fervent petition to Heaven, that she might be a stead- 
 fast friend and discreet woman. She found Cadet Smith 
 a dead weight on her heart. She was anxious to know 
 how severely he was injured. She took off the brilliant 
 dress she had put on with such pleasure, folded it, and put 
 it in her trunk, wishing never to see it again, she put on 
 a black one, which Viola had begged her not to wear 
 again, as it made her look like a sister of charity or a wi- 
 dow. She looked like both, as with her hair drawn back 
 in bands, her plain collar and sable robe, she descended to 
 the piazza, where she found Viola, talking with a lady 
 friend about the party. " What should they wear, who 
 should they see ? " Mrs. Bobaline said, 
 
 " Well, lone, have you gone into mourning because Ca- 
 det Smith was thrown from his horse ? " 
 
 " Yes, Viola, have you heard if he is alive ? " 
 
 " Why did you take off that lovely dress ? you always 
 choose such unbecoming dresses to wear to parade." 
 
 " Please don't chide me, did I not dress within an inch 
 of my life, to go out with Colonel Storme ? " 
 
 " I think you are looking very saintly," said Miss 
 Priest. " What will you wear to Mrs. Colde's party ? " 
 
 I don't know what ; I have some dresses mamma pack- 
 ed for^ne." 
 
 Miss Priest looked as if she did not believe her. " When 
 she decides, you must make her show it to me, Mrs. Bob- 
 aline ; her dresses are so unlike ours, they have quite an 
 oriental air about them." With this elegant compliment, 
 Miss Priest said good morning to them. 
 
 Alone ; Mrs. Bobaline looked lone full in the face.
 
 100 Tactics; or, 
 
 " lone, what made you tell Lieutenant Mera what I said 
 to you this morning about cadets and officers ? " 
 
 " What you said ? I never told him one word. He 
 came to me and said you were afraid I was offended at 
 your last remark, and was in search of me. I only said 
 you could not think I was angry, as you meant it all for 
 my good. The conversation then turned into a joke, and 
 nothing more was said. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline seemed annoyed. Mera had shown him- 
 self very acute, for from her, instead of lone, he had 
 elicited the entire conversation. lone laughed, and begged 
 her not to mind, but come out to parade. 
 
 " O'er the battalion like a tent, 
 Cloudy-ribbed the sunset bent, 
 Purple-curtained, fringed with gold, 
 Looped in many a wind-swung fold. 
 While for music, came the play " 
 Of West Point's glorious orchestra." 
 
 lone felt that she must learn how her injured friend 
 was, and hoped to hear, from some of the cadets, before 
 parade was over. 
 
 " Position of the tivo Ranks in the Oblique Fire to the 
 
 Right." 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline went to speak to some friends, and left 
 lone, in West Point parlance, " supporting a tree." A 
 party took their station in front of her ; they were talking 
 of the terrible accident which happened in the riding-hail. 
 One very pretty girl said, " Yes, he was my favorite ca- 
 det. Last year he was very polite to me, escorted me 
 everywhere, and to think of just getting here in time to 
 see him killed, is too aggravating. He saw me, and bow- 
 ed so sweetly." Her party seemed quite interested, un- 
 til she came to the sweet smile, when they all laughed. 
 She blushed, and asked if her father had heard how much 
 he was injured. He said he had not, but would ask the 
 surgeon when he saw him. " Do, papa, there he comes, 
 now."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 101 
 
 On being questioned, the surgeon said he could not give 
 a definite decision ; he was badly hurt, but reckoned he 
 would not die, and glancing at the young lady's interested 
 face said, " He seems to have some one to live for." 
 
 The ladies begged to know what he said ; but he replied 
 very pompouslv. O, but doctor, did he mention any 
 names ? just tell me the name ! " persisted the girl. 
 
 " No, no, Miss, I cannot tell the name I It might be 
 yours, and it might not ; and I fear he would not thank 
 me in either case, if he got well." 
 
 That " {/"" sank deep into lone's heart. The conso- 
 lation of knowing that she had not offended him, was de- 
 nied her. " Too late ! " she murmured. " He, poor fel- 
 low, lies raving of some one he loves, and they are far 
 away ; no one but strange men to take care of him ! " 
 She shivered at the thought. She sought her aunt, and 
 saw her walking toward barracks with her friends. lone 
 strolled toward the hotel, round the little path that winds 
 on the brow of the hill ; she left the direct one to avoid the 
 file of ladies and gentlemen slowly wending their way up to 
 tea. She lingered to look at the lovely sunset clouds, the 
 dark mountains, the pretty little village buried in the bo- 
 som of the hills the island home of the gifted ones 
 which brought visions of another little struggling heroine, 
 in the " Wide, Wide World," to lone's mind. As she 
 stood, all became quiet. The cadets had gone to their 
 noisy " mess," the band, with their glittering instruments, 
 the drum-major's nodding plume and measured tread had 
 descended below the hill, the officers' quarters opened to 
 admit the groups of chatting friends ; and the hotel had 
 received into its brilliantly lighted hall, and its dimly 
 lighted, but dangerous piazza, the many ; and lone stood 
 alone, wondering that she was not happier, or rather why 
 she was so miserable, where there was so much that was 
 beautiful, to admue. She turned, surveyed the plain, and 
 saw the twinkling lights that sparkled beneath the trees, 
 in front of the fine quarters, and wondered if it were joy- 
 ful and happy within those walls, as they appeared a few
 
 102 Tactics; or, 
 
 moments before, at that beautiful spectacle, the evening 
 parade. Should she like to dwell there? Who with? 
 She did not " hand in " the answer to the superintendent. 
 
 " Position of the two Ranks, in the Oblique Fire to the 
 
 Left." 
 
 As lone approached the hotel, the sound of cheerful 
 voices on the piazza, the light streaming from windows and 
 doors, and music and laughter, greeted her, and she sighed, 
 
 " Leave, if thou would'st be lonely, 
 
 Leave Nature for the crowd ; 
 Seek there for one, one only, 
 With kindred mind endowed." 
 
 Some one at her side continued : 
 
 " Heart-wearied thou wilt own, 
 Vainly that phantom woo'd, 
 That thou at least hast known, 
 What is true solitude ! " 
 
 She recognized Lieutenant Saberin's voice and fine 
 form, in the deepening twilight. She smiled, and asked, 
 " Did your lady love teach you that, Lieutenant Saberin ?" 
 
 " My lady love ! ' From early youth War has my 
 mistress been, and though a rugged one, I'll constant 
 prove, and not forsake, e'en now ! ' 
 
 " Surely you love some one better than War, do you 
 not?" 
 
 " O, no ! Minerva will not have a rival. When you 
 swear allegiance to her, all other idols must be dethroned." 
 
 "And where comes in a mother's love?" 
 
 " My mother? 
 
 Already for her son her tears of bitterness 
 Are shed. When first I had put on the livery 
 Of blood, she wept me dead to her ! " 
 
 " How heartless ! " 
 
 " Southey said it, Miss lone ; I only echo it ! "
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Stiaps, 103 
 
 Well, I shall echo Proctor : 
 
 ' I hate the camp, 
 
 ' I hate its noise, its stiff parades, its blank 
 And empty forms, and stately courtesy, 
 Where between bows and blows, and smile, and stab, 
 There's scarce a moment. Soldiers always live 
 In idleness or peril. Both are bad.' " 
 
 And I expect thai Miss Tone's ' I hate the camp,' will 
 end as Theodora's ' I hate the soldiers ' did ; and I shall 
 see you encamped around by stiff parades and empty 
 forms, and loving them as much as I." 
 
 She laughed : " Do you know that I am dreadfully him- 
 
 g'7?" 
 
 u Poor Miss lone ! May I not take you in to tea ? " 
 
 She declined, but he insisted, and they entered the glar- 
 ing hall together. The picture was scarcely inferior to 
 the one just left. The beautiful young girls, the elaborate- 
 ly attired matrons, the gay uniforms and fine figures of the 
 officers intermingled, formed a most charming tableau vi- 
 vant ! The supper table was almost deserted, and they 
 seated themselves at the north end of the ta'ble, so that 
 they could look up the river and see the beautiful moonlit 
 clouds. lone was too intent on her supper, and content 
 with her fascinating companion, to see the envious glances 
 of mammas and daughters, as their promenades caused them 
 to pass and repass the doors and windows ; but Lieutenant 
 Saberin saw it, and felt that if he was not making a very 
 deep impression on lone, he was on the spectators. 
 
 After she had satisfied her West Point appetite, Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin proposed a promenade on the piazza. As 
 they arose she percieved, for the first time, that they were 
 not unobserved, and laughingly said " others have enjoyed 
 our tete-a-tete as much as we ; why did you not close the 
 door?" 
 
 " I was very unselfish, I opened' the window, that you 
 might enjoy the divine, and left the door open that others 
 might have the same privilege." 
 
 She walked in silence at his side for a few moments, he
 
 104 Tactics; or, 
 
 asked if she was going to Lieutenant Colde's party. She 
 said yes, she thought she would. He asked if he might es- 
 cort her thither, as Lieutenant Mera intended proffering 
 his services to Viola. She hesitated, then accepted, but 
 thought how will Viola like this ? What can have made 
 him ask me, and Lieutenant Mera to ask her? I know she 
 does not want him, and am still surer this fine gentleman 
 cares nothing for me. If I only had the power to divine 
 their motives ! 
 
 While she was occupied with these thoughts, Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin was equally busy. What a queer little char- 
 acter this is ; she must be perfectly indifferent to me, she 
 accepts my invitation as a matter of course, and will not 
 take the trouble to converse. " I wonder if she is rich ? " 
 He glanced down at the slight figure at his side, the glossy 
 hair, the rich bands, the high white brow, the exquisite 
 mouth and chin, the round white throat encircled by the 
 spotless linen collar, caught by a cross of diamonds. 
 " Strange ! " murmured he, caught by the same thing, 
 " that I should not have noticed, that she can be no ple- 
 beian." 
 
 Sure enough. The beautiful ornament glowed like a 
 lunary rainbow in the moonlight, while the sweeping folds 
 of her black dress, gave her the high-born air he had bur 
 that moment detected. " There is none of the plebeian 
 about the graceful bend of that intellectual head, and dig- 
 nified carriage of those pretty shoulders ; and if not rich, 
 she is certainly high-born." 
 
 Piqued by her silence, he went on, " What the deuce 
 do I care ; she can't compare with regal Pauline ! " But, 
 Lieutenant Saberin ! is not this little black-robed image 
 the first woman that ever treated such advances as you 
 have made, with such indifference ? " Yes, but she shall, 
 she must be conquered, she must recognize my claims to 
 every woman's devotion." 
 
 " Commence Firing" 
 Lieutenant Saberin was not accustomed to Tone's man-
 
 ~!^ 
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 105 
 
 ner in a woman, and could not resist the temptation to 
 turn her perfect ease and self-possession into bashful timid- 
 ity, at a look of admiration from him. lone spoke first. 
 
 " A penny for your thoughts, Lieutenant Saberin." 
 
 " What was Miss lone thinking of? Her thoughts will 
 be Avorth repeating ; while my gloomy cogitations could 
 give little pleasure ; please, Miss lone ! " 
 
 She paid little heed to the killing manner this was said 
 in, but answered without reserve, " I was thinking wheth- 
 er we would be the happier if we knew the motives that 
 pompt every act ; and if our esteem for each other's char- 
 acters would be raised thereby, if we knew the why of 
 all their acts ? " 
 
 " You would be infinitely happy in such a case ; you do 
 not doubt motives surely ! " drawled he affectedly, as one 
 would with a forward child. She did not notice it. 
 
 " Well, please tell me why you invited me to go with 
 you to Mrs. Colde's party, and not Viola ? " 
 
 " Simply, because I wish the pleasure of your society ! 
 motive Selfishness underscored ! " 
 
 " I think that is nearly always the ruling motive, with 
 gentlemen ? Is it not ? yet Wordsworth says, ' It is a joy, 
 to think the best we can of human kind.' ' 
 
 He looked down tenderly at her, and said with mock 
 humility, " Will not Miss lone begin by thinking the best 
 she can of me ? " 
 
 She felt the glance, but ere its influence had formed the 
 tender reply, she thought of " she's ambitious, Mera ! she's 
 ambitious ! " and turned away her head. 
 
 " The best I can ? O yes, that is not asking much ! " 
 
 He stopped, and leading her to the edge of the piazxa 
 where the moonlight shone on her face, he leaned 1 his 
 elbow on the railing, his head on his hand, and looked in- 
 to her face with his peculiar smile, while he scrutinized 
 her closely. She bore it bravely, looking off on the river, 
 as if she was unconscious that his eyes rested on her. He 
 said : 
 
 " So, I am not asking much ! It may be more than 
 5*
 
 106 Tactics; or, 
 
 you think, Miss lone, it might be more than even I could 
 wish ! " 
 
 The color went and came in her cheek during these re- 
 marks, her eyes flashed, then fell beneath his bold look, 
 she dared not trust herself to reply, she felt paralyzed, had 
 not the power to raise her eyes, but stood a marble imper- 
 sonation of helpless indignation. 
 
 Perhaps it was well she did not look at him, for he 
 never looked better, his black eyes blazed like two small 
 torches, his high white brow, partly shaded by his cap, be- 
 neath which lay the dark clustering curls, dashes of silver 
 light on them, where they were touched by the moon-light, 
 liis graceful attitudes all would have captivated the imag- 
 ination of the young girl. She did not see, she only felt 
 this and trembling for her own weak heart, she almost 
 flew from his side along the piazza, through the hall, up to 
 her room ; he slowly followed, and as she vanished, he 
 said in his sweetest tones, " Good-night, Miss lone." 
 
 In his retreat, he met the Colonel, " O, Saberin ; you 
 are just the one I want ; Storme, and Burlyton, and I. are 
 going round to Dumpain's, and we want you to go with 
 us." 
 
 " Thank you, Colonel, I have letters to write, and my 
 lessons this evening, and I must be excused." 
 
 " Never mind the letters and the lessons, come alonij, 
 Saberin ? " 
 
 " Indeed Colonel, it is simply impossible, this evening." 
 in such a tone that the Colonel left him, and he set <>tf' for 
 barracks, thinking, " I have found a hard case to subdue, 
 and I fear she will be still harder to dispose of after she is 
 won, but entirely too fascinating to be let alone. I'll 
 play off against Mera, and be magnanimous, and sacrifice 
 my happiness to his! That will be all right afford me 
 a little pastime, and get Mera a nice little wife, and lone a 
 fine husband."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 107 
 
 " FIRE BY RANK." 
 MRS. COLDE'S PARTY. 
 
 lone had not heard from Cadet Smith since the conver- 
 sation at parade, and was every day and hour more anx- 
 ious to know his true condition. Wednesday morning she 
 concluded she would take a walk down to the hospital, to 
 get something for a headache, from the steward, and casu- 
 ally inquire after the young gentleman that was hurt ir 
 the riding hall. 
 
 After giving her something for her own affliction, the 
 polite steward informed her that the young man was a lit- 
 tle better, but still very bad. Her aching head was about 
 in the same condition, it certainly felt less tight about 
 the temples, when she knew that he was neither dead or 
 dying ! She would send to New York and get him some 
 flowers, they would cheer his solitude. The question now 
 was, how and when could she get them ? She had heard 
 her aunt speak of Mrs. Simpson as a " good angel " in 
 all cases of tribulation, and she did not stop till an ar- 
 rangement was made with the good lady, to send for them 
 that very afternoon ; they should come as if for lone to 
 take to the party. lone knew that Viola would be asleep 
 at that hour, and she should have a grand opportunity to 
 send them. 
 
 At half-past three Viola sent lone to her room to ar- 
 range her dress for the evening, but she sat waiting for her 
 flowers till four o'clock, without giving her dress one 
 thought. They came, the beautiful, bright messengers
 
 108 Tactics: or, 
 
 of love and good wishes thanks to the indefatigable Mrs. 
 Simpson ! She sat and worshipped them, and blessed 
 Mrs. S. Such rosebuds, heliotropes, lilies of the valley, 
 geraniums, calycanthus ! Were there ever such clusters 
 of sweetness mingled before ? No, clearly no ! Her 
 trembling hands arranged them in a box, directed them to 
 " Cadet Smith, Hospital," the air was intoxicating with 
 their fragrance. The boy was dispatched with them and 
 she found it parade time. She hastily snatched one dress 
 after another from the trunk, and chose a rich cherry 
 silk, trimmed with golden flowers. She thought, it is very 
 bright, but Viola says this is my first appearance, and she 
 did not wish to be ashamed of me. Lieutenant Saberin 
 is so very grand, he will subdue it. She ran down to tea, 
 and found Viola already there, talking to Lieutenant Mera, 
 who drew a chair near him for lone. 
 
 " So you are one of the sensible young ladies, who can 
 eat if they are going to a party." 
 
 She replied, " It takes more than a party to spoil my ap- 
 petite." 
 
 " Yet you seem greatly elated." 
 
 " Yes, but it is not the party." 
 
 " The escort ! " said Mrs. Violetta. 
 
 " It requires a woman to penetrate her sex," said Lieu- 
 tenant Mera. 
 
 lone blushed deeply, and said, " At fault for once, Vio- 
 la. Judge not." 
 
 The eyes of Lieutenant Mera rested on her, as if they 
 would fain have penetrated the secret joy so apparent on 
 her face. Tea over, they went to walk on the piazza, and 
 met Cadet Allen. " O, Mr. Allen ! how is poor Cadet 
 Smith ? " 
 
 " Poor Cadet Smith ! why, Miss lone, he is the richest 
 fellow in the corps to-night, any of us would change places 
 
 fladly, with him, a wealth of flowers ! Such a friend as 
 e must have ! " 
 
 " Who may his kind friend be ? " she asked, assuming 
 great indifference.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 109 
 
 " Of course there was no name to it, but I think he 
 suspects Miss Arnold ; he murmured something like ' dear 
 kind Lizzie ! ' 
 
 " Miss Arnold ! " exclaimed lone, and her voice trem- 
 bled a little in spite of her disguised tone. 
 
 u Perhaps he thought of her because he wished it to 
 come from her, there was not a clue to them, no name," 
 said he. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline laughed. 
 
 " The more fool she ! " 
 
 " I wish I knew the sender, any way, I would cultivate 
 her acquaintance," cried he, and bowed himself away. 
 
 lone was mechanically saying, " Yes, it may be so," 
 when Mrs. Maryglot, who seemed to be omnipresent, cer- 
 tainly always near enough to join in any conversation go- 
 ing forward, whether on the north or south piazza, either 
 parlor or hall, now smirked up to lone, and whispered 
 loud enough for every one to hear, " Never purchase love 
 or friendship by gifts ; when thus attained, they are lost as 
 you stop payment." 
 
 lone started. Mrs. Bobaline said, " What do you mean, 
 Mrs. Maryglot ? certainly not that lone sent the flowers ? " 
 
 That lady saw she had gone too far, and replied, " O, 
 only a little good advice." 
 
 lone saw she knew more than she chose to tell, and re- 
 solved to question her little flower-porter, Mike. She as- 
 cended to dress, but was not long making her toilet, and 
 looked very lovely. A golden butterfly with ruby wings 
 caught back her glossy hair on one side, to all appearances 
 ready to take flight, and leave the rich waves to veil her 
 completely. 
 
 Viola sent to Tone's room to say Lieutenant Mera was 
 waiting, and it was quite late ; Lieutenant Saberin had not 
 come, would she go with them ? 
 
 She would go with them, and soon appeared, hooded 
 and cloaked. She thought it very strange that he was 
 late, but never imagined that he would not come at all. 
 
 Mrs. Lieutenant Colde's quarters looked very brilliant
 
 110 Tactics; or, 
 
 that night. Her own good taste and discrimination in her in- 
 vitations, gave her parties an eclat that rivalled all com- 
 petition. She only invited those she wanted, the lions, the 
 brilliant, the witty, the rich, the showy, and those she dare 
 not leave out. lone was delighted with the glitter. Mrs. 
 Bobaline was proud to say, " She 's my husband's niece, 
 from South Carolina," she had heard lone say she was 
 born in Charleston. She was secretly pleased with lone 
 for not caring that Lieutenant Saberin had not come for 
 her, remembered the happy face at tea, and the flowers ; 
 and putting that and this together, was confident she was 
 not at fault now, and " lone liked Cadet Smith ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Mera thought lone a vision of loveliness, and 
 so thought another tall individual rather elegantly leaning, 
 half concealed by the sweeping folds of the long lace cur- 
 tains, that draped the window. He was talking to a lady 
 who seemed rapt, but not too much so, to lose sight of the 
 handsome Lieutenant Mera and the exquisite Mrs. Boba- 
 line, and draw the attention of his lordship to them. He 
 looked and wondered at the superb dress of the " ambi- 
 tious," young lady. He was surprised to see her fairly 
 eclipse the " regal Pauline," her joyous face told the vain 
 man that her heart was in the right place, and not out skirm- 
 ishing for him. His eyes followed the party to Mrs. Colde, 
 he saw a yellow light gleam from the hazel orbs of the 
 fashionable Miss Vera Colde, a sister of the Lieutenant, 
 who kept a strict account of every woman entering the 
 lines of the forces stationed at that post. She was staring 
 at lone, as an old lady would at a comet, seen for the first 
 time, just over her head, " as if her soul had suffered an 
 eclipse ! " 
 
 lone released Lieutenant Mera, who danced with Mrs. 
 Bobaline, and she was left to the tender mercies of Mi<s 
 Vera Colde. 
 
 " Have you been long on West Point, Miss Smith, 
 have you ever visited it before, etc ? " 
 
 lone replied in the most innocent and courteous manner ; 
 and when Lieutenant Mera claimed her for the dance, the
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 111 
 
 interesting Miss Vera knew where she came from, who she 
 knew here, where she had been, and nearly everything 
 she knew herself. Each question was followed by such an 
 eliciting smile, and such a winning "yes?" like a "pa- 
 tient fisher, his angle trembling in his hand," it would have 
 wiled Jonah out of the whale's maw. 
 
 " Miss lone, you dance ' The Lancers,' of course ? " said 
 Lieutenant Mera offering her his arm. She took it, and as 
 they moved off asked, 
 
 " Please tell me, Lieutenant Mera, who that young lady 
 with the Vera peculiar name is ; I verily believe she knows 
 this blessed minute more about me than I know about 
 myself." 
 
 " O, Miss lone, how Vera severe ! that is one of our 
 belles ; she excels in the. dance, but I ought to have warned 
 or saved you from that catechising ; we all succumb to her 
 and yield up all our hoarded secrets, as tamely as the 
 prey of the famous Miss Ann O. Conder, yields their 
 breath ! " 
 
 " You call me severe, and say such things ! " 
 
 " There are clouds of witnesses to corroborate what I 
 say ; beware ! " 
 
 The music began, and lone saw Lieutenant Storme and 
 Miss Nora Kearney were their vis-a-vis. Lieutenant Mera 
 bowed to lone, and then to Miss Nora, in a very finished 
 manner ; and lone quite delighted him with her grace and 
 knowledge of the dance. Lieutenant Saberin, still unseen 
 by her, watched with great pleasure the glidings of the 
 little figure. Could she possibly forget that he was in 
 existence ? Very likely ; carried away by the novelty of 
 her situation, it might be the perfection of her cunning to 
 pretend not to see him, she knew he was there, or she 
 would be looking toward the door, for him. She would 
 do that from mere curiosity to know why he had not 
 come for her. 
 
 The laughing nod that Lieutenant Mera was just then 
 giving, was in answer to Tone's question, " Has Lieutenant 
 Saberin come yet ? "
 
 11! Tactics; or, 
 
 " Lieutenant Saberin is here, and standing at the ex- 
 treme end of the parlor, conversing with Miss Kate Kear- 
 ney, or Miss Tute, or some one but, by George ! it is not 
 you. Shall I call him ? " and he bowed low before her. 
 
 She was amazed at the dark, flashing eyes he raised to 
 her face. " Certainly not ! " 
 
 He offered her his arm for a promenade in the hall. As 
 they left the parlor he said, " Are you quite content here, 
 so far from your home ? " 
 
 She sighed a very little sigh : " My home, my home, 
 my happy home ! " she warbled under her breath. 
 
 " Tell me about your home." 
 
 " There is very little to tell, Lieutenant Mera. My 
 is beautiful, and my mamma is in it to-night without 
 her lone, and I am a little homesick." 
 
 " Shall I take you to Madame Bobaline ? " asked he, in 
 his measured tones. 
 
 " Why, no ! You are very funny, Lieutenant Mera ! " 
 laughed she. 
 
 " Thank you, Miss lone ! are funny people apt to make 
 their friends home-sick ? " 
 
 " Queer, I mean ; you have not made me home-sick." 
 
 He led her to the sofa and asked her to excuse him a 
 moment. She replied, " certainly," very much perplexed by 
 his manner. The gay Lieutenant Storme rushed up, 
 " O, Miss lone, make me the happiest of .mortals, by 
 permitting me to dance with the loveliest of women ! " 
 She rose and made a very low courtesy with the gravitv 
 of a dowager-queen, and laid her hand on his arm. 
 She felt very grateful to him for taking her just then, as 
 she thought Lieutenant Mera had to resort to a ruse to 
 get rid of her ; and while watching the whirling figures in 
 the redowa, was feeling that she was a stranger, in a 
 strange land.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 113 
 
 " 1st. Front rank. 2d. Aim. 2>d. Fire. th. Load" 
 
 Lieutenant Mera made directly for Lieutenant Alton. 
 " I would like to have your assistance in relieving Saberin ; 
 I would like to introduce him to a friend, and he has been 
 stuck with Miss Bessie Kearney ever since he came." 
 
 " 3 tuck ! I am not sure he won't knock me once for my 
 officiousness. How do you know he would like to be reliev- 
 ed ? " with the blandest smile in his light blue eyes. 
 
 " That's not the subject under consideration just at pres- 
 ent, Lieutenant Alton ; we will leave that for a collateral 
 investigation," drawled he in the most measured tones, as 
 they confronted the object of their observation. Miss 
 Bessie bowed a lovely salute to the young gentlemen, and 
 thought herself a belle. Lieutenant Alton generously un- 
 dertook the relief, while Lieutenant Mera stood, and did ex- 
 ecution with his eyes. Lieutenant Saberin not understand- 
 ing anything but an intrusion, was vexed to notice the pleas- 
 ure Miss Bessie evinced, at the addition to their party ; but 
 unwilling, at any cost to his feelings, to be the " mournful 
 third " in any place, said with a subdued voice, " I have 
 been very selfish, Miss Bessie ! " and left her. Lieuten- 
 ant Mera allowed him to get away a few steps, then fol- 
 lowed, " O, Saberin ! I would like to introduce you to a 
 friend of mine, if you have no objections." 
 
 " Certainly not, my dear fellow, where is she ? " 
 
 He led him into the hall, and round into the door of the 
 front parlor, to the sofa. They confronted my lady Mary- 
 glot seated just where he had left lone. A broad smile 
 played over Lieutenant Saberin's face, Lieutenant Mera 
 muttered " Le Diable ! " 
 
 " Thank you," said Madam, " I have the pleasure of 
 his acquaintance ! " Lieutenant Saberin threw back his 
 head and gave a very undignified *' Ha ! ha ! " Lieuten- 
 ant Mera echoed it on a very high key. 
 
 " You seem amused ! Think'st thou, I could live 
 
 ' So long in this bright Eden, 
 And not know its master-spirit ? ' ' 
 
 I
 
 114 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Oh, madam ! " said Saberin, " How would'st thou be, 
 
 ' If he who is at the top of judgment, should 
 Judge as you do ? Think on that : and 
 Let ruercy reason justice ! ' " 
 
 Lieutenant Mera bowed maliciously. " I leave you in 
 good hands, Lieutenant Saberin, I'll bring the gentleman 
 to you." Lieutenant Saberin did not know that he intend- 
 ed to bring him to lone, but saw he evidently did not ex- 
 pect to see Madam Maryglot, and enjoyed his discomfiture 
 very much. Mrs. Marvglot pulled his sleeve as he seated 
 himself by her, " Look ! look ! at lone Smith dancing 
 with Lieutenant Storme, she looks like an houri ; why are 
 you not dancing with her, instead of getting into the 
 clutches of Apollyon ? " 
 
 " Madam, I dare not trust myself near the blaze, lest I 
 get my wings singed I " said he solemnly. 
 
 " Don't like that red dress ? " She exclaimed indig- 
 nantly, " I think it beautiful ! if your wings get no worse 
 singing than that little angel would give them, you will 
 have to be shy of such introductions as your friend gave 
 you a few moments ago." 
 
 " I could face the cannon's mouth, with my friend's 
 friend as the artillery-officer, easier than trust my untried 
 soul amid such dangers ! " cried he heroically. 
 
 " Where were the glory of an even combat? The splen- 
 dor of a victory is where the odds are fearfully against 
 one." 
 
 ' But, Madam, there are cases where a victory would 
 be a vexation of soul, and it would be more manly to suf- 
 fer defeat, than to conquer ! What could I do with such 
 a prisoner ? " 
 
 " Imprison her in your heart's core ; and if she is not hap- 
 py, hang her round your neck ! " 
 
 " Mrs. Maryglot, /am not a killing man ! Tell all this 
 to Lieutenant Mera ; one of his subduing glances would en- 
 slave her for life ! " His eyes followed her as she left the 
 parlor with Lieutenant Storme. " You know where the
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 115 
 
 citadel is ably garrisoned, the beauty of an assailant can- 
 not effect a great deal ! " 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot' s curiosity was aroused. " Now tell me 
 Lieutenant Saberin, have you a sweet-heart ? and is this 
 bona fide constancy in you ? " 
 
 He laughed at her eagerness ; " Now Mrs. Maryglot, is 
 this bona fide interest, or or " 
 
 " Interest, indeed ! anything, only tell me ! Where 
 does she live ? Who is she ? Rich, I'll wager." 
 
 " Yes, Madam ! rich in charms ; dark and royal as the 
 queen of night ! A Southern bird in gold and purple 
 plumage," said he, really warmed at thought of Pauline. 
 
 " By George ! " exclaimed she indignantly, " Not a kill- 
 ing man ! Gone down South and manacled some beauti- 
 ful young Creole, and come back here with your eyes full 
 of ink, and your heart full of ebon tresses ! Now I give 
 you fair notice, if I see you pointing the smallest of your 
 arrows at our bird of paradise, I'll tell her about your 
 black bird bird down South." 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin was very much amused with Mrs. 
 Maryglot, and would have lingered by her side a good 
 part of the evening, had not the Colonel come and be- 
 seiged him, to dance with a stranger, his vis-a-vis. He found 
 that the Colonel was dancing with lone. The young lady 
 to whom he was introduced was very pretty ; he bowed in 
 the most formal manner to lone, never addressing one 
 word to her, but executed the " manual of arms " in splen- 
 did style, with his partner. 
 
 " lone did not slio\v that she felt this treatment, but 
 there was a little rebellion in her heart. She had not 
 studied West Point Tactics, and the damper thus thrown 
 on her, made her spiritless, while Lieutenant Saberin's 
 partner, kept both gentlemen alive with her sallies. lone 
 wished herself at home many timeS ; and when the march 
 announced supper, the Colonel was gone, and she had no 
 escort, and was nearly alone in the parlor, when Miss Ve- 
 ra Colde came like an icicle, to her side, with a glare of 
 surprise, offered her arm, to take her to supper. " Yuu
 
 116 Tactics; or, 
 
 alone ! " conveyed as much as lone could well bear. 
 They entered the room, she found a seat beside Mrs. 
 Brown, and Lieutenant Burlyton came and brought them 
 cream. All the young ladies were chatting so gaily with 
 agreeable officers, or in cheerful groups, but lone i'elt alone. 
 She left the refreshment room with Mrs. Brown, and lis- 
 tened to a sad amount of gossip. 
 
 At length Mrs. Brown, feeling fatigued, grasped Lieu- 
 tenant Brown by the coat-tail as he was passing her, with 
 one of the professors, to the supper room again ; and insist- 
 ed upon being taken home immediately. They went with 
 lone to Mrs. Violetta ; Lieutenant Mera came to them, and 
 they were soon on their way home. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline was very quiet. She had seen nothing 
 of the " star of the evening." If she was in one room, 
 he was unavoidably in another, he had not once sought 
 her. lone was silent too fatigued, and angry at Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin's treatment of her. Lieutenant Mera was 
 enough for all. He had evidently fortified his spirits with 
 *' seven others, more wicked than himself." His tongue 
 was loosed, and his usually measured tones were made to 
 skip like lambs. He made love to lone, and fun of Mrs. 
 Bobaline, in a most reckless style. Madam did not deign 
 a reply, and attributed his behavior to the right cause, 
 lone paid little heed to his flattery, but could not but be 
 amused at his wit and brilliancy. As he said good night 
 he took a rose-bud from his coat and gave it to lone, say- 
 ing very gravely, " Well, Miss lone, keep this in remem- 
 brance of all I have said to night. I have meant it all." 
 She took the bud, and turned to follow Violetta, who had 
 
 fone instantly to her apartment, when he whispered " Stay, 
 liss lone ! here are a pair of lovers, sure enough ! " She 
 looked and saw Lieutenant Saberin and Madam Maryglot 
 coming up the steps. Madam cried out, " Contez-nous je 
 vous prie, ce qui s'est fait ? " " Ce n'est pas la question 
 a faire ! " retorted Lieutenant Mera. "Je n'aime pas, cet 
 homme-la," whispered she, aloud, to lone. lone replied, 
 " C'est mon meilleur ami ! " Lieutenant Mera bowed to
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 117 
 
 the floor, " Votis etes bicn bon ! " " Quel dommage," 
 sneered the old l3dy. " Adieu, jusqu 'au revoir," said 
 Lieutenant Saberin, in a very melancholy tone, and gave 
 his hand to lone. She courtesied low without taking it, 
 and went up stairs. Mrs. Maryglot clung to her dress, vi- 
 tuperating the whole affair, in every known tongue. 
 
 " Cease Firing-." 
 
 As Tone's door closed that night, it shut in as sad a 
 heart as could be imagined. She sat down on the side of 
 her bed, and inquired what Lieutenant Saberin could 
 mean. How could he behave in such an unmanly man- 
 ner ? In San Francisco, her most casual acquaintance 
 would call him to an account for it. Indeed, in any civil- 
 ized society he would be held responsible. She would 
 treat every man on West Point with the indifference they 
 deserved, and henceforth she would look to something else 
 than these " braves " for her happiness ; and she threw 
 the bud Lieutenant Mira had given her in such a spiteful 
 way, that when she saw it disappear in the toe of her little 
 slipper at the side of the bureau, she laughed outright, and 
 took it out tenderly, and told the pretty thing, that it was 
 only its misfortune to have fallen into the hands of a 
 naughty man, she would put it in water for its own sweet 
 sake, making a cologne-bottle serve as a vase. Although 
 Tone's fit of vexation ended in a laugh, she was none the 
 less resolved to wage war with the braves as she had 
 named the officers, and the very determined little face she 
 confronted in the toilet-glass certainly did not look like 
 forgetting those vows, ' ere the dawn of the morning ! '
 
 
 118 Tactics; or, 
 
 " TO FIRE BY RANK. READY." 
 
 lone appeared at the breakfast table in her most becom- 
 ing morning-dress. She did not wish to attract anybody's 
 attention, no indeed! It was self respect! There was 
 not a smile nor even a look of recognition for those she 
 knew at table, except Mrs. Maryglot. This was very 
 sweet, to shew those braves what they had forever lost ! 
 She was learning life's lesson of masking her best features, 
 as a miser hides his gold. The bright smile drew a chair 
 out at madame's side, and in a very motherly tone, " How 
 did you sleep, my dear ? " 
 
 " She slept well enough, but dreamed of icebergs, all 
 night I " 
 
 The good lady replied at the top of her lungs, " I fear 
 my dear, you are finding the knight airs cold here ! " 
 
 lone's lips curled a little, and she said, " You see I in- 
 tend to defy them ; I have donned my " aigis," and she drew 
 a superb camel's-hair victorine closely around her should- 
 ers, the long white waves sweeping over her white arms 
 and blue robe, made her remind you of of well of 
 an angel with her wings folded on her breast, but I most 
 solemnly aver she was not conscious of all this. She only 
 knew that she felt like a second Minerva, having left the 
 " hermit pity with her mother ; had her armor buckled 
 on!" 
 
 Surprised that Viola was nowhere to be seen, she has- 
 tened to her room, and found her still in bed. As she ap- 
 proached, Mrs. Bobaline cried out in a very-well tone of 
 voice, 
 
 " Whose is that superb cape ? let me see it, lone ! " 
 
 She threw it to her aunt. " It is mine ; are you sick 
 Viola ? " 
 
 " Yes, I have an awful headache, and have sent for my 
 breakfast. But do tell me where you got this from, it is 
 the most elegant thing I ever saw."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 119 
 
 lone had gone to the window to see the braves go out 
 from breakfast. She did not turn, but laughing, said, " O 
 it fell to me from the clouds ; don't you see how fleecy it 
 is ? " then coming up lovingly, " but dear Viola, you are 
 not going to remain in bed all dav ? " 
 
 " Xo, I shall get up bv and by. Who did you see at 
 the table?" 
 
 " No one to speak to, but Madam Maryglot all were 
 there." 
 
 Violetta thought, " she is such a belle, I supposed they 
 would have besieged her, when she was alone,'' and the 
 thought that no one came to speak to her, nearly drove 
 away madame's vapors. 
 
 " O, it is a glorious morning ! I wish you were well 
 and could take a walk with me." 
 
 " Indeed, I cannot to-day, but you can go without me. 
 Change the book from the library and get another," said 
 Mrs. Bobaline in her sickest accents. 
 
 " That will be pleasant ; what shall I get for you ? " 
 
 I do not care for any, you may get one for yourself." 
 
 " She could add nothing to Viola's comfort, so left her 
 t.'iij<>ying a cup of tea, a pyramid of toast, and three boiled 
 eggs. As she went out Viola said " that cape, I fear, is 
 too dressy for the morning, have you no plain mantle to 
 wear? " 
 
 " None that just suits me, for this morning, it is so soft 
 and warm. Good morning, Viola ! " 
 
 The hall she found full of ladies and gentlemen, a num- 
 ber of her cadet friends were there, they were going to 
 dance in the parlor, all rushed at her to join in the dance, 
 lone could not resist, and was soon mingling with all her 
 heart in the merry whirl. 
 
 "Rear Rank." 
 
 Where, but at West Point, could you find the gay 
 belles the morning after a party, in their muslins and slip-
 
 120 Tactics; or, 
 
 pers, at tins early hour, whirling through the redowa, and 
 bosving through the " Lancers," with all the airs and graces 
 and a wealth of bright smiles thrown in, usually attendant 
 on gas-light alone. What wonder the cadet returns to 
 the tent sighing " ever of thee," after such a romp with 
 lassies in white and blue muslin wrappers, lovely in real 
 roses, with musical, heartfelt laughs, and the acme of zests 
 given to all, that they could not stay half so long as they 
 wished. Cadet Allen escorted lone to the library, and made 
 her promise to walk wfth him at four o'clock. She re- 
 membered Lieutenant Storme's advice, " These young 
 gentlemen are not reliable ! " and replied, " I'll ask Viola, 
 and if you come, perhaps ! " she said laughing. 
 
 " If I come ? that's odd." She made no explanation, 
 he gave her a book he was reading, with a charming story 
 in it " Lady Lee's Widowhood." Lieutenant Alton 
 was in the library, and followed her out, and walked to the 
 hotel with her. 
 
 " 1 Front Rank. 2 Aim. 3 Fire. 4 Load: 1 
 
 And at five p. M., Viola was herself again, and Cadet 
 Allen came. lone went to do " Flirtation," with him. 
 . Returned he gave her an introduction to Quartermaster 
 Corridor, his particular friend, telling her he must leave 
 her, but he would consign her to his friend, to whose kind 
 keeping everything precious was entrusted. As they ap- 
 proached the seats, she saw Viola sitting there, and Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin at the back of her seat, talking to her ; 
 she did not venture near the two people she wished of all 
 others to avoid, but walked on down the front, and back 
 to " Barracks." Here she met Madam Maryglot. 
 
 " My dear, I have just invited Lieutenant Mera to take 
 us down to the famous little Chui'ch of the Holy Innocents, 
 I knew you had never been there, so used your name, 
 without your leave." 
 
 " I am very glad you did, I should so like to go. But
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 
 
 why ask Lieutenant Mera, will it not annoy him to walk 
 so far ? " 
 
 " I have not invited him to walk, but to ride, my dear, 
 in the most splendid turn-out West Point can afford. I 
 think his highness may condescend to accompany us under 
 those circumstances." 
 
 " O, how kind of you to think of me." 
 
 " Not at all, child ! ' They that do an act that does 
 deserve requital, pay first themselves, the stock of such 
 content.' '' 
 
 lone was fast becoming sincerely attached to Mrs Mary- 
 glot, malgre her peculiarities. If she felt sad, she found 
 herself at Madam M.'s side. On their return to the hotel 
 Lieutenant Burlyton met them and said, " There is to be 
 a " shin-dig " down at Cozzens' to-night, and I will do 
 you the honor of taking you, in an omnibus, Miss lone, if 
 you know no good reason why I should not." 
 
 She thanked him would go if Viola went. 
 
 *' Of course Viola is going. Did I not hear her say, 
 " Thank you, Lieutenant Saberin, I shall be delighted ! " 
 He squealed this out, pretending to mimic Viola. " Come, 
 Madam Maryglot, you must go too ; we'll show you how 
 it 's done at a. fashionable watering place, so go and put on 
 your best bib and tucker ; may be you '11 catch a whale ! " 
 
 " O, do, Madam Maryglot ! " cried lone. 
 
 " Ah, non sum qualis eram," said she mournfully. 
 
 " What 's that, now ? " said lone. 
 
 " * I am not now what I once was,' child ! Why do you 
 forget your Latin ? " 
 
 " Judicium Dei," replied Burlyton, and that means it is 
 God's judgments on her." 
 
 Here she flagellated Lieutenant Burlyton in Italian, 
 German, and French, selecting the choicest phrases she 
 could think of ; to all of which he bowed and smiled as if 
 she were complimenting him, in the most polite language. 
 
 lone rushed off to dress, delighted that she was to go 
 with the amusing Lieutenant ; she had come to like him 
 
 -
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 far better than any of the officers. The beautiful road 
 that wound through the trees down to the home of the 
 princely Cozzens, seemed like Chestnut street, it was so 
 full of promenaders. 
 
 They all gave a good-humored smile to the joyous load 
 in the omnibus. The hills echoed with " Benny Havens 
 O," " Dixie's Land," and the classic strain " Pop goes the 
 weasel ! " The gay party made an entrance among the 
 fashionables decorating the sofas and chairs surrounding 
 the magnificent saloon, quite surprising to behold. Lieu- 
 tenant Burlyton skipped up the steps, as if he were as- 
 saulting a garrison. " Entre deux vins ; E pluribus 
 unuin ! " exclaimed he, hoisting Mrs. Maryglot up by both 
 elbows, running down again for lone, he introduced him- 
 self and her, as les enfans perdus ! Mrs. Maryglot fell into 
 a fit of laughter, holding her sides, while a continuous fire 
 of oblique glances from one distinguished group to the 
 other, queried, "Are these an importation from the lunatic 
 asylum ? " Mr. Cozzens however modified their terror by 
 giving each of the gentlemen one of his glorious wel- 
 comes. 
 
 The Colonel had in his care a superb white embroidered 
 crape dress, tied on with Solferino sashes, one of the F. F. 
 D. C's. Lieutenant Storme consoled himself in Nora 
 Kearney's absence by promenading assiduously with a 
 terrible beauty in a cloud of blue lace. Lieutenant Bur- 
 lyton danced with every mother's daughter that, smiled at 
 his lively sallies, which kept him busy, as he told lone go- 
 ing home. Lieutenant Saberin promenaded most of the 
 evening on the piazza with Mrs. Bobaline, inviting lone to 
 dance but once, quite as if it were a civility he owed her 
 on her aunt's account. Madam Maryglot did catch a 
 whale, a real spermaceti one that had engulphed half a 
 dozen ships, and swallowed all their treasures ! The ride 
 home was quite as musical as their coming, and a trifle more 
 boisterous. 

 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 
 
 123 
 
 lone was awakened by the band playing for " Inspect- 
 ion." She stood at her window listening to the sweet notes 
 of " Stabat Mater ;" it was a lovely Sabbath morning, and 
 the revel of last night seemed like an unholy dream. She 
 made many good resolutions, and among others that anoth- 
 er Sabbath should not pass disregarded by her, she would 
 go to church. She descended to breakfast, and found Vio- 
 la sitting talking to Mrs. Maryglot, who had jiist invited 
 her to ride down to the Church of the Holy Innocents, 
 with them in the afternoon. Mrs. Bobaline excused herself, 
 as she should lose her " nap." 
 
 lone asked if she would not go with her in the morning. 
 
 " No, I think not, I was up so late last night ; if you 
 wish to go, the soldier will show you a seat." 
 
 "I will go," said lone. As she descended to the piazza 
 she thought " oh, if my mamma were only here, how much 
 we would enjoy this delightful Sabbath-day together. 
 What would I not give for her counsel and guiding hand, 
 in this maze of I know-not-what-to-do ! Alone, where I 
 most need a friend. Saddened by these thoughts she stood 
 looking off toward the plain, slowly pulling on her gloves. 
 She heard the " church call," its sweet notes echoed among 
 the Academic Halls, and adjacent hills, calling many wea- 
 ry home-sick ones, and many a reluctant truant, to hear 

 
 124 Tactics; or, 
 
 the words of consolation, of counsel and warning. Bentz, 
 the bugler, vied with the birds, and lone thought it was a 
 pity that the bugle should not be sounded as a church call 
 in all churches. She saw a lady on the path before her, as 
 she descended the hotel steps, and at once recognized Mrs. 
 Marvglot. She hastened, and joining her, they entered the 
 chapel before the battalion. The old lady stared around 
 her as if she was in a museum, quite mortifying lone, by 
 her perfect indifference to the attention she was attracting. 
 
 " Where is the soldier to show us a seat ? I don't see 
 him," said she aloud. " There's the Colonel," she contin- 
 ued marching up the centre aisle, " He'll give us a seat." 
 Hearing his name mentioned he turned and saw the ladies, 
 rose and motioned them round to his seat. Tone's face was 
 scarlet before they reached the polite Colonel. Madam 
 stood some time surveying the church, then seating her- 
 self, she leaned over lone, saying to the Colonel, " I see 
 you ape the English. Who is that man and woman, over 
 the chancel ? " meaning the painting by Weir. Flere the 
 cadets came in, and she sat up and stared in dismay, at 
 the shout of command within the walls, the clang of 
 sword and bayonet, the tread of three hundred men, as 
 they marched to their seats. She asked the Colonel as 
 the chaplain came in, " Is it customary to reserve the 
 best seats for those boys ? I supposed they were for the 
 superintendent's family and other distinguished peopLe." 
 The cadets that heard her, laughed, and the Colonel eleva- 
 ted his shoulders, and looked like a saint. Her investiga- 
 tions did not cease till the fine voice of the chaplain re- 
 sounded in her ears. " The Lord is in His Holy Tem- 
 ple." 
 
 She was greatly impressed with his fine reading, and 
 whispered to the Colonel to present her after service. 
 They lingered long examining the painting. She won- 
 dered if a mortal could be admitted to his studio. The 
 flags they had their right place were they arranged 
 by the excellent taste of the Colonel ? 
 
 He regretted he must give the honor where it was due, 
 ' ; To an artist upholsterer from New York."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 125 
 
 " I was in hopes I could compliment your taste in some- 
 thing about the post, Colonel ; what have you done ? " 
 
 " Here ? " said he in a discomfited tone. 
 
 " Anywhere, anywhere ! " He stroked his moustache 
 and heard. " Tell me of some of your feats in arms, were 
 you never in a battle ? " 
 
 " No very renowned field," said he deprecatingly. 
 
 " Yet you conqured Mexico ? " 
 
 44 Yes," said he, drawling a little, as if ashamed of the 
 unequal contest. " But you know Mexico is not formida- 
 ble like England or France." 
 
 44 Oh, I know, but tell me about some of those battles, 
 they were hugely trumpeted at the time. Were'nt you 
 there ? " 
 
 41 Yes, Madam, but a but suppose you tell me some of 
 the feats your ladyship has performed," said the gallant 
 Colonel. 
 
 4 ' It reminds me, 4 merit was ever modest known ! ' 
 she replied drily. 
 
 44 Really now Madam, it would be delightful to hear 
 some of " 
 
 44 Arnold was one of your heroes, where is his tablet? " 
 she asked maliciously, displeased at the Colonel pointing 
 out the Yorktown flags. He showed her the blank tablet. 
 She seemed struck with the idea, and repeated from her 
 idol poet, 44 Thou art a traitor, and a miscreant, too 
 good to be so, and too bad to live ! " 
 
 44 Me, Madam ? 
 
 ' Lies it within the bounds of possible things, 
 That I should lend my name to that word " Traitor? ' " 
 
 44 No, no ! I was speaking of that other hero," said 
 Madam, and left the chapel repeating 
 
 " Is there not some chosen curse, 
 
 Some hidden thunder in the stores of heaven, 
 Rod with uncommon wrath, to blast the man 
 Who owes his greatness to his country's ruin ? "
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 lone was conciliating the Colonel, who had lost his bland 
 elegance of manner. Madam always ruffled his plumes, as 
 Lieutenant Burly ton cleverly observed. 
 
 Dear reader were you ever becalmed ? Mrs. Maryglot 
 had been on the coast of Spain ; and she likened the hotel 
 on a Sabbath after dinner to one in such a case ! she could 
 not endure it, and ordered the carriage early, and the gar- 
 QOII tapped at Tone's door, " Madam was in a hurry." She 
 found Lieutenant Mera looking as bright as if he had 
 been just bought at a hair dresser's, and in a delightful 
 mood. They drove out of the Black-gate and up the 
 Fort-Putnam road, while Lieutenant Mera entertained 
 them with many stories about the points of interest ; and 
 Madam Maryglot was an inquisitor general at getting in- 
 formation from all sources, and she found a pleasant and 
 intelligent companion in the man she had pronounced a 
 Boeotian. As they drove up under the trees in front of 
 the church, Madam exclaimed, " Ah how lovely and home- 
 like ! A wee handful of old England set down in your 
 untamed country." She was wild over it. After prayers 
 she lingered reading every inscription, and left the " de- 
 licious pet of a church " with a sigh. 
 
 As they returned home, Lieutenant Mera asked lone if 
 she had ever visited the cemetery at West Point. She 
 had not, and they drove to it. Mrs Maryglot said as she 
 had been there, she would leave them to walk home. 
 
 lone admired the monuments, and wandered among 
 them, reading the inscriptions with a subdued enjoyment 
 that greatly interested her companion. He led her to the 
 graves of the " Innocents " to whose memory the church 
 they had just left, had been raised as a monument. They 
 sat down to rest, and Liuetenant Mera took from his pock- 
 et Butler's poem on this grave-yard, and read in his low 
 musical tones, one of the sweetest things ever written. 
 
 " And here at last who could not rest contented ; 
 Beneath the River, with its tranquil flood, 
 Around the breezes of the morning scented 
 With odors from the wood.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 
 
 Above the eternal hills, their shadows blending 
 
 With morn and noon and twilight's deepening pall, 
 And over head the infinite heavens, attending 
 Until the end of all." 
 
 As he finished, the holy hush of the place was entranc- 
 ing ; the soft low tones, and sweetly solemn words, har- 
 monized with the day. the hour, the scene ; and now the 
 distant notes of the band, at evening parade, stole over 
 them with a dreamy blessedness, that lone recalled years 
 after as an oasis in her West Point experience. They 
 slowly wended their way back to the hotel. 
 
 " LESSON FIFTH." 
 
 " Fire and Load Kneeling" 
 
 Tone's evident depression of spirits gave Mrs. Maryglot 
 as much uneasiness as she was capable of feeling ; accord- 
 ingly, after she was arrayed for the evening, she tapped at 
 lone's door saying, " Come pet." 
 
 Her heart nearly rushed out at her eyes, at those 
 " sounds of home," but she gave a little swallow, and 
 squeaked out " Yes," and joined her queer, but sincere 
 friend. Madam leaned affectionately on lone's arm, as 
 they rapidly " reconnoitered " as she said, to see, " Who 
 were where." They walked twice around the piazxa, and 
 through the crowded hall. Every eye followed lone, 
 whose heightened color became crimson, as they walked 
 on, by hearing one lady remark to another, " She engaged 
 to Lieutenant Saberin ? I don't believe it ! He would'nt 
 have her." 
 
 Madam put her arm softly around lone's waist, and dart- 
 ing a look at the lady that reminded her of an old super- 
 stition about the evil eye, she fairly growled, " O, yes, that's 
 devilish woman ! She must give her slap if it breaks the 
 hearts of half her sex." 
 
 "O, how I have coveted that lady's friendship ! " said 
 lone plaintively.
 
 128 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Who is she ? " asked Madam. 
 
 " Colonel Tee's lady." And the great drops forced 
 themselves down her burning cheeks. 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot drew her to the steps leading to the glen 
 behind the hotel. " Now what a little einfaltig liebling," 
 she said in a choked voice. 
 
 lone laughed through her tears. " What is that ? do 
 talk English to me, Mrs. Maryglot ! " 
 
 " O, that's nothing bad ; its a sweet word. Liebling ; 
 darling, favorite, etc. Now why do you cry?" 
 
 " Oh ! Mrs. Maryglot, I want somebody to tell some- 
 thing to," and she sobbed outright. 
 
 " Then tell me ! I'm just the one to keep it, and coun- 
 sel you. Well ? " 
 
 lone remembered that her mother had often said to her, 
 " Aye, keep something to yoursel' ye ne'er will tell to 
 ony," and trembled at the thought of confiding in a stran- 
 ger ; but still more so, at going on unguided by a wiser 
 brain than her own. She fairly threw herself into Mrs. 
 Maryglot's arms. Oh ! Mrs. Maryglot, I am I am en- 
 gaged to Lieutenant Saberin." 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot really rejoiced at this splendid announce- 
 ment, as she thought ; looked at her with a quizzical face, 
 " Well, and what is there so horrible about that ? he is a 
 magnum bonum thrown down to you ; and and you're 
 another ; " and she hugged her very much as a bear would 
 have done. 
 
 " Oh ! Mrs. Maryglot O, But then you know, 
 I don't love him! I'm afraid of him ! I know he's 
 not good ! " 
 
 " Oh ! ah ! that's another thing ! Sie solten sich vor 
 ihm seamen, liebling," and she held her at arms length 
 and looked at her. 
 
 ' Why will you persist in talking Greek to me ? you 
 know I don't know what you say," cried lone, pushing 
 forward, and hiding her burning face in Mrs. Maryglot's 
 neck. 
 
 " It's not Greek, child ; but most excellent German. 
 Why don't you understand German ? " 
 
 I
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 129 
 
 " Because I never took a dozen lessons in the horrid 
 language/' 
 
 " Well, well, you must begin at once to study it, it is 
 the finest language in the world." (After a moment.) 
 " Well, and you don't love him ? what next ? Girl-like 
 you love somebody else eh ? " 
 
 lone looked up very wildly. " Who told you so ? " 
 
 " ' O, there's nothing lost to him that sees, with an eye 
 that feeling gave,' " madam replied adroitly, for she knew 
 nothing about it. 
 
 " Well, does everybody know it ? " said the einfaltig 
 liebling. 
 
 " No, no ! no one but me ! But how in the name of 
 the ' fiery Alps, rocks, caves, lakes, fens, bogs, dens, and 
 shades of death ' did you get engaged to him, without lov- 
 ing him ? I did not think you such a milk-sop, such a 
 a " rattled on she, in a merciless way. 
 
 " O ! Mrs. dear madam, pity me ! " 
 
 Madam looked like a stone jug, and the confession be- 
 gan. 
 
 " You see, Mrs. Maryglot, I thought like Mrs. Tee, that 
 he was very high-minded, and that I was doing some- 
 thing grand, till I found I did not love him that I was 
 afraid of him, and then I knew I had sinned ! " and the 
 sobs broke forth anew. 
 
 Her friend took her hand, and caressed it. 
 
 lone leaned her hot cheek on madam's shoulder. " What 
 can be done, my dear friend ? I'll write to mamma, to send 
 right off for me ! " Still no reply from her dear friend. 
 lone moaned piteously. 
 
 At length Mrs. Maryglot said, " And who is the other ? " 
 
 " Oh, do not ask me that ! Perhaps I only think he is 
 good, perhaps it 's only because I am not afraid of him, 
 and he don't care a pin for me." She sat down on the 
 grass, dropped her hands in her lap in a very hopeless 
 way, and began in alow voice ; " For some reason I shrank 
 from him from the first ; there was a curious impertinence 
 in his eyes from the first time I ever met them. Then all 
 6*
 
 130 Taelics ; or, 
 
 at once he became very polite, and was sure to seek me 
 when I was away from Viola. I was flattered, and thought 
 I had formed groundless prejudices against him, but I 
 fought my heart every step. One evening I ran down 
 from my room to look for Viola or you, and saw no one in 
 the hall, but advancing hastily to the north door, I turned 
 my head thinking I heard some one coming out of the par- 
 lor, while hastening on, I ran right into some one's face ; 
 I gave a little cry, and Lieutenant Saberin caught me in 
 his arms ; he saw me coming, and stood at the side of the 
 door, to frighten me. He said he had been waiting an hour 
 for me. There was no one out there, and I was very in- 
 dignant that he should behave in that way, but he fell on 
 his knees and called me oh, a great many everything 
 said I was his life oh you know ! I was so sur- 
 prised and trembled so that he thought it was all love, I 
 suppose. He held my hand and would not release it till I 
 would become engaged to him. I said no, no he plead 
 for three weeks, and then if I did not like him or, at 
 last, would I be engaged for fifteen minutes. I laughed, 
 and then he said we were engaged." 
 
 " Well ! " said Mrs. Maryglot. 
 
 " O, well, I said nothing, and he said that meant, yes." 
 
 '" That, was when ? " asked madam. 
 
 " A week ago, but I have not walked with him, or 
 scarcely seen him since, for I fear him. When he finds me 
 alone, he calls me his petite jolie fiancee, and says he likes 
 me all the better for my shyness ; but before others he 
 throws me kisses slily off his finger-tips." Here she 
 curled her pretty lips. " He says, now we are cheating 
 Lieutenant Mera, beautifully ; and that is just what I 
 don't want ! O, I'm not engaged to him one bit ; that is, 
 my heart's not." Here she buried her face in her hands 
 and wept bitterly. " I wish I was with mamma. I wish 
 he was hung ! " 
 
 Mr.-. Maryglot looked to her like an old toad, sitting 
 on the rocks, with a brown and steel color shot-silk, her 
 fat face, and great double chin, she appeared as uncon-
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 131 
 
 cerned as if she were listening to the cry of the whippor- 
 wil, she now turned her eyes on the tear-stained face of 
 lone, and broke into a laugh, that made the young girl 
 almost spring from her seat. She laughed on, till lone 
 was offended. Seeing this, she very quietly said, " You 
 have never before had a beau^ as these girls call a lover, 
 and I can assure you, Lieutenant Saberin was only play- 
 ing with you." 
 
 lone looked like an enraged lioness, at this flattering 
 insinuation. " I am excessively angry at you, Mrs. Mary- 
 glot ! " and she turned her crimson face away from her 
 searching gaze. 
 
 Madam pitied her " liebling " too much to prolong her 
 misery, so applied the knife at once, like a skillful surgeon. 
 She saw that lone was in his toils, though she was not 
 aware of it, and determined to dethrone the fop at once 
 from the heart of this sincere child of nature. " You see 
 lone, if you were the daughter of a general, he would 
 proclaim the engagement on the hotel-top, and lead you 
 about like a captive queen ; as it is, he is playing with 
 your most sacred feelings." 
 
 " But why should he disrespect me ? I have always tried 
 to deserve the respect of every one," whimpered she, with 
 a look of despair. 
 
 Madam laid the fingers of her fat hand tenderly on her 
 cheek, " Be very thankful things are no worse, liebling; 
 now if you really loved him and he were going to be hnn^, 
 you can see, things would be much worse " but seeing 
 the tears stealing silently over the rosy face, she added, 
 " What do you care for the gavache ! un ame de bone ; 
 you know what that is, ' a soul of mind,' wait till I get 
 at him." 
 
 " O, dear Mrs. Maryglot, pray do not let him know that 
 I have told you a word, for worlds. Indeed, I shall fly 
 away home ! " 
 
 " A la bete & bon Dieu, as the French call the lady- 
 bug. No indeed, but a beau jeu beau retour ; that is, one 
 good turn deserves another. Now for some plan ! If you
 
 132 Tactics ; or, 
 
 were only an heiress, I should delight to punish the dis- 
 honorable the unmanly fellow ! " She mused long, 
 thinking, " What better could I do with my money than 
 to give it to lone, and make these prigs all scramble for 
 her, for they all admire her, as who can help it ! " At last 
 she said " I have a plan ; you keep near me, all the time, 
 and we will attach the prettiest girl we can find, to our 
 party : and if he comes we will introduce him, and seize 
 every opportunity to leave them alone." 
 
 " Ah, Mrs. Maryglot, could I be so cruel ; to get anoth- 
 er into the same trouble I am in ? " 
 
 " Never you mind, little innocent, I'll get some one that 
 has seen the world ' a bon chat bon rat.' ' 
 
 " Ah, Madam ! ' Aquila non capit muscas.' ' 
 
 " Bon ! bon ! brava ! ' when did you learn latin ? " 
 
 " You see I am learned, too. I wrote off a whole gram- 
 mar when I was ten years old. But you wont do any- 
 thing about this affair of mine, will you ? " 
 
 " O, I see. The idol holds his seat ; but ' Bonis nocet, 
 quisquis pepercerit malis,' and that means, ' He hurts the 
 good, who spareth the bad,' leave him to me, for ' ca3ca 
 regens vestigia filo,' or ' leading his blind steps with a 
 thread,' O, wont that be b-1-i-s-s, now that I know my gen- 
 tleman ! " 
 
 " Mrs. Maryglot, you frighten me to death ! Would to 
 heaven I had suffered in silence ! " 
 
 " No harm done, pet, I'll handle him gingerly ; trust 
 me ! ' She drew her to herself affectionately, then leaning 
 on her arm, they walked to the river bank. The moon had 
 risen, fairly eclipsing the twilight ; and now lone's spirits 
 rose to the highest pitch, since she had once cast off the 
 burden of her young heart on such able shoulders, and 
 she sang in a low voice, from Moore. 
 
 " Hark, 'tis the breeze of twilight calling 
 
 Earth's wearied children to repose; 
 AYhile round the couch of Nature falling, 
 Gently the night's soft curtains close ! 
 Soon o'er a world, in sleep reclining, 
 Numberless stars, through yonder dark,
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 133 
 
 Shall look like eyes of cherubs shining 
 
 From out the veil that hides the ark ! 
 Guard us, Oh ! Thou, who never sleepest, 
 
 Thou, who in silence throned above, 
 Throughout all time, unwearied keepest 
 
 Thy watch of Glory, Power, and Love. 
 Grant that beneath thine eye securely 
 
 Our souls awhile from life withdrawn, 
 May in their darkness, stilly, purely, 
 
 Like ' sealed fountains,' rest till dawn ! " 
 
 As they stood at the close of the sons;, Tone's hand 
 clasped in Mrs. Maryglot's, madam compared the Hudson 
 to the river of Damascus, named by the Greeks Chrysorr- 
 hoas, or ' the golden stream,' flowing through the beauti- 
 ful valley called the ' Orchard of Damascus,' told her 
 of that famous city, which the Arabs consider the first of 
 the four terrestrial paradises, believed by the Bedouins to 
 be the most ancient city in being. " Now we are abroad, 
 shall we, as Dr. Thompson says, quoting from the Arabs, 
 ramble on ' ala bab Allah, toward God's gate.' This they 
 say when they neither know nor care where they are go- 
 ing. " Ah, my love, we think we are mere automatons 
 here, but alas ! in Arabia they are daily, hourly insulted by 
 those who love them best ; even little boys treat their moth- 
 ers and sisters like slaves, and are esteemed the cleverer 
 for it. The women wear such a profusion of ornaments, 
 it would sicken you of them thousands of piastres strung 
 around their foreheads, in various coins ; their shoes too, 
 you would break your precious neck with them, wooden 
 sandals, raised on bits of ornamented boards a foot high, 
 they go clattering along." 
 
 lone forgot her griefs, in those of her Arab sisters, and 
 wished she were the Great Mogul, to punish the men for 
 their cruelty. 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot affirmed there was no necessity of such a 
 state of things if the women would only stand up for 
 themselves, but it made her so mad to see her sex " show 
 the white feather " at the very time they should exhibit 
 proper spirit the men would respect them more. " Now
 
 131 Tactics; or, 
 
 just hold your head up with the gallant Lieutenant, and 
 your heart up too don't throw it at his feet because he 
 deigns to smile slily on you, or he'll trample on it and turn 
 again and rend you." 
 
 u Indeed, indeed madam, my heart is snug enough 
 in the right place ; I assure you the Lieutenant has not 
 possession of it as he supposes." 
 
 " There now, that is what they call caprice and cruelty ; 
 becoming engaged, and hating and fearing them, all in the 
 same breath ! " madam replied with some severity. 
 
 " But you can see my dear madam, that I am not en- 
 gaged to him that I did not say yes, as he said I did, 
 silence was not consent, was it ? " 
 
 " Of course not, but why had you not spirit enough to 
 say ' you are very greatly mistaken, sir ! " If I am not 
 mistaken in the man, 
 
 " He is strangely bewitched by that sort of renown 
 Which consists in becoming " the talk of the town," 
 And to hear from the gazing, and mouth-open throng , 
 The dear words " that is he " as he trudges along, 
 While beauty all anxious, stands on her tip-toes, 
 Leans on her beau's shoulder, and lisps ' there he goes ! ' " 
 
 lone laughed merrily, and the welcome sound of the 
 gong reaching their ears, Madam Maryglot, in a com- 
 ical manner arranged lone's head erect on her shoulders, 
 " as like the lid of a coffee pot as life," drew down her 
 upper lip, etc. throwing her into spasms of mirth, with the 
 benevolent purpose of setting her at her ease in a rencoun- 
 ter with those " prigs of officers." They climbed the hill- 
 side. 
 
 " Now dear Mrs. Maryglot, I have forgotten all you 
 have told me, and shall just go on and make a fool of my- 
 self as I did before." 
 
 Madam stopped to laugh. " Why don't you tell me as 
 the king of Sparta told the ambassadors, ' the former part 
 of your address was too long, that I have forgotten the 
 latter part, being unconnected in my mind with what
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 13-5 
 
 you said before, I do not see the propriety of that, and 
 shall not feel bound to act upon it.' ' 
 
 lone said Madam was a great deal too wise for her com- 
 prehension, she could not see the wit of the half she said. 
 
 " Vi capisco perfettame"nte," replied the old lady. 
 
 " Well," said lone " Well, what? The English, if 
 you please ; you forget that you must enlighten me when 
 you speak in your foreign tongues." 
 
 " O, it seems so foolish that you cannot understand such 
 a simple sentence ! I said I understood you perfectly." 
 
 li Madam Maryglot, you are mighty provoking ! How 
 should I know what you are saying, when you are talking 
 in every lingo that was spoken at the tower of Babel, in 
 the same sentence." 
 
 " Grazie ! " replied the imperturbable lady. 
 
 As they ascended the steps of the hotel they saw a group 
 of strangers. A very pretty girl formed one of the party. 
 
 Madam sloped the waiter-boy Mike, who was darting 
 past. " Chi sopo quelle signore ? " 
 
 Mr. Mike was a great character, a great reader, a sub- 
 scriber to the New York Ledger, and read that invaluable 
 sheet, to waiter-dom assembled, every night. He was al- 
 so what has been greatly eulogized, a good listener, and 
 had often heard the learned lady discussed by the gentle- 
 men in the office, and felt more elevated by the implied 
 compliment he conceived she was paying him, than he 
 had ever been by the generosity of his superior officers. 
 He bowed as nearly like those nonchalant young gentle- 
 men, as his age and the surprise which he must have felt, 
 would warrant one in expecting and said, " Oui, Mad- 
 am!" 
 
 " Oui, what ? dunce ! " she said, and glared on 
 him. Poor Mike ! He seized his nose with his doubled 
 dexter hand and rushed past her, for the kitchen. 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton who was reclining on the balus- 
 trade near, conversing with some ladies, stood up to look at 
 the farce that was enacting, and when Mike disappeared, 
 fell into a spasm of laughter.
 
 136 Tactics; or, 
 
 lone caught a glimpse of Lieutenant Saberin ascending 
 the front steps, and escaped to her room. She sought Vio- 
 la in vain ; and now she must retrace her steps alone. 
 " Why did I not stay by my old general, Mrs. Maryglot ! 
 Dear me, I will nestle under her wing all the time, yet I 
 don't know what moment she will expose me, as she did 
 about Cadet Smith's flowers : dear me ! " and she leaned 
 over the railing to see if Lieutenant Saberin had gone in to 
 tea. He had not seen her in her flight, and went directly 
 into the dining-room. 
 
 Madam Maryglot losing sight of lone, bounced into tea, 
 quite in a fury at being made " the laughing stock of fools," 
 as she informed the party on the piazza when she flourished 
 away from them into the hall. Her indignation blinded 
 her to the absence of her liebling till she saw Lieutenant 
 Saberin enter alone, she then arose, went into the hall, 
 and looked up at lone, who stood leaning with her elbow 
 on the railing, her hand covering her eyes. Madam Mary- 
 glot's great heart ached for her. " lone," she whispered, 
 " come, come ! " 
 
 lone started, and the brightest of smiles made her face 
 radiant. She skipped down to her friend, and kissing her 
 wrinkled cheek, followed her into the room, a blush man- 
 tling face and neck, for she was sure every one at the 
 table knew just as much as she knew herself. She felt 
 the burning glance of Lieutenant Saberin's dark eyes on 
 her face. 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot rehearsed her grievances to her in an 
 undertone. She glanced at Lieutenant Burlyton, and his 
 droll face quite upset her gravity, and she fell to devour- 
 ing her crusts in a very unlady-like fashion, that the irate 
 lady, might not detect the " aid and comfort for the en- 
 emy," lurking in the dimples of the corners of her mouth. 
 Lieutenant Burlyton joined them as they left the table, 
 and promenaded the pia/za, bv the side of Viola, to whom 
 he portrayed in living, glowing colors, " the best thing of 
 the season," Madam Maryglot addressing Mike in Italian. 
 That earnest old lady, however, had her plans laid, and
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 137 
 
 was busily carrying them out. She sailed round and 
 round the party she intended to attack nearer and nearer 
 each time, till she cast anchor within grappling distance, 
 lone saw the maneuver, and fell behind just in time to 
 meet her terror, Lieutenant Saberin. 
 
 " Well, Miss lone, I heard your warblings at the river- 
 side, and we wished you were in the boat with us." 
 
 " You, where were you ? " 
 
 " Not far below, and lingered till the song was finished, 
 it was ravishingly sweet ; we were afraid of startling you, 
 or we should have entreated for more." 
 
 " Who was with you ? " 
 
 ' My better half, Lieutenant Hera ; he was melted like 
 gold in the crucible ! " 
 
 Madam Maryglot had by this time cried, " Ship ahoy," 
 and " Whither bound ? " etc., and as the rest of the ingre- 
 dients were brought near, hastened to stir them together. 
 " lone, my dear, this is Miss Randolph ; Miss Randolph, 
 Miss Smith. I thought Southern girls ought to know 
 each other here ! Lieutenant Saberin, don't run away, 
 we want you." The haughty cynic curled his eyes 
 and lips, and knit his forehead ; and had she been a man, 
 would have curled his fingers too, at this great liberty, but 
 came forward, and gave a lordly recognition of the intro- 
 duction. " A Randolph of Virginia ! " cried she, smirk- 
 ing in his face with the air of a very enthusiastic antiqua- 
 rian, bringing to the day the crown-jewels of Semiramis, 
 from the viscera of Ninevah. 
 
 lone and Miss Randolph, cooed like young turtle-doves 
 over each other, and amused Lieutenant Saberin so much 
 as to restore his self-complacency, and he volunteered to 
 take them to the Observatory. This was a treat indeed. 
 Lieutenant Saberin left them to bring his friend, an officer 
 who had promised that lone should visit the Observatory 
 the first cloudless night after the new moon. They spent 
 a delightful evening, thanks to the unwearied exertions of 
 good Mrs. Maryglot, and at the hour appointed they took 
 their flight to the moon. They descended as far as advis-
 
 138 Tactics; or, 
 
 able into the volcanic crater Tycho ; they saw none of 
 the inhabitants, and returned without attempting to visit 
 the reverse side, or even to gather specimens of lava from 
 the crater. 
 
 " Fifty miles in diameter ! " shouted Mrs. Mary glut, 
 " I'll not believe my own eyes ! " She tucked lone under 
 her arm, as if she had been an old eagle, and could carry 
 her eaglet to terra firma in sublime style. " Lieutenant 
 Saberin, you take care of Miss Filista," meaning Celeste, 
 Miss Randolph's Christian name. Lieutenant Head stepped 
 forward, and led the ladies down. The laughing echoes 
 scintillated around their heads from those left behind, and 
 lone heard Lieutenant Saberin say, " Madam has let me 
 fall into the hands of the Philistines truly ; and you are 
 laughing at me Delilah-like ! " 
 
 Celeste said he ought to be able to carry her down on 
 his shoulders, such a Samson as he -supposed himself to 
 be.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 139 
 
 "PART THIRD." 
 
 " LESSON FIRST." 
 
 " Alignments" 
 
 The prospect of witnessing the Grand Review for the 
 first time, drove all else from Tone's mind. She was invi- 
 ted with her aunt to the collation at the house of the Su- 
 perintendent, given for the " Boai'd of Visitors." Cadet 
 Corridor had asked lone to await his coming after review, 
 and he would accompany her in to the Superintendent's. 
 Mrs. Bobaline was seldom seen without two or three of 
 the young officers, but he whose presence gave most pleas- 
 ure, was rarely with her. This morning Lieutenant Sa- 
 berin met her at breakfast, and said he hoped to meet her 
 at the Colonel's. This brightened the day for the poor 
 lady, and she was radiant ; that meant that he would pay 
 his respects to her there, and no pains were too great to 
 adorn herself for such a triumph. Her chief charm was 
 not her unexceptionable toilet, or perfect features, but an 
 indescribable air of elegance, and a charmingly gracious 
 attention to the person with whom she happened to be 
 conversing. She was surrounded by so many distinguish- 
 ed gentlemen, that lone enjoyed the crumbs that fell 
 from her "feast of reason," not a little. The review 
 was very grand. The throng of spectators, lining the 
 side-walk in front of the " quarters," and on the path 
 under the trees, from the academic building, to the flag- 
 staff, formed an exquisite embroidery around the finely 
 cut green-sward of the parade ground. The " Board of 
 Visitors," black-coated, and profoundly dignified ; the
 
 110 Tactics; or, 
 
 " academic Board," in all the grandeur feathers, sash- 
 es, swords, epaulettes, and white cotton gloves can im- 
 part, were there. Then the cadets, mammas' charming 
 boys ; daughter Carrie's devoted admirers ; the young 
 officers' formidable rivals ; terror of professors ; the amus- 
 ing, abused, heart-breaking cadets ; the fine looking en- 
 gineer corps ; the artillery, the dragoons : a most formidable 
 array ! And now the miniature army scours the plain to 
 the most inspiriting music ; once, twice, three times. 
 
 Zone's eyes danced with delight. In vain she tried to 
 recognize Cadet Corridor, but when the " double-quick," 
 brought them before her the last time, she was startled by 
 a look of recognition she received from him, in an oblique 
 glance. 
 
 The review over. Lieutenant Mera joined lone, and 
 asked if she was going in to the collation. 
 
 " Yes, I am waiting for Cadet Corridor." 
 
 " Really, that's a novel idea for a cadet to engage a 
 lady to go to a collation." Does that signify that he is to 
 monopolize every word and smile, this afternoon ? " 
 
 " O no ! " she replied, u I suppose he thought it would 
 be pleasant for me to be sure of some one to bring me 
 cream." 
 
 " Anxious you should not lose your cream ? I reckon he 
 was only anxious not to lose the cream of the guests him- 
 self! " laughed he. "But I must go and get a drink : 
 good-bye, Miss lone," and he dashed across the road. He 
 raised his hat as he entered the gate, looking as if it was 
 no paradise, when leaving her outside. 
 
 She started as she turned and found Cadet Corridor at 
 her side, " Oh, Miss lone ! ' present or accounted for ' in 
 the body, but heart and eyes ' running it,' I will beat the 
 long roll, and 4 hive and court-martial, the truants ! ' 
 
 " What are you talking about ? I don't understand one 
 word ! " said lone, as bewildered as possible. 
 
 " Never mind, come, they will eat up all the goodies, 
 before we get there." 
 
 On entering the hall lone noticed a crowd of officers,
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 141 
 
 around a table apparently examining with great interest 
 something on it. She asked what it was. 
 
 " ThatT? that's a great curiosity ! It i an ancient bowl, 
 used at the "fountain of youth," and is still supposed to re- 
 tain its magical properties, that is to say, it changes any 
 liquid poured into it, into a rejuvenating beverage.. You 
 would be surprised to see the change its icy contents will 
 effect on the staid, those that linger after the rest, I 
 mean, professors and officers. They lose the wrinkled 
 brow of wisdom, and martial tread, and frolic and dance 
 as if the prayer had been answered in their case. 
 
 " Oh, for one hour of youthful joy ! 
 
 Give me back my twentieth spring ! 
 I'd rather laugh a bright-haired boy 
 
 Than reign a gray-beard king ! 
 OS with the wrinkled spoils of age ! 
 
 Away with learning's crown ! 
 Tear out life's wisdom-written page 
 
 And dash its trophies down. 
 One moment let my life-blood stream 
 
 From boyhood's fount of flame ! 
 Give me one giddy, reeling dream 
 
 Of life, all love and fame ! " 
 
 While the youthful sage had been raising the curtain 
 for lone to peep behind the scenes, they had become 
 wedged in, near the door. As he finished his quotation, 
 she glanced over her shoulder to watch the devotees around 
 the Helicon fount ; and saw a slender white hand raise a 
 glass above the heads. A laugh followed the toast, and she 
 knew the hand by a signet-ring she had seen Lieutenant 
 Mera wear. " I wonder what the sentiment was," said she 
 mechanically. 
 
 Cadet Corridor had heard it, and replied, " It was a 
 mathematical joke, ' Here's to the mixed Professor ! ' ' 
 lone did'nt see it, but soon found herself a link in a 
 chain of bowers and scrapers around my lord and lady 
 Superintendent. 
 
 The lady said, " Mr. Corridor take your friend into the 
 next room, you will find it full of young people."
 
 142 Tactics; or, 
 
 Mr. Corridor thanked her, but had no intention of los- 
 ing his friend in a crowd ; and said, " Here is just the cosi- 
 est spot in the world, in this south window, hung with 
 roses and honeysuckles, and the band will play just near 
 us could this be improved ? " 
 
 " No indeed, we are very fortunate," she replied. She 
 felt at ease, and the wit and easy flow of words on sim- 
 ple subjects, gave a charm to her intercourse with cadets, 
 she never knew when, in momentary fear of saying some- 
 thing stupid, or not fearfully interesting, she weighed each 
 word before she spoke it to the officers. Cadet Corridor 
 went to get lone some cream, when Lieutenant Saberin im- 
 mediately took his seat. 
 
 " Where is Viola ? " said lone. 
 
 " Surrounded, like Saturn, by worlds of admirers, till I, 
 like an eighth moon, was compelled to move into space, as 
 I could not get near enough to catch a gleam of her flow- 
 ing robes." 
 
 " But really, have you not seen her? " 
 
 " Why, Miss lone, has she anything to tell me ? " 
 
 " O no, but she expected to meet you, and I fear she 
 will be disappointed. How strange, that those we most 
 wish to see, are the ones we never can see ! " 
 
 " In that case, Miss lone is as disappointed as her aunt ! " 
 
 " Please, please, Lieutenant Saberin, I did not mean 
 any thing of that kind ; but really, I would rather, if you 
 could only see one of us, that she should not be disappoint- 
 ed." 
 
 " I understand, but cannot consent to be driven away, 
 even by so lovely a compliment." 
 
 Cadet Corridor returned, looking very wistfully at his 
 seat, so dangerously filled. Lieutenant Saberin showed 
 no signs of vacating it, and he took his position at the 
 back of her chair. She conversed about the strangers, ad- 
 dressing most of her remarks to Cadet Corridor. 
 
 At length Lieutenant Saberin arose saying, " Miss 
 Smith, shall I have the pleasure of listening to the music 
 with you this evening ? " in the most nonchalant way.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 143 
 
 She bowed her head in very much the same style, and 
 drew a long breath, as Cadet Corridor resumed his seat. 
 At parade lone watched for the newly recognized position 
 of her cadet friend, and found it by the most comical lit- 
 tle signal that could be imagined, the slight movement of 
 the white glove on the left hand. lone's eyes must have 
 borne testimony to the recognition as plainly to Cadet 
 Corridor, as if she had waved hers in return. At supper 
 lone saw plainly by Viola's manner, that she had not been 
 entirelv forgotten by Lieutenant Saberin. She liked him 
 all the better for not having failed Viola, and when he 
 came to her in the hall and said, " Miss lone, music has 
 commenced," and offered her his arm, she vouchsafed a 
 very sweet smile, which he did not attribute to the right 
 cause. They did not speak, till they reached the iron 
 seats. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin broke the silence. " Did you ever 
 see such a night ? this is happiness ! Just look at the 
 shadow of the trees on the grass ! and the moonlight on 
 the hills across the river. One ought to be very happy in 
 this beautiful world." 
 
 " One is, is not one ? " she answered. 
 
 " No ; I am a great way from it. I do not know what 
 the sensation is, it is so long since I have experienced it." 
 
 " Lieutenant Saberin blue ? " she exclaimed in a tone 
 so like the one he remembered in Lieutenant Mera, the 
 night before he got his leave to go to New York, that he 
 started. " I did not know that you were ever unhappy, 
 if I were a man, I would throw sorrow to the winds ! " 
 
 " If you were a man ; Miss lone, you would have no 
 sorrow. The good are always happy ! " 
 
 " Then you cannot be very unhappy, you are not very 
 bad are you ? " said she anxiously. 
 
 " Yes, my profession is a killing one, you know ! And 
 then I must always be wishing some one out of my wax- 
 as I would like to be promoted ; so I don't see how I can 
 be good like such as you ! " 
 
 " You are just talking nonsense, there is nothing wicked 
 in being a soldier, you know ; and in deserving promotion ! "
 
 144 Tactics ; or, 
 
 "Deserving? the deserving are not the ones that get 
 it. Those that fawn on the men in power ; that go to 
 Washington and distinguish themselves in the redowa and 
 lancers, that ride and flirt with the honorahle Brown, 
 Smith, and Jones's daughters and nieces, are the ones that 
 add the bars to their rectangles." 
 
 " Then it seems Lieutenant Saberin is too good to gain 
 promotion in that way." 
 
 " Which is worst, to break hearts among the ladies, or 
 to wish the men out of our way ? " 
 
 " Lieutenant Saberin, you are too metaphysical for me ; 
 I am afraid you are taking cold under the trees." 
 
 " If that solicitude were really felt how happy I should 
 be. But in what am I metaphysical ? what does meta- 
 physics mean, Miss lone ? " 
 
 She fairly grew out of patience and said quickly, " See 
 metaphysics call for aid on sense." 
 
 " Then I shall not call in vain to-night," said he. 
 
 " I wonder why they do not leave the flag up, on moon- 
 light nights," said lone, determined to change the subject. 
 
 " Then you do admire the stars and stripes ? I admire 
 our flag more than anything in the world, except a beau- 
 tiful face," said he looking down at lone. 
 
 She took no notice of the remark, and asked if he re- 
 membered what the Chinese called it. 
 
 " No ; I regret I do not speak Chinese. Is that one of 
 pour accomplishments ? " 
 
 " No, but a friend of mamma's returned from China 
 lot long since, and charmed us all with the force of 
 their words. Our flag, they call a ' flower flag' Amer- 
 ica is called ' kaw-kee-kwoh r Flower-flag country, and an 
 American ' Flower-flag-countryman,' more complimentaiy 
 than that bestowed upon the Dutch ' Red-haired barbarians/ 
 ' Yan-kee-doo-dle ' means ' Flag of the ocean,' ' Sovereign 
 people of the world ! ' and Washington, ' Wo-shing-tung ' 
 * Rescue and glory at last ! ' 
 
 " Rather significant, is it not ? " said he thoughtfully. 
 
 " Of what ? " asked she.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 145 
 
 " Of him we all are proud to call our rescue and glory, 
 first and last, I fear I worship that name Washington ! " 
 
 " What is your name, Lieutenant Saberin ? " 
 
 " Ulm." 
 
 " Ulm ! Who were you named far? " 
 
 " I do not know, some old German ancestor, I suppose. 
 I was not at the christening." 
 
 " Ulm Saberin, I like that ! " 
 
 " Quite fortunate, since it is at your service." 
 
 " O, it is far too pretty to be thrown lightly away." 
 
 " I understand ; very nicely done, but I shall not accept 
 the rejection, Miss lone ! " 
 
 " Rejected, Saberin ? " laughed Lieutenant Burlyton, as 
 he ran past him up the steps of the hotel. 
 
 " Yes, and most elegantly done ! " 
 
 lone found Viola holding a levee in the north parlor 
 with Madam Maryglot, the Colonel, Lieutenant Mera, and 
 two of the Board. lone and Lieutenant Saberin joined the 
 circle, and soon Lieutenant Burlyton came in to complete 
 the mirthful party, and songs, music, and the " lancers," 
 closed the evening. 
 
 " Right (or left) Dress." 
 
 " Guard mounting, breakfast, drill, dinner, parade, tea, 
 serenade, on the piazza till eleven o'clock with Lieutenant 
 Saberin." Such was the record of one day in Tone's jour- 
 nal, nor one day alone, but day after day. At the exami- 
 nation hall, at riding, on the plain, to witness the won- 
 derful performance of constructing the " pontoon bridge," 
 lone's never failing attendant was Lieutenant Saberin. 
 She went everywhere. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline was very jealous, and said, " Let him 
 alone he is too intellectual not to tire of her ; indeed, 
 any man will tire of any woman after such a siege, and 
 then he will be mine more than ever. It is only to be 
 near me to watch me and see who I am with. It is West 
 Point Tactics ! But I will show him what retribution is, 
 7
 
 U6 Tactics; or, 
 
 when my time comes." In the mean time she was in- 
 dulging in every variety of "small-sword" exercise that 
 a jealous woman could inflict on the object of her envy, 
 by putting lone to torture in a thousand trifling ways. 
 
 
 " To march to the Front" 
 
 For a long time lone avoided Lieutenant Saberin, and 
 even told him that he was Viola's friend first, and should 
 not neglect her, as it made them both unhappy. He re- 
 plied that lone did very wrong to countenance a married 
 lady in receiving the attentions of a young gentleman in 
 her husband's absence. He would put his wife in a cage 
 if she did not do right. This seemed very correct to her, 
 and she gradually became resigned to her aunt's discom- 
 fiture, and came to like the caressing deference shown 
 her by her elegant beau. Lieutenant Mera treated her 
 with dignified coldness when they met, leaving his friend 
 master of the field, and attended Mrs. Bobaline even-- 
 where. 
 
 A cold, rainy day imprisoned the ladies in-doors. There 
 was no getting out. lone wandered from door to window 
 and back to door again, till Miss Celeste Randolph came 
 down and challenged her to a game of chess. In a few 
 moments two of the cadet officers came in to call on Miss 
 Celeste, who introduced lone. The gayest mirth was al- 
 ready defying the storm without, quite divesting the house 
 of the gloom which pervaded it, when Lieutenant Mera 
 passed the window and glanced in. Presently the bell- 
 boy handed lone a card with " Lieutenant Mera In 
 the north parlor," upon it. Why did the blood leave her 
 cheek at receiving a card with that name on it ? She 
 would gladly have flown in an opposite direction. She 
 excused herself and went forth feeling like a culprit. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera was surprised at the very rosy face 
 that greeted him. " Pardon my intrusion, Miss lone, but 
 I hoped those young gentlemen were Miss Randolph's 
 friends, and you are so seldom to be seen lately, that 
 this moment seemed precious.''
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 147 
 
 This address sent the blood flying from lone's face to 
 her heart, and back again to her brow, till it burned pain- 
 fully. 
 
 "I don't understand you," was all she could utter. 
 
 " I fear I don't understand myself, lately." 
 
 She stood before him as if he had come in on business. 
 She raised her eves, his were resting on her face with a 
 strange burning light in them. Her cheeks glowed and 
 her heart fluttered. 
 
 ' Miss lone, will you give me this? " touching a little 
 blue bow on her hair. 
 
 She did not answer, but bowed her head to him. 
 
 He tremblingly untied it from her soft curls, letting 
 them fall over her blushing cheek. He carefully retiecl it 
 saying, " I will keep this till Azrael wings me from earth, 
 and take it with me if permitted." 
 
 Like a devotee before an idol, with folded hands and 
 downcast eyes stood poor lone. 
 
 He drank in the beauty of the perfect being before him, 
 little understanding the terror undefined even to her- 
 self yet no less terror, of the girl so little versed in the 
 ways of the world. " Is this affectation ? she is not so 
 timid," thought he. " Have you seen these fine sketches 
 of the scenery here, Miss lone ? " He unfolded the pic- 
 tures on the table. She had no alternative but to advance 
 and examine them. While thus engaged he said, " I 
 should suppose you would become a fine linguist in a short 
 time, you are so constantly under the tuition of Madam 
 Maryglot. Does she give you lessons in German ? " 
 
 " Oh, no ! She speaks German to me sometimes, and 
 then translates it for me," she replied quietly. 
 
 " Do you not remember any of it ? " 
 
 " O, yes, I know what liebling means, she says that so 
 often to me," she answered smiling. 
 
 " Suppose I be promoted to an assistant professorship, 
 and finish that lesson ? " 
 
 She glanced at him inquiringly. 
 
 He blushed like a girl, and recited " Begin now : lieb- 
 ling, ich liebe dich."
 
 145 Tactics; or, 
 
 Tone's face and neck were dyed in crimson, showing 
 that she at least half guessed the meaning of her new les- 
 son. She bowed her head very low over the picture on 
 which his hand lav. The large ring on his finger attracted 
 her eyes just in time to open an escape from her perilous 
 situation. " Lieutenant Mera, what an unique ring you 
 wear, is it an heir-loom ? It is very curious." 
 
 '* This ring ? It is a talisman : pshaw ! a mockery I 
 Yet I cling to the bauble, as if it were the key to my des- 
 tiny ! " He took it off and handed it to lone. 
 
 " Tell me about it, please : ' J. A.' Does it belong 
 to your lady love ? " 
 
 Yes, if she likes it ! " and he took her hand to put it 
 on her finger. 
 
 " O, no ! It is too conspicuous besides, what would 
 she say ? " 
 
 " Who, say ? " 
 
 " Miss Arnold is it not hers ? " 
 
 " Miss Arnold ! Miss lone Smith is the only Miss that 
 has ever touched this ring at least since it has been in 
 my possession." 
 
 " Is it so sacred, then ? " 
 
 He looked out of the window dreamily, and sighed, u I 
 don't know why it is or should be so still the queer 
 motto in it binds me to it : 4 Have faith in me ! ' 
 
 " What does it mean ? lone asked, very much interested. 
 
 " Well, there is a family story connected with it. My 
 mother's only brother was beside himself about a young 
 lady, but her mamma thought her too young to marry, so 
 the gentleman fled beyond the seas, and sent back his min- 
 iature and this ring to his dulcina, but the vessel convey- 
 ing them was cast away, and after three years my mother 
 received them from the mother of my poor uncle's false 
 love, who had married, and gone to parts unknown. My 
 mother gave them to me, thinking deluded lady, that I 
 should be his heir. That is the story of the ring. " 
 
 " But your unclo, your uncle, what became of him ? " 
 
 " Really, I can hardly tell ; he never married, and I
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 149 
 
 have heard he died a millionaire, leaving all his money to 
 strangers." 
 
 The last words were said a little bitterly. 
 
 "GUIDE RIGHT (OR LEFT.") 
 
 "3d. March." 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin lay stretched on his white robe read- 
 ing Guy Livingstone, when Lieutenant Storme came in. 
 " Saberin," he began, " wont you go over to Indian Falls 
 with us this afternoon ? Alton has backed out, because 
 there is not a black-eyed girl in the party he says, but it 
 is only his indolence. I have brought the doctor to tell 
 you your health demands that you should take this trip. 
 Everybody is so intolerably slow here. We have a grand 
 party to go." 
 
 " Who ? " asked Lieutenant Saberin, laying down his 
 book. 
 
 " I don't know," said the doctor, " I'm not even ac- 
 quainted with the young lady I'm expected to play the 
 skillful to ! " 
 
 " W T ho is it, Storme ? " laughed Lieutenant Saberin. 
 
 " Miss lone Smith." 
 
 " Yes, Smith is the unique name." 
 
 " And who else ? " questioned he of Lieutenant Storme. 
 
 " Mera is going to take my cousin, Maria Hamilton. 
 Nora Kearney goes with your humble servant, and ma 
 petite soeur has no escort." 
 
 " Then I shall be most happy, if you can swear to the 
 petite. When did your sister and cousin come, Storme ? " 
 
 " Last evening. Be at the hotel at four o'clock and I 
 will introduce the little one to you. He left Lieutenant 
 Saberin and the Doctor together to report pi'ogress to the 
 ladies. The doctor lighted a cigar, tipped his chair back, 
 raised his heels on the window-sill, and said. 
 
 " I rather tell thee what is to be feared, 
 Than what I fear. For always I am Caesar."
 
 150 Tactics; or, 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin retorted, 
 
 " I dare assure thec, that no enemy 
 Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus ! " 
 
 " Keep a stout heart doctor ; we may escape unscathed, 
 and slip the net that's dropped for us ! Have you seen 
 Storm e's sister? " 
 
 " Yes, I saw her this morning, at guard mounting, 
 where this unfortunate affair was concocted. I invited 
 her to go with me, but she expected then to go with Alton, 
 so I was portioned off to Miss Smith. Then Alton begged 
 to be excused, and you have got the one I prefer, and I 
 have your choice, if what I hear be true, my only conso- 
 lation is, they say she is rather brilliant." 
 
 " Well now, Oglevie, such being the case, I propose a 
 compromise. We'll start all fair, you get introduced to 
 Miss Smith and I will to Miss Storme, we will stay by 
 them in the boat, but on the other side, we will change off. 
 How would you like that ? " 
 
 " O, very much." 
 
 " Who told you Miss Smith was brilliant ? " 
 
 " Miss Kearney said when Miss Storme refused my in- 
 vitation on account of her brother having spoken to Al- 
 ton, ' Never mind, there's Miss Smith take her ; she has 
 as much money as a clover has honey.' ' 
 
 " Well ? how do you make that brilliant ? " 
 
 " O, I see, it is not all gold that glitters ! " 
 
 " Pshaw ! " replied Lieutenant Saberin, laughing. 
 
 " How goes the enemy ? " asked the doctor. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin looked at his watch. " Four o'clock, 
 I declare ; we shall be late." He arose, soaped his mous- 
 tache, and they set out. They met the party at the hedge. 
 Lieutenant Saberiu was presented by Lieutenant Storme 
 to his sister and cousin, and the doctor to lone ; but Lieu- 
 tenant Mera was at her side and did not leave her till 
 they reached the boat. Lieutenant Saberin scrutinized 
 Miss Storme, and Miss Storme when she got the opportu-
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 151 
 
 nity scanned Lieutenant Saberin. Their eyes met, and 
 both smiled. " Excuse me Miss Storme, but may I tell 
 you what your thoughts were, then ? " 
 
 " Certainly, if you can ; but I shall not tell you, if yon 
 are right." 
 
 " I shall know that without your telling. You were 
 thinking, ' I wonder if I shall like him as well as the doc- 
 tor !' : 
 
 "Now the answer, Lieutenant Saber." 
 
 " I'm not so sharp, as you think me, Miss Storme, I am 
 only a Saberin ! " 
 
 Miss Storme laughed merrily, " I shall always call you 
 Lieutenant Saber, you were so keen as to divine my 
 thoughts ! " 
 
 As they arranged themselves in the boat, Lieutenant 
 Saberin blessed the doctor for his adroitness, for he found 
 himself wedged in between Miss lone and Miss Storme. 
 He had full scope for his fine powers of entertaining, as 
 the doctor seemed perfectly indifferent to all the party. 
 They probably thought the doctor absorbed in some pro- 
 found problem in his profession, but he was not so much 
 more profound than the rest of mankind ; he was study- 
 ing the diagnosis of the affection of the " brilliant," for 
 Lieutenant Saberin, and said to himself, ." She may ad- 
 mire him, but she loves some cadet, I suppose ; " so did 
 not put himself out of the way to neglect her, for the 
 sake of Miniehaha, as Lieutenant Storme called his laugh- 
 ing sister ; but went in quite a professional manner from 
 one to the other, as if they were sick and needed his most 
 humane attentions. He fulfilled his agreement, to walk 
 up with Miss Lou. But as soon as they reached the foot of 
 the falls, and were finding seats, the doctor said, " Here 
 Miss Smith, this is a pleasant one," and seated himself at 
 her feet. It was a relief to talk to a stranger. In spite of 
 her determination to enjoy herself, she found her head lull 
 of unpleasant thoughts. Cadet Smith had just got out of 
 the hospital but avoided her. Lieutenant Mera was all de- 
 votion to Miss Hamilton, and apparently unconscious of her
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 presence, and Lieutenant Saberin's very presence was 
 enough ; and she said " Thank you Doctor Oglevie," lan- 
 guidly, as if he had given her a potion to cure the heart- 
 ache. 
 
 Accustomed to understand the tones of the voice, he 
 said, " You are tired, and must have something. What 
 have you in that basket ? " cried he to Lieutenant Storme. 
 
 " Some good things generally Doctor Oglevie ; what 
 will you have ? " 
 
 " Well, let's have some good things generally ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin arose and opened the basket, and 
 laying a napkin on the ground, he piled one thing after 
 another upon it. " Here are sandwiches, tarts, cake, lem- 
 ons, sugar, tumblers and bottles." 
 
 " Ah, I will take a cork-screw, Lieutenant Storme, if 
 you have one, and now all draw round the festive napkin," 
 said Lieutenant Mera. 
 
 Lieutenant Storme proposed that the ladies should not 
 be permitted to taste a drop of the nectar, until each had 
 sung a song. A glass was filled and held towards Miss 
 Storme. " A song, a song," called the gentlemen. " Not 
 one drop until you sing, Miss Storme," holding the brim- 
 ming little Bohemian glass above her head, threatening to 
 pour its contents on her. She sang out in a very music- 
 al voice, " A great big bar, came out de wilderness, out 
 de wilderness, way down in Alabam bam bam wa\ 
 down in Alabam." 
 
 Lieutenant Storme joined in the chorus, with a fine 
 bass. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin, perfectly delighted with the gay 
 little lady, knelt as he handed her the glass, saying very 
 sentimentally, 
 
 " It was very wrong 
 To say I would deny thee anything, 
 Be not angry witli me, for though God 
 Forgive me, I could ne'er forgive myself, 
 If I brought sorrow to thee could I ? " 
 
 " False flatterer, cease ! " said she waving her glass at 
 him.
 
 Cnpid in Shoulder-Straps, 153 
 
 He pressed his hand to his heart, and said, 
 
 " It is my fate 
 To love, and make who love me bate." 
 
 " O, go on, go on, Miss Storme, give him the rest ! " 
 said Lieutenant Mera. " Miss lone, don't you remember 
 Marian's answer ? " 
 
 " No, 'tis to sue to gain deceive 
 To tire of to neglect to leave ; " 
 
 Said lone, looking most meaningly at Lieutenant Mera. 
 
 " I vow, I'll hang myself," said Lieutenant Saberin, 
 " and never speak to a woman again ! " 
 
 " A toast to the ladies from Lieutenant Mera," said 
 Doctor Oglevie. 
 
 " I object," cried Lieutenant Mera, " The doctor must 
 not select the theme ; his own toast shall be to the la- 
 dies ! " handing him the glass. 
 
 " No," said the doctor, " Mera first ! we'll never let you 
 off." 
 
 Lieutenant Mera turned and bowed to lone. 
 
 " Here's to beauty's finest flower, 
 The maiden of my own birth-land ! " 
 
 lone arose and acknowledged it, formally, with a blush 
 and a courtesy. 
 
 Now was the doctor's turn, and all expected him to say 
 something very smart or very funny. And so they laugh- 
 ed immoderately, when he gave " Dinah is the gal for 
 me! M 
 
 " I should think you were of Southern descent," said 
 Miss Lou." 
 
 " O, yes ! Well do I remember the whites of those ce- 
 lestial orbs, and her teeth 
 
 ' Delicate little pearl-white wedges, 
 All tiansparent at the edges. ' "
 
 1-54 Tactics; or, 
 
 He then recounted to her some of his home memories in 
 the South. One after another strolled off, some up the 
 falls, others across the brook and up the hillside, and till 
 the moon arose, and the time arrived for the boats to come 
 for them. The doctor and Miss Lou. had made astonish- 
 ing headway before the rest returned. Lieutenant Saber- 
 in remained at Tone's side all the afternoon. Lieutenant 
 Mera acquitted himself in the most faultless manner with 
 Miss Hamilton, and Lieutenant Storme had a wild flirtation 
 with Miss Nora. Once more on the water, they all joined 
 merrily in fun and song. As they neared the shore, they 
 heard the band playing that sweet selection from " The 
 poet and peasant." They dipped the oars to listen. lone 
 was charmed. She had never enjoyed such a vision of 
 enchantment. The lull of the water on the little boat ; 
 the glimmer of lights on the hill-side ; the delicious notes of 
 the band stealing down through the summer air ; the grand 
 dark mountains, surrounding them like a curtain of shade_, 
 while the moon's bright crescent formed a fitting tiara for 
 the brow of " Cro' nest " all combined to make a scene 
 of inimitable beauty. The music ceased, the boat was 
 moored, and the weary party ascended the hill, each occu- 
 pied with their own thoughts. They said adieu, at the 
 hotel, and the cool breezes fanned to sleep tired ones, as 
 they stole to their respective couches. 
 
 " Right (or lefT) Oblique. 2. March." 
 
 lone determined she would not rest until she had seen 
 Cadet Smith, and had an explanation with him. " Why 
 should she appear in such a false light to him, when a few 
 words might make them friends again ? " This dictated 
 her early appearance on the piazza the morning after the 
 excursion to Indian Falls. She hoped to see some one she 
 could walk out to " guard-mounting " with, but there was 
 not one she recognised, and she had fully made up her 
 mind to go alone, when she saw Mrs. Maryglot coming 
 through the hall. " Oh, you good angel ! wont you come 
 out to see the cadets with me ? " cried lone rushing at her.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 155 
 
 44 Yes, my dear ; no one likes to go to see the boys more 
 than I, but you don't want the whole battalion ! Who do 
 you wish to see ? " 
 
 " Any of them will do, dear madam, only hurry, or we 
 shall see none at all ! " 
 
 They were soon surrounded by the handsome young 
 cadets, looking like so many fresh dolls. lone still did not 
 see Mr. Smith ; he was there, but made a complete circuit 
 to avoid her. After a little, Madam, who had felt a deep 
 interest in him, and saw her pet's eyes roving after him, 
 left her and followed him. 
 
 " How are you, my friend ? Has your accident destroy- 
 ed your memory, or has absence obliterated the little inter- 
 est you felt in your friends ? " 
 
 " O, no ! " he answered, bashfully." 
 
 " I have not seen you at the hotel ; I thought you might 
 at least have come to thank those who did not forget you 
 when you were in the hospital." 
 
 * " O, Madam ! am I indebted to your great kindness for 
 those lovely flowers ? they were the only bright tilings I 
 saw, all the time I was there ! " 
 
 44 No, no ! they did not come from me ; but if I chose 
 I could disclose the secret ; but after such neglect, I think 
 I will keep my own counsel." 
 
 " Please, please, Madam ! I will show you how grateful 
 I am if you will only tell who I am to thank. Just think 
 how I must appear ! " 
 
 " Guess, then," she replied. 
 
 44 Miss Lizzie Arnold ! " he said confidently. 
 
 44 Lizzie Arnold ! Indeed, they never came from her ! " 
 
 44 They did not ? O, Mrs. Maryglot, I have wasted 
 more sweet words, and divine thoughts, than I shall ever 
 have to spare again ! You could not begin to count them." 
 
 44 1 am truly sorry to rob Miss Lizzie of such a garland, 
 but a prettier than she deserves it." 
 
 44 A prettier ? You cannot mean Miss Smith ? " said he 
 excitedly, but in a low voice, as if fearing she might hear 
 him.
 
 156 Tactics; or, 
 
 Madam nodded. 
 
 He dropped his head and bit his lips, as if he would 
 make the blood spring from it. " O, madam ! how can I 
 thank her ? Will you help me out of this ? I know you 
 will ! Tell me what to do." 
 
 " Leave me frantically ! as if you had just discovered 
 her, and cry you are so glad to see her. Don't mention 
 the flowers, but ask her to walk this evening, and then 
 thank her, but mind, don't tell her any lies ! " 
 
 " Splendid, splendid ! shall I go now ? " 
 
 " Yes, now ! " At the word now, he sprang, as if it 
 had been a command. 
 
 lone suspected Mrs. Maryglot had spoken of her to him, 
 but little thought he was acting under orders. She was 
 content ; she had accomplished what she wished, and treat- 
 ed him in the kindest manner, but when he asked her to 
 walk, she laughed and said, " Do not let us meet at the 
 hedge again, for I fear I shall not find you." 
 
 " No ; in the north parlor, and I will not move till you 
 come, if it is a month ! " He walked up to the hedge 
 with them. 
 
 lone went into the parlor, and could not resist giving 
 air to her happiness by sitting down to the piano. She 
 played superbly ; and this morning her lightness of heart 
 seemed to give wings to her fingers. In a few moments 
 the windows and doors were full of listeners ;" but she was 
 perfectly unconscious of everything but her music. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline came out of the dining-room, and saw 
 Lieutenant Burlyton standing peeping into the parlor, be- 
 hind the door. She came slily up and said, '' Who is it?" 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton snapped his fingers and replied, 
 " Crackey ! but don't she play like young David ? as if 
 the very d 1 was in her fingers ! I beg your pardon, 
 madam, but I suppose you may have heard of the gentle- 
 man before ! " 
 
 *' Let me see who it is ! " said she, offended at his rude- 
 ness. She pushed open the door, " lone ! " she exclaimed 
 so loud that lone started, supposing that she was called.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 157 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton ran into the room, on his tip-toes, 
 took hold of the corners of his coat-skirts and made three 
 or four courtesies, in front of her. She now saw eyes to 
 the right of her, eyes to the left of her, eyes in front of 
 her, and eyes all around her. She rose, colored deeply, 
 and making a stage-courtesy to Lieutenant Burlyton, ran 
 into the breakfast room. Lieutenants Saberin and Mera 
 took a long breath as they turned from the window, and 
 as they passed the dining-room windows, they looked in and 
 bowed to lone. 
 
 " Mera, 1 did not dream she played so finely." 
 
 " Nor I ; she has played for me often, in Mrs. Boba- 
 line's parlor, but only agreeably." 
 
 " Do you know I think she is a consummate actress, Mera ! 
 And I am always wondering what she will astonish us 
 with next." 
 
 The latter arose, and went to meet Madam Maryglot, 
 whom he saw on the piazza, to see if he could find out a 
 little more about lone. He had won madam's good opin- 
 ion by his uniformly well-bred deference to her. She 
 liked to talk to him. " Madam, where have you hidden 
 yourself this long time ? " he asked in a most interesting 
 tone. 
 
 " O, I have been with Miss lone to see the cadets, 
 and since then to my breakfast," she replied shortly, for 
 she was so thoroughly a woman of the world that she 
 knew he was not so anxious to ascertain how she spent her 
 time, as to make it an especial errand to her. 
 
 " Then you missed the delicious music ! " 
 
 " No, I heard enough of it. I like better to hear her 
 converse." 
 
 " Do you know anything of her history ? " for once 
 asking a direct question. 
 
 " Yes, her father is dead, and her mother lives in San 
 Francisco, where they removed from South Carolina, when 
 she was a little girl ; and that is all I ever heard." 
 
 Lieutenant Mera stood turning the signet ring on his 
 finger.
 
 158 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Is that your class ring, Lieutenant Mera ? ' 
 " No, but a ring that possesses a charm, and yet I am 
 angry whenever I look at it ! It was a gift from my moth- 
 er ; she gave it to me, as it was all the fortune she had to 
 leave me." 
 
 " A ring ? how curious, tell me more," and she took 
 the ring and examined it closely. 
 
 " There is nothing to tell. It came from her only 
 brother who was immensely rich, and died in the East In- 
 dies, leaving all his money to strangers, not a sou to his 
 sister or her son." 
 
 " J. A." read Mrs. Marvglot, " what does that stand 
 for ? " 
 
 " For Juan Alcantara, it is my name too, I was named 
 for this uncle. I have his miniature and this ring." He 
 mused long and then said, " Sometimes I think I would 
 sacrifice every thing for the power that wealth gives ! and 
 my very name seems to remind me of what I have lost." 
 
 " You can easily marry money ! such a fine looking fel- 
 low as you are ought suerly to secure a good market."' 
 
 He answered in a husky voice, " I will never marrv a 
 woman that has more than I have, and that would be 
 too little to ask any woman I could love, to live upon. 
 So you see, madam, my fate," Single Blessedness." 
 
 " O, don't talk in that tearful way ! I shall think you a 
 grown up bov ; any man can take care of himself and a 
 wife, if he has health and your income. Why I know 
 many clergymen in my country who live elegantly on less 
 than you have." 
 
 " Yes, but they live on faith ! I have no hope in this 
 world, or that which is to come." 
 
 " Pray, pray ! you talk like a suicide ! " 
 
 He smiled sadly. " I'll take vour advice, madam." 
 
 " To what, to kill yourself? " 
 
 " O no, to pray ! " and he left her, with a pleasant lit- 
 tle nod. She sat and watched him : t; I have no one to 
 leave my money to, I could make him my heir, but then 
 the young scamp would only wish me dead, and I should
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 159 
 
 be like the poor old man, who left an empty chest with a 
 hammer in it, and a line saying, * He who gives his mon- 
 ey before he is dead, had better take this hammer and 
 knock himself in the head I ' : These sage reflections 
 brought her back to her sober senses, and she prayed de- 
 voutly that she might be kept from such an act of insanity. 
 
 " To march to the front in double-quick time." 
 
 lone and Miss Storme came out arm in arm, after din- 
 ner, and a man with half an eye might have seen there 
 was a precious secret on the tapis. 
 
 " Now lone, I want you to promise me the last week in 
 August, will you not ? " 
 
 " Is there anything to transpire of unusual interest." 
 Lou. blushed and she went on. " Tell me now, or I'll not 
 promise ! mamma is wild to have me home before the cold 
 weather." 
 
 " O, I'll tell you all, I don't know why I should not. 
 I have " and she lowered her voice, and whispered it in 
 lone's ear, " I have accepted Dr. Oglevie ; I think he is 
 an angel of a man ! and brother is very fond of him, and 
 when I go home if papa and mamma are willing \VP 
 will be married in August ! You looked shocked ! 
 it is not so very soon ; mamma knew papa only eight 
 weeks ! Besides, Dr. O. says he may be ordered off and 
 then why we should be all married." 
 
 lone laughed nervously. 
 
 " Now I want you my third bridesmaid ; brother and 
 Nora are to serve, and cousin Maria and Lieutenant Mera, 
 and you and Lieutenant Saberin, the very perfection of a 
 party. Is it not funny that it should be the whole Indian 
 Falls party! What if all should be matches ! Do tell me, 
 are you affianced to the proud Lieutenant Saberin? " 
 
 lone turned to whisper to her, and caught a bite of her 
 rosy cheek between her teeth. 
 
 She screamed and said, " Guilt, guilt ! " She made lone 
 promise to serve.
 
 160 Tactics; or, 
 
 " When do yon leave ? " said she sadly. 
 
 " Well, brother hopes to get off in three or four days ; 
 he cannot go until the Board leaves ; those horrid 'planks ' 
 as the cadets call them, must be ' fired off,' before any one 
 can move a step." 
 
 " And do you know what they call their wives and 
 daughters ? " laughed lone. " They call them ' shavings ' 
 and ' splinters' and ' slivers.' " 
 
 Lou. shouted, " O, that 's dreadful ; I am glad I'm not a 
 ' sliver.' " 
 
 The two girls went to their rooms to prepare for the af- 
 ternoon's campaign. Miss Lou. was to go from Fort Put- 
 nam, serenade with Dr. Oglevie, and lone to see " Flirta- 
 tion," through the lens of a cadet's eyes. 
 
 Mr. Smith would not permit any unpleasant references 
 to be made, that is against cadet principles. He chatted 
 on as if there had been no break in their agreeable acquain- 
 tance ; he culled a bunch of wild flowers and tied them 
 with grass, insisting, that she should give him a hair-pin to 
 arrange them in her hair. A French maid could not have 
 done it better. On their return they inspected Fort Clin- 
 ton, just reconstructed ; from the bastion they saw cadets 
 coming out on the plain in their fatigue-jackets. There 
 was to be fencing and bayonet exercise, and they wi-nt 
 over to see it. They found Madams Bobaline and Mary- 
 glot, Lieutenants Mera and Saberin, going through a sim- 
 ilar exercise ; tongues for foils. There were peals of 
 laughter from the groups of spectators, at the cadets. All 
 cried well-done, and separated in high glee. 
 
 Cadet Smith walked around the plain with lone, to the 
 hedge, "cutting his tea." 
 
 She asked him to come up in the evening. 
 
 He regretted he had not put in a permit, but perhaps, 
 he should not be able to see her if he came. 
 
 She said she should always be happy to see him, but 
 now he had lost his tea, would he not let her go and get 
 him some cake. 
 
 " O, no, I am not late for my tea, and if I am, Everton 
 will save me a piece of bread."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 161 
 
 " A piece of bread ! that is too hard ! Please do not 
 leave the hedge till I come back, or I'll sit down and cry." 
 She flew up the walk to the dining-room, whispered to 
 Mikey to hand her two or three sandwiches and some 
 cake, in a napkin. 
 
 Only too glad to execute an order so pleasantly given, 
 Mike was back in a trice, suspecting it was for some favor- 
 ite cadet. 
 
 lone did not dare to go through the hall, so ran down 
 the north steps, to the hedge. As she passed the path 
 leading to the flag-staff, she saw an officer coming to the 
 hotel, but did not see who it was. 
 
 Cadet Smith took the napkin and said it was ' manna in 
 the wilderness,' that she was his ministering spirit, etc. 
 Everton and he would feast. 
 
 As she entered the hall she saw an officer standing in 
 the shadow of the door ; she could not distinguish him, 
 but light from the hall falling on her face, enabled him to 
 see her plainly enongh. She did not like to feel that she 
 was watched, and with an unpleasant sensation around her 
 heart, she entered the supper-room. Viola was not there, 
 but lone did not give her many thoughts. They had 
 grown very independent of each other. She sat at her 
 tea some time, thinking of the secret that had been con- 
 fided to her. She rose from the table, and as if led by an 
 invisible hand, made her way through the crowded hall to 
 the north door. The same officer still leaned against the 
 pillar ; he had evidently been looking into the dining- 
 room. He stepped towards her. She walked rapidly 
 away and seated herself in an empty arm chair, near a 
 group of ladies and gentlemen, thinking she would be lost 
 sight of by him, and perhaps could see who he was. He 
 soon passed, scanning them closely. lone saw that he 
 thought her one of the party. He passed a window, the 
 light from which showed it was the Colonel. 
 
 She sat wondering whether it could be she he was in 
 quest of, or was he looking for Viola. He reappeared, and 
 this time peered into the ladies' faces, begging pardon each
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 time, saying he supposed it was his friend. When he 
 came to lone he stopped. " I have been in search of you 
 ever since parade ; have vou intentionally evaded me, 
 Miss lone ? " 
 
 " Indeed, Colonel ! I have been conscious that some one 
 was on my track, but could not divine who the dark sha- 
 dow was." 
 
 " Will you walk ? " said he, not noticing what she said 
 about his watching her. She arose and took his offered 
 arm. " Miss lone, I have good news for you. The Board 
 of Visitors are going to give the graduating class a hop 
 to-morrow evening, and I am in doubt whether to accept 
 it. Have you any friend you would like to meet ? " 
 
 She remembered that he saw her come up from the 
 hedge, and replied, " O, yes ! I have a number of friends 
 I should like to see." 
 
 " Then 1 must let them have a hop. To-morrow eve- 
 ning the Board of Visitors will give the first class a hop, 
 nominally, but in fact it will be given to Miss lone by the 
 Colonel. Will you accept it ? " 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! anything to give the poor fellows a little 
 pleasure ! " 
 
 " Poor fellows ! I wish we poor officers could manage 
 to awaken a little sympathy." 
 
 " You do not need it, and they do," she said, simply. 
 " What, the whole corps, or only the poor fellow you 
 were playing ministering angel to a few moments ago ? 
 Are not your feet damp ? I must inform your aunt of 
 this little clandestine meeting of yours." 
 
 " She will not care. She knows that I am old enough 
 to take care of myself." 
 
 ' Which I fear Miss lone is not, on West Point. You 
 little know the snares and wiles practised here. Please 
 let me be your protector? I know the young men on 
 West Point pretty well, and can warn and advise. Please 
 come to me at any time when you are in doubt as to what 
 is right or proper ! ". 
 
 lone was overwhelmed with his condescension, an offi-
 
 Cnpid in Shoulder-Straps, 163 
 
 cer of his rank to feel any interest in such a friendless 
 young girl ! How very kind ! She would do as he had 
 requested, and come to him. 
 
 He found retired seats for them, and recounted little ro- 
 mances of his " victories and defeats," as he called them, 
 in the art of love. But he was too old now to marry, but 
 not too old to feel an interest in pretty young girls such 
 as she was. 
 
 She was beguiled into thinking the Colonel very fascina- 
 ting, but frightened when she found it was eleven o'clock. 
 She did not seek Viola, for guilt made a coward of her she 
 knew she had no right to be talking to any of Viola's 
 beaux. The Colonel too had slipped a note into her hand 
 at parting, she laid it on her bureau, and forgot it till just 
 as she was going to sleep. She sprang up and looked at 
 it. It was a bit of poetry. 
 
 WHAT THE COLONEL SAID TO HER. 
 
 BY GEORGE P. MOKRI8. 
 
 " All that man should be to woman, 
 
 In his friendship true, 
 All that Holla was to Cora, 
 
 I would be to you ; 
 For you have a noble nature, 
 
 Golden as Peru. 
 
 Don Alonzo married Cora, 
 Well her heart he knew, 
 , But his friendship was for Rolla, 
 
 Faithful, leal and true 
 Feelings he approved in Cora 
 I discern in you. 
 
 In this strange, romantic story, 
 
 My devotion view ; 
 Holla gave his life for Cora 
 
 And Alonzo too 
 So I, with the same motive, 
 
 Peril mine for you. 
 
 Men their homage pay to women, 
 And with love pursue ;
 
 164 Tactics; or, 
 
 But long since my heart forever 
 
 Bade to love adieu : 
 All I have on earth is friendship 
 
 That I give to you." 
 
 She crushed it in her hand, and feared him ; and dread- 
 ed to see him on the morrow. 
 
 " To face about in Marching" 
 
 lone came into breakfast late, as she had taken a long 
 walk with Cadet Smith, after " guard mounting." Every 
 one she knew had left the table, except Lieutenant Alton. 
 
 He brought his plate, and asked to sit by her, as he 
 wished to tell her about all the prospective gaiety for the 
 next four day*s. 
 
 She greeted him with pleasure. " Tell me what and 
 where ! " 
 
 *' To-night the ' Board,' give a dance to the first class 
 here. To-morrow night, there is to be a party at the Su- 
 perintendent's ; and the evening before we leave, which 
 will be, I hope the next again, the officers give one at the 
 * mess.' " 
 
 " That is delightful ! But what shall we do when you 
 are all gone ? " 
 
 " O, you will have Cadet Smith back, and we expect to 
 return in August. Old Tempest will fugit ! " lone 
 laughed at the free translation. Miss lone, will you give 
 me the pleasure of being your escort to-night ? " 
 
 ' I shall be most happy to accept your invitation." 
 
 " Poor Saberin is looking pale, he feels so foolish to be 
 eclipsed by a second class-man. Which is the accepted, 
 Lieutenant Saberin, or Cadet Smith ? " 
 
 She looked quite indignant, and felt deeply, her position. 
 " Why should you speak so, Lieutenant Alton ? They are 
 both good friends, I hope," she admired Lieutenant Saberin 
 more than any officer she knew, but felt that " conceal- 
 ment was a sin " in matters of such moment, and yet his 
 avoiding a display of attention, seemed delicate, and was
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 165 
 
 in fact a thousand times more charming than the exhibi- 
 tion of an announced engagement. She hastened to join 
 Viola in the parlor, who greeted her haughtily. " Really 
 lone, I shall soon need an introduction ! I suppose you 
 have been invited to the hop, this evening ? " 
 
 " Yes, Viola ; there is to be one to-morrow, and one the 
 next night." 
 
 " Where, who told you ? " 
 
 " At the Superintendent's, and at the officers' * mess.' 
 Lieutenant Alton just told me." 
 
 " I must send to New York for a dress, for the ' mess 
 party,' " she said in a business-like way. " Come up stairs 
 and help me to select what I shall wear to-night." They 
 ascended to Mrs. Bobaline's parlor. 
 
 lone threw herself on the lounge, and taking the comb 
 from her hair, it fell in masses of curls over her shoulders ; 
 she glanced in the glass opposite, and thought, " that is be- 
 coming, I'll wear it so to-night." 
 
 Viola emerged from the bed-room loaded down witli 
 green boxes. She opened them and displayed every shade 
 of silk and tarleton, one could imagine. A mazarin blue 
 tarleton festooned with white ' crush-roses,' was decided 
 on. " Now, lone, select your dress and bring it in for me 
 to see." lone picked up " Pickwick," and started. Viola 
 cried after her, " Don't take that book, or I'll not see you 
 again." 
 
 She promised to return immediately, and sat down on the 
 floor by a large trunk she had only once inspected since 
 she came to West Point the unhappy evening of Mrs. 
 Colde's party. The crimson silk lay on the top, and she 
 thought of the unmanly way in which Lieutenant Saberin 
 had behaved to her that night, now she was engaged to 
 him ! She wondered when she should again array herself 
 in the gay habUr. She was more undecided what to choose 
 than Viola, for her dresses almost frightened her with 
 their gayety and elegance, she dreaded to expose them to 
 jealous eyes. She lifted one, a pink tarleton ; it looked 
 like a rosy foam-wreath, " This will do ; it looks more like
 
 166 Tactics; or, 
 
 what they wear here,"and she ran in to show it to Viola. 
 She examined it closely, " lone this is very lovely, have 
 you any more?" 
 
 " Yes, mamma has put up evening dresses for a cam- 
 paign ! " 
 
 Madam said, " You must show them to me, I had no idea 
 that you were so fancy, in San Francisco ! " 
 
 " Squad, right about" 2d. March" 
 
 lone arrayed herself early, and sat on the bed, reading 
 her text book, " Pickwick,'' it was a great comfort to her, 
 these days. Mrs. Bebaline sent her niaid in for lone, she 
 snatched her fan, handkerchief, and gloves, and ran, as 
 there was no time to lose, if Viola was ready. 
 
 As she entered, her aunt exclaimed, " How lovely your 
 dress is ! and your hair in ringlets, that way ; you look 
 only five years old ! too much dress for a party given in 
 the house though." She must say something to take the 
 wind out of lone's sails, and draw a shadow over her face. 
 They descended to the north parlor. Lieutenants Alton 
 and Saberin soon joined them. 
 
 The latter whispered to lone, " Why have you cut me 
 to-night ? " 
 
 " You did not ask me, and Lieutenant Alton did." 
 
 " A glorious redowa, Miss lone, may I have the pleas- 
 ure ? " offering her his arm ; Lieutenant Alton bore her 
 off in triumph. Mrs. Bobaline and Lieutenant Saberin 
 soon followed. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera and Miss Hamilton stood in the door 
 watching the dancing, " They are very fine looking, are 
 they not," said he. 
 
 " Who ? " I am not a witch, to know who you are 
 thinking of," she said. 
 
 " The Altons and Saberins ! " 
 
 " Yes, but. they ought to change partners. Lieutenant 
 Alton is too light for Miss lone, and Mrs. Bobaline is too 
 dark for Lieutenant Saberin."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 167 
 
 " Why, must light and darkness blend ? that would 
 make a twilight ! " 
 
 " Always ! that softens and blends the two, don't you 
 see ? " 
 
 He looked at her eyes and hair, and said " Please make 
 one exception." 
 
 She looked at him in a vacant way, and said, " Every 
 one says they are engaged." 
 
 Lieutenant Mera. (Mentally.) "Wasted sweetness, 
 ' Desert air.' ' (Aloud.) " Miss Hamilton, may I dance 
 the next Lancers with you ? " 
 
 She accepted with a very sweet smile. 
 
 " I'll go and see when it will be." He left her and sta- 
 tioned himself near a window, where he could watch un- 
 disturbed, Alton and Saberin, and their beautiful part- 
 ners. Mrs. Bobaline rested at each turn of the room ; 
 but lone and Alton whirled on, like tops. When Mrs. 
 Bobaline stopped, Lieutenant Mera stepped up behind her 
 and asked for the next dance. 
 
 She bowed assent, and they went to promenade in the 
 hall. 
 
 Lieutenant Alton set off for the piazza with lone, and 
 engaged the next three dances, just in time to forestall 
 Lieutenant Saberin, who had come in search of her. 
 
 " Miss lone, I shall claim the next two dances," said he 
 after the manner of one who had authority. 
 
 " Indeed, will you ? " said Lieutenant Alton, " She has 
 just given these into my custody ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin looked daggers at the handsome, 
 blue-eyed Alton, who smiled listlessly, and slowly saunter- 
 ed to the dancing room. Lieutenant Saberin said to him- 
 self, " She is a flirt, but she has found her match ! " 
 
 lone regretted what she had done, but it was too late ; 
 and she could do nothing but finish her dances in a very 
 distracted way, with Lieutenant Alton. At last her 
 " bonny boys in grey " came to her rescue. Cadet Allen 
 rushed up to claim his dance, and asked her to go out on 
 the piazza, as he had something grand to show her. They
 
 163 Tactics; or, 
 
 hastened to the north piazza. There he stepped where the 
 light from the window fell upon him, and stooping, turned 
 up the bottom of his pantoloons, and shewed her his boots. 
 " Real boots, with red kid tops, Miss lone ! " putting his 
 heels together, and rising on his toes, while holding still, 
 on his pantaloons. 
 
 lone clapped her hand over her mouth, to save the as- 
 sembled people from an electric shock. Redowa, Gallop, 
 Mazurka, and Waltz, were flown through by lone and her 
 mad partners, and then came the " March " through the 
 hall, around the piazza, in " double-quick-time." 
 
 As soon as Lieutenant Alton saw her at liberty, he ex- 
 ecuted one of " Lord Dundreary's little wuns " to secure 
 her for the Virginia Reel. " Miss lone, I wish you lived 
 round at the gate, or at Castle Cozzens." 
 
 " How so ? " she asked. 
 
 " That I might have the very great felicity of escorting 
 you home ! " 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! wish she lived down at * Buttermilk,' that 
 would be a longer walk," said Lieutenant Burlyton. 
 
 When the dance commenced, lone found the little Na- 
 poleon at the foot of the dance. As she advanced to 
 meet him in the reel, she said, " You have not spoken to 
 me this evening, Lieutenant Mera." 
 
 " No, Miss lone ; you have been so surrounded." 
 
 When they met again, "I determined to have one 
 dance with you, so I took this position ! " 
 
 She acknowledged the compliment by a smile, which she 
 saw was noticed by Lieutenant Saberin. As they left the 
 room, lone called Lieutenant Saberin to her, and said 
 tremulously, " Will you take me to the party, to-morrow 
 evening ? " 
 
 " Most certainly, Miss Smith ! " said he, very stiffly. 
 
 She felt relieved at the prospect of making all straight 
 again, and said " Good night," in her sweetest tones. 
 She ascended the stairs, " wondering why lovers alwa} r s 
 made each other unhappy."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 169 
 
 " TITLE THIRD." 
 
 " SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY." 
 
 " Lesson First. To open ranks" 
 
 The Superintendent's quarters were thronged with the 
 gay and beautiful.' Brocades and diamonds ; tarleton and 
 pearls ; swiss-muslin, and coral ; black coats, and white 
 kids ; blue coats, scarlet sashes, and epaulettes ; grey 
 coats, bell buttons, and chevrons, mingled in one grand 
 mele'e. But of all the assembled, none were more elegant 
 than the guests we shall escort thither. 
 
 The crowd near the door stood aside to admit Madam 
 Bobaline, lone, the Colonel, and Lieutenant Saberin. 
 Madam in her full bridal-robes, leaned on the arm of the 
 Colonel, as if she were that moment being led to the altar ; 
 and lone the perfection of loveliness, in white, her curls 
 caught up with a pearl oomb, looked like a timid young 
 brides-maid. They had some difficulty to find the Super- 
 intendent, as the dancing had commenced. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin promenaded leisurely up and down 
 the parlors, much to the discomfiture of the dancers, and 
 admiration of those he made to " stand round." lone, a 
 belle to-night, received attention from every one she knew, 
 except Lieutenant Alton, who seemed to have forgotten 
 that he had ever seen her. It might have been that he 
 was very much occupied in exercising his ingenuity to 
 keep a young belle, a beautiful dancer, in a window, con- 
 versing on matrimony, as the night was too warm for the 
 young gentleman to feel equal to the exertion of dancing, 
 and he showed consummate skill in keeping one of the finest 
 dancers in the room, spell-bound at his side. 
 
 At supper Madam Maryglot chanced to be_near lone. 
 As Lieutenant Saberin left her he asked, " What shall I 
 8
 
 170 Tactics; or, 
 
 bring you. A kiss ? " She smiled and said " Yes." 
 " ' Vae victis,' that's Latin," whispered one over her shoul- 
 der, so suddenly it gave her a chill. 
 
 " I do not understand ! " she retorted back over the 
 same shoulder. 
 
 ' But why blush, ma petite ? c'est une affaire flambe'e." 
 
 " You did not suppose we were in earnest, madam ! 
 you are unmerciful." 
 
 " Xo I'm not, ' mais ily a dans cette scene beau-coup de 
 pathetique.' ' 
 
 " O, madam ! what should I say ? " 
 
 " You are beautiful to-night, but I suppose you know it. 
 Madam Viola regrets you receive so much attention from 
 1'atout. as you will occasion remark." 
 
 " Did Viola speak to you of it?" please tell me what 
 she said." 
 
 "Xo, no I jealous ; that's what she is, You're a little too 
 young and a shade to pretty ! Go ahead, and take all the 
 kisses you can get." 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin returned before lone could reply, 
 and spoke to madam very pleasantly. 
 
 " This is the first officer, I have had a speak at this eve- 
 ning ! I have been dependent on those ' beams,' as the ca- 
 dets call them, for all my information. One might as well 
 be at Saratoga or any other stupid place, if one is not to 
 see an officer." 
 
 He laughed and said, " Which will you have, madam ? 
 I will get the Colonel to detail him for especial duty ! " 
 
 " Lieutenant Mera," said she, " where is Ursa Minor, 
 this evening ? ; ' 
 
 " He is at present among the stars ; having given too 
 much attention to the dipper," said he, bitterly. 
 
 " Wretch," exclaimed she, " Do vou dare to say he is 
 drunk ? " 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin humbly begged pardon, but he only 
 meant to carry out the astronomical figure. 
 
 " Look aut that you don't have to be carried out your- 
 self!" responded she indignantly.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 171 
 
 As they left the supper-room, Viola, who was leaning 
 on the arm of a senator, stopped lone, and asked her to 
 accompany her to the dressing-room, under cover of ad- 
 justing her apparel, but in reality to get away from her 
 senator, and stand a chance of getting Lieutenant Saber- 
 in, as she knew that he would wait for them. She was 
 desperate, and determined that lone should not take her 
 particular property away from her any more ; and she did 
 tell her so while poor lone was replacing a pin in 
 Viola's dress that she had taken out herself. " lone, I 
 am shocked at you, for monopolizing Lieutenant Saberin to 
 such a bare-faced extent ; it may flatter him, but he is too 
 much a man of the world not to feel contempt for you ; he 
 knows that after a certain length of time, a young lady's 
 pride and good taste ought to dictate that she should leave 
 him of her own accord ! It is not likely he is going to be 
 amused and pleased at being detained at the side of a 
 child. You should be more considerate for me, he has not 
 had a moment to speak to me this evening ; he is an old 
 friend of mine, and I expect a certain amount of respect 
 from him in public ! the lack of that will cause remark, 
 and your behavior will bring clown every tongue on you ! 
 Miss Vera Colde was so very impertinent as to open her 
 
 reat eyes on me, and ask who you were, that Lieutenant 
 aberin danced attendance on you so meekly ! So you 
 see ! and it is only because he did not wish to attract at- 
 tention to me, in my husband's absence, that he attends 
 you, but I don't intend to give him up to you ! " She had 
 run on in such a frantic way that she did not think how 
 loudly she spoke, nor regard lone's flashing eye, and crim- 
 son cheek. 
 
 When she finished, lone said in a low tone, " I have a 
 rinjht to Lieutenant Saberin's attentions ! " and ran past 
 Lieutenant Mera in the hall, down the stairs. 
 
 If Lieutenant Saberin had not heard one word, her 
 changed appearance would have told the tale. She looked 
 wondrously beautiful ; she was the pearl changed to the 
 flashing diamond.
 
 172 Tactics; or, 
 
 If you have improved madam's appearance as much 
 as she has yours, she should be much obliged to you," said 
 he scornfully. 
 
 " Lieutenant Saberin, will you grant me one favor ? " 
 
 " I am afraid I cannot, Miss lone." 
 
 " How do you know till I tell you ? It will make me 
 happy ; 1 think that might make you do it." 
 
 " Tell it, lone." 
 
 " I wish you never to speak to me in my aunt's pres- 
 ence, or show me any more than the coldest civility." 
 
 " Never speak to you ! that would be extraordinary in- 
 civility, I could not be that to any one, certainly not to my 
 sweet-heart, ma petite fiancde," he replied, tenderly press- 
 ing the hand that rested on his arm. 
 
 lone felt a thrill of pleasure and pride in her veins that 
 was a new sensation to her, she was beloved ! She look- 
 ed down on his hand, the diamond glittered there. 
 
 " What a superb ring ! " she observed. And the 
 thought that perhaps it was an engagement ring for her- 
 self, flashed before her mind, creating an unusual halo 
 there. 
 
 " That ? that a very dear friend put on my finger, when 
 we parted, perhaps forever," said he, with an awkward 
 attempt at a melancholy tone. 
 
 '* Where have they gone ? " asked she innocently, in- 
 terested by the tone of his voice. 
 
 " They live a long way from here ! and and I am 
 to return it, if I ever see them again." 
 
 " Does it belong to two people ? " laughed she like a 
 child. 
 
 " Yes, it belongs to me now, and my friend when we 
 meet," he replied playfully, as if speaking to a child. 
 
 She raised her eyes to his and looked him fully in the 
 face for the first time. 
 
 He felt that she was reading his heart, with a woman's 
 intuition, and dropped his eyes. 
 
 " How guilt, once harbor'd in the conscious breast, 
 Intimidates the brave, degrades the great ! ' '
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 173 
 
 " Come little one ! I want the * old Virginnay never 
 tire,' with you," said Lieutenant Burlyton, rushing up. 
 He took lone's hand, drew it in his arm and started off 
 with her, making a hideous grimace over his shoulder, in 
 return for the brow-beating Lieutenant Saberin was try- 
 ing to inflict on him. 
 
 " You are so funny, Lieutenant Burlyton, I always 
 make ready a laugh when I see you coming ! " 
 
 " And you are a beauty, so that just makes it ; we two 
 together, are beauty and the beast ! What was that 
 humbug of a Saberin saying, to make you look so amazed ? 
 Tell me as you would a father, and I may be able to pro- 
 tect you against the wiles of the adversary, as the Colonel 
 says to all the young girls he wants to interest in him." 
 
 She looked frightened, " Does he really talk that way 
 to every one ? " 
 
 " Ha, ha ! has he been talking so to you, little innocent ? " 
 
 " Yes, and did you know I believed him ! " 
 
 " That's right, my dear, believe everything everybody 
 says to you." 
 
 " I'll not except Lieutenant Burlyton ! " 
 
 u O yes, accept him when he proposes, you could not 
 get a finer fellow ! " Right merrily flew the k ' viewless spir- 
 its of lovely sounds," right merrily flew the tiny feet in 
 response. 
 
 " Through every pulse the music stole, 
 
 And held sublime communion with the soul ; 
 Wrung from the coyest breast, the imprisoned sigh, 
 And kindled rapture in the coldest eye ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton stopt breathless. " This must be 
 the music," said he " of the spears, for I'm blest if each 
 note of it doesn't run through one." 
 
 lone and he danced like wild creatures ; never was the 
 ' Virginia ' entered into with more spirit. The clock in 
 the tower struck two as they left the gate. Lieutenant 
 Saberin whispered, " Good-night ! don't let anything 
 trouble you, I heard all she said to you. l Sweet be your 
 slumbers,' and dream of me ! "
 
 174 Tactics; or, 
 
 " 2. Alignments in open Ranks." 
 
 This day was truly eventful. lone found the diplomas 
 were to be given in the afternoon, then " the last parade ! " 
 The officers gave " the Board," a hop, and on the mor- 
 row lone was not happy this was the last day she 
 should see many pleasant friends she had made. On the 
 morrow the first and furlough classes would leave ; she 
 had friends in both. There were many pleasant ladies she 
 knew, who were going. Miss Storme and Miss Hamilton 
 were going, and would take cheerful Lieutenant Storme 
 and the agreeable doctor with them. Lieutenant Saber- 
 in, Alton, and Mera, all going ! She could not define her 
 feelings with regard to Lieutenant Saberin. She certainly 
 was sad, but was it for him ? It was strangely mixed up 
 with the grief she* felt at parting with others. Was it 
 just to him ? Did she feel the thrill of anguish she ought 
 to feel at the thought that she might never see him again ? 
 She was sorry Lieutenant Mera was going, yet he had 
 been more distant and indifferent than any of the officers. 
 She must not think of him again, but must look her pret- 
 tiest for her lover's handsome sake. O, yes ! now for her 
 regal robes, her rarest jewels, daintest gloves, and sweet- 
 est smiles. A dip into Pickwick, and laughing and crying 
 by turns all the morning. Her dear cadets could not 
 come to her, they had to pack their trunks, and try on their 
 boots. But after dinner they would be up like so many 
 honey-bees, gathering honey, and golden spoils from all. 
 
 lone dressed early and went to Madam Maryglot's room. 
 As she entered Madam exclaimed, " Lo ! the rajah-pootna 
 bride ! You outshine the lilies in your whiteness." 
 
 " Am I too white, madam ? I wished to look my best, 
 and chose this." 
 
 " Can a swan be too white, my dear ? No, no ! cela 
 vous va bien : " you are lovely in it." 
 
 " O, Madam ! you are the only one who praises me, 
 and I am getting to love it, I fear.'' 
 
 " Because I am the only one who speaks my mind,
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 175 
 
 dear. lone sat clown on the carpet, at the side of Mad- 
 am's bed, and said in a sad tone, " Lieutenant Mera is 
 going a\vay to-morro\v, Madam." 
 
 " What's that to thce, honey? get up off the floor, you 
 will ruin your dress ! " 
 
 " No, it does not rumple : but oh, my heart aches so ! " 
 
 " Heart ? does it ? Have you seen Lieutenant Saberin 
 to-day ? " for, despite every other consideration, she loved 
 to see her pet with the finest looking officer on the Post. 
 
 " No, madam : I don't know but it is that, but parting 
 makes a fool of me. It don't matter who goes." 
 
 ' Who takes you to the party, to-night ? " she asked in 
 a lawyer-like way. 
 
 " No one has asked me yet." 
 
 " Did not he speak of taking you, when you were with 
 him, last night ? " 
 
 " No." 
 
 " How strange ! " 
 
 " Nothing is sti'ange on West Point." 
 
 " True, true, child ! we are on West Point." 
 
 " I hope a cadet will ask me, if Lieutenant Saberin is 
 so very indifferent. Madam Maryglot, what do you think 
 Lieutenant Saberin cares for me, ' a child, and a poor, 
 unfriended girl,' as Viola says." 
 
 " Did she say that ? " 
 
 lone told her all : all the tantalizing comments, &c., for 
 her full heart was ready to burst, with its burden. 
 
 Madam assumed a look of overwhelming sorrow for her 
 darling. After a struggle superhuman in its greatness, 
 one " that might have created a soul under the ribs of 
 death,'" she sat down and gazed on lone. The girl look- 
 ed up. 
 
 " Do you think he could have heard that I was rich ? " 
 
 " No matter, whether he has or not ! " She spoke low, 
 and in a verv desperate way. " You are rich ! " 
 
 'Did Viola tell you? " 
 
 " Viola ; no ! but I will make you rich ! be as a daugh- 
 ter to me, and you shall have mv property ; don't inter-
 
 176 Tactics; or, 
 
 rupt me. I say, if you will be my daughter, I will make 
 you my heiress, and at my death you shall inherit a 
 thousand pounds a year. 
 
 lone smiled, a miserable little smile, and hesitated. 
 
 " You think that is ' waiting for a dead man's shoes ! ' 
 eh ? but I'll give you a marriage portion now." 
 
 " Darling Mrs. Maryglot ! I should have been ingenu- 
 ous with you before, such a dear, good generous friend as 
 you have been to me. I am rich, to the most fabulous de- 
 sire of my poor unsatisfied heart." 
 
 " Mrs. Maryglot sat up and looked at her. " What do 
 you mean ? you unworldly spirit ! " 
 
 " O, I mean, that when mamma was very young she 
 was engaged to a sort of person, he in a pet, because her 
 mother would not let her marry so young, sailed away to 
 Pekin. It was long enough after my inconstant mamma 
 was married, that she heard from him again, and then it 
 was to leave all his money to mamma's oldest child. Such 
 a freak ! But I never speak of it. I don't know why ; 
 every one knows it where I live, and only that Viola kept 
 telling me that I must look to getting myself settled in the 
 world to relieve my dear mamma of me, I should have 
 told her I suppose, but when I found she did not know 
 about it, and I did not care what others thought, I was de- 
 termined not to say a word, but see if some one would not 
 love the poor girl ! Was I foolish ? " 
 
 " No, by Jupiter ! " cried the delighted old lady, with 
 tears in her eyes. Was she glad she had played at a ro- 
 mance, and saved her money too ? I don't know. She 
 " rumpled " lone's hair, throwing her arms around her. 
 How much colder is worldy pity, than worldy pride ! 
 there is no shyness in the exhibition of the last mentioned. 
 u What was that man's name?" she asked as soon as her 
 worldy wisdom returned to its citadel. 
 
 " A splendid name ; Juan Alcantara. I can never for- 
 give mamma, for not waiting for him. Then I should 
 have been Miss Alcantara, instead of Miss Smith." 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot repeated,
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 177 
 
 " What fates impose, that man must needs abide, 
 It boots not to resist both wind and tide ! " 
 
 " Madam I am the victim of circumstances," said lone 
 in a desponding tone. 
 
 " In that your name is not Alcantara ? " 
 
 " No ; in that my name will be Saberin." 
 
 " Why don't you wait till you find an Alcantara ? " 
 said madam thoughtfully. 
 
 " I will ! " said lone, starting to her feet with one bound, 
 " An Alcantara knows how to love ! " 
 
 " Alcantara ? Lieutenant Mera " she started and said 
 " Quelqu 'un a la porte ! " lone opened the door, and 
 was handed a card with the names of three of her cadet 
 friends on it. " I thought you said Lieutenant Mera was 
 at the door, does he call on you ? " laughed lone in child- 
 ish glee. Shadows fled from her brow like mist before the 
 rising sun ! she had untied the heavy load from her shoul- 
 ders, and it had fallen. She had a friend ! And the 
 light had penetrated her soul, that she need not marry till 
 she chose to do so. Viola had intoned so many axioms 
 about the positive necessity of any young lady marrying 
 the first man that offered himself, and saying thank you-! 
 particularly a poor widow's daughter, that she began to 
 imagine herself in such a case. But after comparing her 
 own independence with that of Madam Maryglot, she be- 
 gan to think herself somebody ; but she shrank from the 
 notoriety that an announcement of this would expose her 
 to, and that Lieutenant Saberin would never release her 
 in the world, she threw the card on the bed, and went at 
 Mrs. Maryglot like a highway-woman : " Mrs. Maryglot, 
 1 would give my life, that I had not told you ! I beseech 
 you not to divulge it, or I am irretrievably lost ! Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin will never give me up, and I would rather be any 
 servant in this house, than be married for my money ! " 
 
 Mrs. Maryglot was in too good a state of mind not to 
 promise every thing she demanded. She made her bathe 
 her face in old cologne, and pearl powder it, and promised 
 to follow in a few moments, and guard her secret as an
 
 173 Tactics ; or, 
 
 eagle guards her young. After her departure, the fine 
 old finasseuse sat down and laid all her plans, like a Na- 
 poleon premier. Mrs. Maryglot was to go to see the diplo- 
 mas given, with lone, as Viola was to rest all the after- 
 noon, to look her brightest in the evening. 
 
 " 3. Manual of Arms. " 
 
 The cadets proved to be three of Tone's friends, and the 
 adjutant, her new acquaintance. Cadet Smith invited her 
 to go to the library with him, and soon Mrs. Maryglot 
 joined them, and they hastened to secure seats. The 
 Colonel politely designated a seat to lone and madam, the 
 young men going to their class. lone was delighted. 
 She had always thought the library grand, but to-day it 
 was bright with decorations, and crowded with happy 
 faces. There was a platform erected, on it sat the digni- 
 fied and honorable of the Post ; General Scott, our sec- 
 ond Washington ; the martial but urbane Superintendent ; 
 the Professors, reminding one of the Roman senators ; the 
 courtly Colonel ; the Board of Visitors, and the graduating 
 class. The rest of the room was crowded with the offi- 
 cers' families, and distinguished persons from abroad, the 
 other classes of cadets in the gallery. The band, a fine 
 military-looking body of men, could be seen above the 
 beautiful portrait of General Scott, draped with flags. 
 The President of the Board of Visitors addressed the 
 young men about to receive their diplomas, in the words 
 of a father. " A most wise and touching appeal," madam 
 pronounced it. The superintendent then in a very felici- 
 tous manner, distributed the diplomas they had toiled so 
 long for, and now prized more than untold wealth. The 
 band played the " Star Spangled Banner." Then follow- 
 ed the greetings : the congralulations ! while each cadet's 
 eye, glowing with proud feeling, seeks his reward in the 
 delight and interest pictured on the fair face, or the pa- 
 rental one he loves best. Alas for those on whose hearts 
 those sacred feel in as have to be crushed back ! There
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 179 
 
 were those there, but not to croak at such a time. They 
 each found the young lady they admired most at that par- 
 ticular time, to place in her hand his diploma. This, the 
 proudest moment the young soldier ever sees, makes him 
 an Alexander in his own eyes, and in many other dancing 
 pair brighter than a victory, for it is a victory without a 
 regret, no remorse, no haunting faces of the slain, nor 
 regrets for their heart-broken dear ones ! 
 
 lone had a diploma to read, and thought Smith looked 
 very imposing on parchment. They two excused them- 
 selves to Mrs. Maryglot, and went to walk, till parade. 
 That last parade ! There are moments when one's na- 
 ture resembles the ground prepared for the seed, all soft- 
 ened and touched to tears by a breath of perfume, a note 
 of music, an evening sky, anything that reminds one 
 of the past, or points to the shadowy future ! lone stood 
 entranced, as she heard the sweet notes of " Auld lang 
 syne," great tears filled her eyes. " Home, sweet home ! " 
 bursts from that glorious band, and every heart feels the 
 silken cord tightening, the quivering thread that binds to 
 cot or hall. The manly heart beats quicker at the thought 
 of again lifting the latch, and greeting the loved mother 
 and father, brother and sister, after the years of separation 
 and toil, that makes months seem years and years to the 
 young cadet, a life-time. As they marched into " Bar- 
 racks," the band played " I see them on their winding 
 way ! " The first class cheered, and threw up their hats, 
 and at breaking of ranks, embraced each other with shouts 
 of joy. 
 
 " Cadet Smith came back to lone and walked up to the 
 hotel with her. He asked who she was going to the hop 
 with, that evening. 
 
 She said kt with my aunt." 
 
 He asked if he might escort her. 
 
 She accepted gratefully, right glad to be independent of 
 the tardy, indifferent olticers. 
 
 " O, .Miss lone ! your aunt just informed me, that you 
 were quite neglected, not having received an invitation
 
 ISO Tactics; or, 
 
 from any of the officers yet, for the hop to-night. Will you 
 oblige me by joining my party ? I have two other ladies 
 under my wing. This was said by the Colonel, all gold 
 lace and plumes, just as the cadet left lone. She was in- 
 dignant. 
 
 " Thank you Colonel, I have an escort ! " She bowed 
 and ran up the steps. Here she encountered Lieutenant 
 Alton with his very bland smile. 
 
 " Miss lone, Lieutenant Saberin is not at all well and 
 may not attend the hop this evening, sends his apology by 
 me, may I hope for the pleasure of taking you ? " 
 
 She replied, " I am very sorry Lieutenant Saberin is ill, 
 and much obliged for your politeness, but I am going with 
 Cadet Smith." 
 
 " I regret extremely I have been too late in my invita- 
 tion, and hope Lieutenant Saberin may be able to attend, 
 as he is almost indispensable to all of us at our parties/' 
 and he smiled slyly at her. 
 
 As she ascended the stairs, she thought she would stop 
 in Viola's room. She found her under the artistic hands of 
 a new hair-dresser from New York, her head was a chef 
 d'ouvre. 
 
 Viola said, " The Colonel has asked me to tell you, if he 
 did not see you, that he would be glad to escort you to 
 the hop." 
 
 " Yes, I saw him, but am engaged." 
 
 " To whom ? " her aunt said quickly. 
 
 " To Cadet Smith, as perfect a gentleman as I have 
 had the good fortune to meet." 
 
 " Have you seen Lieutenant Saberin ? " 
 
 " No, no, no ! " sang lone, and left the room, with per- 
 haps an indifference slightly assumed for Viola's benefit, 
 and she was deceived.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 181 
 
 "TO CLOSE RANKS." 
 
 Tattoo is beating, and the gay groups are gathering to 
 the rooms of the " officers' mess." Brilliant are the gas- 
 lights, brilliant are the jewels, most brilliant are the bright 
 eyes, and inspiring the sweet smiles and sweet sounds, the 
 music echoes through the long rooms, and soon the dainty 
 feet are tripping lightly. Leaning against the window 
 opposite the door, stands an officer, quietly watching the 
 entrance, as if in expectation of an arrival. He looks 
 pale and stern. Who is he looking for, that handsome 
 worldling ? 
 
 o 
 
 " Should he not wear a brow of care ! 
 That with three hearts to trifle dare ? ' ' 
 
 Is he musing of one he cannot think of leaving on 
 the morrow, even for a few weeks, without this look of 
 sadness ? Or dreams he of a dark-browed beauty with eyes 
 like the glittering gem on his finger, that sparkles amid 
 the dark masses of his hair as he passes his hand through 
 his curls. Could she " cast that shadow from his brow, 
 and bid her dark-eyed lover be glad awhile ? " or is he 
 haunted by an apparition of other days. 
 
 " Lightened by the softened splendor 
 
 Of a lovely harvest-moon, 
 And of saint-like eyes so tender, 
 
 Glowing in the midnight noon, 
 Many a song of wondrous sweetness 
 
 Which thy heart can ne'er forget, 
 Bearing with their cloud-like fleetnesa 
 
 Thy most passionate regret 1 " 
 
 A party of four enter, an officer, as fair and ruddy as 
 a boy,
 
 182 Tactics; or, 
 
 " He is true and he is bold, 
 Full of mirth as he can hold ! 
 Through the world he'll make his way, 
 With jest, and laugh, and lightsome lay ! " 
 
 On his arm leans a superb woman, in a gold brocade 
 and diamonds, regal in bearing. All eyes beam admiration 
 or envy, as she passes. Lieutenant Burly ton led her for- 
 ward as if he had captured Queen Victoria ! A cadet and 
 young girl followed them : he is tall, dark-haired and vig- 
 orous ; his physique powerful, his eye keen and penetrating. 
 He leans towards the lady at his side protectingly, as she 
 looks up at him. She evidently deems those broad shoul- 
 ders no mean fortress. She is very beautiful, a flowing 
 robe of black lace, her hair in rich masses of curls, a sin- 
 gle diamond blazing on her fair brow. Yes, indeed, she 
 was very beautiful ! Why frowns and stares the officer 
 in the window? Is he jealous of the fine looking cadet? 
 Does he wonder at the loveliness, and uncommon dignity 
 of the young girl ? or or what.* 
 
 The doctor and the Colonel passed without seeing him. 
 
 " Which is to be the successful one, Colonel, Saberin or 
 the cadet ? " 
 
 " I don't know," said the Colonel, " I should not object 
 myself I " 
 
 " No, she would not be a disagreeable patient ! " the 
 doctor replied. 
 
 lone looked well, and looking well she received attention, 
 and though she danced all the time, she had not seen Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin to speak to him. 
 
 After her entrance he joined Madam Maryglot, and she 
 led him off in search of the Randolph party. She planned 
 as well as he could have done himself, and Miss Celeste 
 had often found him at her side. He was sufficiently in- 
 different to her to really enjoy the society of the sweet, 
 artless girl, and then she was an aristocrat ".of the first 
 water." He avoided Madam Bobaline, only watching her 
 from a distance, and as the evening wore on, and he did 
 not come to her, she grew gayer and more brilliant, iudulg-
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 183 
 
 ing her sarcasm and wit relentlessly, proving to his prac- 
 tised eye her deep feeling, but to the thoughtless woman, 
 a proof " strong as Holy Writ," that she was quite indiffer- 
 ent whether he were at her side, or that of the " belle of 
 the ball." lone he could not read, she could not read her- 
 self. He had yielded to an undefined reluctance to ask 
 her to go with him that night. Did he feel that a net 
 was gradually closing around him ? His plan of resigning 
 in Mora's favor might not work ; some one might turn up 
 to call him to an account in some of his tacks, and then 
 was he not a little cruel to delude that sweet innocent into 
 the belief that he would marry her ? He could not afford 
 to be honorable in the matter, and it was not his fault if 
 every foolish little girl ran after him. In fact it was a 
 quid pro quo, she was under obligation to him for a great 
 deal of polite attention, and if he fluttered around her, it 
 attracted others to her, and would probably be the means 
 of getting her a fine match, and so the sophist pacified his 
 conscience. He really respected Lieutenant Bobaline, and 
 perhaps that noble fellow might object to his niece being 
 one of three dangling on the same hook ! After all it was 
 only two. He could by no possibility encounter his rural 
 divinity again. If lone was only rich, she would be a terri- 
 ble rival to Pauline. Now the momentous question rested 
 on which he could give up the easiest, for his own person- 
 al comfort. While these thoughts were flitting through 
 his mind, he was carrying on a lively little " passage of 
 arms," with Miss Randolph, in the refreshment room. 
 
 lone was standing on an elevated platform that ran 
 round the billiard room where the refreshment table was 
 laid. Lieutenant Mera and she were entirely oblivious to 
 the keen glances thrown towards them as they conversed 
 so earnestly about the affairs of the nation. His dark 
 eyes said more than words could convey, and she felt her- 
 self culpable to enjoy so much, every moment with him. 
 'She saw Lieutenant Saberin was avoiding her, and felt the 
 slight, and determined not to permit him to spoil her 
 pleasure as he had on former occasions, she would bo
 
 184 Tactics; or, 
 
 grateful for attention from any one. Lieutenant Mera 
 did not seem to weary of her, but remained at her side to 
 dance, to promenade, to entertain her. Few men have 
 power to bind as with a spell ; Lieutenant Mera was one 
 of the few. They dreamed on till Mrs. Bobaline came 
 leaning on the arm of Lieutenant Saberin, resplendent in 
 her triumph. He shaded his eyes from the gas with his 
 hand, and gazed anxiously at lone. She was looking pen- 
 sively happy, too dreamily so for his jealous eye not to 
 understand the whole affair at a glance. He spoke as ten- 
 derly as if he had been her caro sposo for twenty years. 
 " Good evening Miss lone, I hope you have enjoyed the 
 evening very much, I have had ocular demonstration of 
 the fact." He advanced to her side, and lowering his voice 
 said, " I have not lost sight of you this evening ; and 
 oh, I have been so jealous ! : 
 
 lone grew crimson, and asked, " How is your health, 
 Mr. Saberin ? Lieutenant Alton told me you were ill." 
 
 " Not just that; but wishing very much for the open- 
 ing of the millenium ; but all this mundane gorgeousness has 
 quite reconciled me to this life as it is." 
 
 " Come, lone, we must go ! " Mrs. Bobaline said impa- 
 tiently. 
 
 lone stepped to Lieutenant Mera, who had moved out of 
 hearing of Lieutenant Saberin's whispered communication 
 " Will you be so kind as to take me to Cadet Smith ? " 
 
 They met him looking for lone. Madam Maryglot had 
 captured Lieutenant Burlyton, " to convoy her harne," 
 who was only anxious to do his part of the onerous duties 
 of society, and get to his loved pillow. Cadet Smith 
 assured lone he enjoyed the walk home more than the en- 
 tertainment, and begged she would meet him at guard- 
 mounting to-morrow. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin left Mrs. Bobaline in time to meet 
 lone and her friend ; he did not speak, he only lifted his 
 cap as he passed her, but by the moon-light she could dis- 
 cover a stern unloving look, and her heart sank \vithin 
 her.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 185 
 
 " 5 Alignments and Manual of Arms in Closed Ranks." 
 
 lone hardly recognized her cadet friends in citizens' 
 dress, at the breakfast table, and they scarcely seemed to 
 know each other, they were so evidently on their good be- 
 havior. Some in the very last agonies of dandydom, others 
 looking like young quakers, others still, like very well-to- 
 do farmer boys. Released from the thraldom of a hotel ta- 
 ble, however, in one respect Richard was himself again, for 
 they all rushed at lone like brothers. 
 
 " How grand you look in ' citizens, ' " cried she. She 
 meant Cadet, or rather now, Lieutenant Smith. 
 
 They all thanked her, and Lieutenant Smith said 
 " When shall we meet again ? " 
 
 " Please don't make me any sadder, shall we not see 
 you back here ? " 
 
 " I will come back if possible, but the lot always falls 
 upon those who would rather go to jail than to return, 
 while those who wish to come are not permitted." 
 
 The hateful omnibus came rumbling to the door, and 
 amid tears and sad faces of girls left behind them, it 
 swallowed them all like so many Jonahs, and scrambled 
 off. 
 
 lone left Mrs. Bobaline conversing with some ladies, and 
 laughed with the real tears in her own eyes, at the dole- 
 ful look on every face, and wondered if she was such a 
 good illustration of "the girl I left behind me." She 
 went back to the breakfast table and began devouring 
 rolls and chops, to the great amusement of the voung 
 waiters, who had already given the unsentimental lady one 
 breakfast. She might have injured the host in a serious 
 manner had not Mrs. Bobaline and Lieutenant Saberin 
 entered. As they passed her he laid a sprig of ever- 
 green at the side of her plate ; she took it quietly and 
 arranged it in her hair. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin began in a loud voice to tell madam 
 that he was to leave at twelve o'clock. 
 
 " don't go to-day, the cadets are going into camp."
 
 186 Tactics; or, 
 
 " That will be something new and interesting ; are 
 there no weightier inducements to offer ? " He leaned on 
 the table to look at lone. " Miss lone, will you not go 
 with me ? I am off for Niagara, and Montreal, and will 
 meet some friends at Newport, on my return. Those are 
 all new places to you, are they not ? " 
 
 u They are indeed, and it would be delightful." 
 
 " I will take good care of you, and bring you back in 
 time for Miss Lou.'s wedding." 
 
 " If it has come to that," said madam, " I shall have to 
 be consulted, as lone lias no nearer friend here." 
 
 " I am nearer, am I not, Miss lone ? " 
 
 " Yes, one seat," and she colored deeply. 
 
 Madam saw the blush, and heard the unusual softness 
 of her hero's voice, and sickened with apprehended evil. 
 She rose from the table, where lone sat destroying the bit 
 of roll she could not consume. 
 
 He leaned over her chair and whispered, " Meet me at 
 the foot of the steps behind the hotel at eleven o'clock." 
 
 She shook her head in a very determined way. 
 
 " Do, Miss lone, I must see vou one moment." 
 
 She said " No." 
 
 He whirled on his heel and followed madam. lone 
 trembled violently, and mechanically followed them. He 
 said, " Good morning ladies, I must go and pack. I will 
 return to say good bye, at eleven," and he glanced at lone. 
 She went and got her hat, and walked rapidly down the 
 path to the Laboratory, on her way to " Band-practice," 
 repeating. 
 
 41 0, give me music ! my soul is sick, 
 
 I pant for music ! 
 My heart in its thirst is a dying flower ! 
 
 As the bruised and wiltering violet, 
 Its fragrance breathes for the cheering shower, 
 Such shall my heart's deep incense be 
 Though thirsting yet." 
 
 She met Lieutenant Mera. " Where are you going, Miss 
 lone ? I was just going up to say farewell, but may I ac- 
 company you ? "
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 187 
 
 She accepted his attendance, they climbed half way up 
 the hill, and sat on a large stone, to listen to the music. 
 
 He told her that he was about to apply to be relieved 
 from West Point. Where would she be ? when was she 
 to return home ? 
 
 lone did not know would like to go home this morn- 
 ing. 
 
 " O no, you must not go now ! you are to stand at Miss 
 Storme's wedding. We will have a glorious time there ! " 
 said he to cheer her, for she looked sick. It did cheer her, 
 it was a door open from despair. 
 
 " So we will, and I will try and live for that," she said, 
 with an effort at deceiving him, lest he should think she 
 was miserable on account of the departure of the gradu- 
 ates. 
 
 He noticed the evergreen in her hair, and asked her for 
 it. " Ah, give it me, and at the wedding you shall see it." 
 
 She thought of Lieutenant Saberin, and thought too, 
 " He does worse things every day. Does he not devote 
 himself to Miss Randolph and unnumbered others, every 
 day in the cruelest way," and she snatched it from hei 
 hair. Conscience whispered he is a man, and you are a wo- 
 man, and must be perfect, smile when he condescends to 
 show you attention, not feel resentment when he neglects 
 or treats you with scorn ; that is being an angel. 
 
 He watched her closely, as she looked at .it in her fin- 
 gers, while these thoughts were running through her dis- 
 tracted little head. He took it from her passive hands, and 
 put it in the button-hole of his vest. " There you have 
 worn that in your hair, and it is a precious relic." 
 
 .She smiled sadly, and they walked to the hotel in silence. 
 Mrs. Maryglot was in the parlor. 
 
 " Madam, I am come to say good-bye ! " said he in a 
 very measured way. " I regret to leave ; you have been 
 very kind, and I have not always deserved it." 
 
 She extended her hand to him, for she really liked him 
 more than any of the officers, in as much as he had inter- 
 ested her in his future. " God bless you."
 
 188 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Wish me partaker in thy happiness, 
 When thou dost meet good-hap ; and in thy danger, 
 If ever danger do environ thee, 
 Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers, 
 For I will be thy beadsman ! " 
 
 " I thank you ! *' he replied. " I shall not forget your 
 blessing, nor your promise. " He took lone's hand, " May 
 I count upon your prayers ? " 
 
 A great tear upon his hand was her only answer. She 
 stood in the window and watched him as he walked rapid- 
 ly across the plain. Mrs. Maryglot left the room, and 
 still she stood buried in thought. She felt the presence of 
 some one, and turning her head saw Lieutenant Saberin 
 standing by the table. 
 
 " Ah, Miss lone, I hope I have not disturbed any pleas- 
 ing dream. I have been waiting an age, for you to speak 
 to me* 
 
 It flashed on her mind that he had seen her looking after 
 Lieutenant Mera. " You should have spoken to me, I 
 was in a reverie," she said modestly. 
 
 Of what were you thinking, lone ; was the little Lieu- 
 tenant carrying your thoughts captive to-day as well as 
 last night ? 
 
 " Yes, I was thinking of Lieutenant Mera, he has just 
 bid me farewell," she replied, with a little defiance in the 
 tone. 
 
 " After I am gone will you be as unconscious of the 
 presence of others, as you were just now, of mine ? " 
 
 " I presume so, it makes a fool of me to part with any- 
 one, yet I think you could easily have arrested my atten- 
 tion, if you had made any noise." 
 
 " I fear I am growing jealous, Miss lone, for the first time 
 in my life ; you must forgive me." 
 
 " O, you make a lovely penitent ! but as you have not 
 the same right to be jealous of me, that I have of you, I 
 will not forgive you ! He is as perfectly indifferent to me, 
 as I am to " 
 
 " Stop, stop, Miss lone ! don't tell a story, besides he is 
 my most intimate friend.''
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 189 
 
 " Yes, I have . faint recollection of getting that impres- 
 sion, before I knew either of yoii very well," she answer- 
 ed with a little scorn on her pretty lips. 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! yes, I have a sickening recollection of a 
 chastisement I received on an occasion I shall never for- 
 get. Never mind, lady fair, you have had your revenge ! 
 you have the triumph all to yourself." 
 
 " Let by-gones be by-gones," she answered playfully. 
 
 Madam Maryglot entered accompanied by Miss Ran- 
 dolph, to all appearance as unconscious as a child that she 
 was interrupting a tete-a-tete. 
 
 He frowned very becomingly, as if in deep sorrow. " I 
 fear I shall not see all my friends to say good bye." 
 
 lone rang the bell, and sent for Mrs. Bobaline, who re- 
 quested him to come to her parlor ; he asked lone to go 
 with him. She went to the door but refused to go in. 
 He took her hand and put his class-ring on it, and kissed 
 it saying, " This, lone, is dearer than anything I possess, 
 it is sacred ! " 
 
 " Then please do not give it me, I fear I may lose it. 
 It is too heavy for my finger." 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline hearing voices outside her door, opened 
 it ; lone blushed and went to her room, and the Lieutenant 
 entered Mrs. Bobaline's. 
 
 " LESSON SECOND." 
 
 " To Load in Four Times and at Will." 
 
 lone had engaged to go down to parade with Mrs. Mary- 
 glot and Celeste Randolph. She stood hesitating like one 
 in a dream, carefully drawing on her gloves, that Mrs. 
 Viola should not see the ring. " If she sees it, she will 
 never speak to me again," she murmured, and sighed as if 
 she were a second Atlas and had the world on her shoul- 
 ders. 
 
 Madam Maryglot called her, and they took their way 
 down the cavalry road to the old Academic building, and
 
 190 Tactics; or, 
 
 stood under the trees. The miniature army were standing 
 in battle array, a fine spectacle. The officers, superbly 
 mounted, fine-looking men, rode to and fro, directing their 
 movements. There were baggage-wagons, with all the 
 appointments belonging to camp-life, drawn by oxen. The 
 newly appointed cadets, designated from the older, or more 
 advanced ones, by the name of " Plebes," were running 
 in every direction across the plain, carrying brooms, pails, 
 looking-glasses etc., and wheeling wheel -barrows, with all 
 sorts of somethings in them. At length the cavalcade 
 moved forward a very imposing sight, the band in full 
 force, the glittering swords and bayonets, the array of 
 young princes in their handsome, showy uniforms, and 
 their " soldierly bearing ; " the dragoons on their fiery 
 steeds, " champing their reins," and prancing about to the 
 great terror of the hundreds of ladies lining the roads, 
 paths, side-walks and steps to the different edifices, with 
 every hue and shade of costly array. The locale is alto- 
 gether unsurpassed, 
 
 "As those who have been there, know, 
 And those who have not, had better go," 
 
 and see it for themselves, as it will repay them for a short 
 journey. The plain, surrounded by an amphitheatre of 
 nature's " mountain fastnesses and retreats," the lovely 
 homes and massive structures at their base, the grand old 
 trees, and tempting paths beneath ; the glorious Hudson, 
 rejoicing in its beauty and strength, flowing proudly to the 
 sea, toying with its chatelaine of tiny ships, and emerald 
 islets. The beautiful town of Newburg in the distance, 
 with its soft vail of haze floating between the sunset sky 
 and the glowing mirror beneath, like a city in a dream ; the 
 charming residences dotting the mountains sides, and fill- 
 ing the breasts of the denizens of cities with envy ah, 'tis 
 an Eden ! But a grand march from the Baud of bands 
 brings us into line, and the hundreds follow to the camp- 
 ground. The floors of the tents are laid the canvas lies
 
 Cupid hi Shoulder-Straps, 191 
 
 beside them, preparatory to an attack from the " Plebes " 
 initiated for the first time into the occupation of tent- 
 makers, and now it becomes " confusion doubly confound- 
 ed," but soon one white tent after another rises, till all stand 
 in beauty and order. The spectators wonder where that 
 small army has disappeared to, " surely not into those tiny 
 tents ! " A very unmusical, but welcome sound booms over 
 the plain, and the hungry multitude take their way to the 
 hotel. Omnibus after omnibus, with their sad, or eager 
 crowds, are running away like unrelenting time, after the 
 boats and cars, while those that remain, look into each oth- 
 er's faces, as if each expected he would soon be left alone 
 to tell the tale. 
 
 " 2. To fire by company" 
 
 This lull was just what lone needed to collect her flushed 
 senses ; she walked, and talked to Cadet Allen, listened to 
 the music, attended guard-mounting and parade, and mu- 
 sic in the evenings, until the fourth of July ; then the re- 
 lentless omnibus seemed determined to make amends for 
 their former cruelty, and came from every boat and train, 
 with what a New Yorker would consider a pretty fair 
 number inside and out. 
 
 Lieutenant Smith returned and begged lone to permit 
 him to see that she lost none of the pleasures of the sea- 
 son, and to begin by allowing him to accompany her to 
 the hop, on the evening of the fourth. This was a very 
 brilliant affair, and the beaux and belles of a few weeks 
 ago were no more missed than if they had never been, ex- 
 cept in a few hearts. At drum beat, such a rush for the 
 dressing room, one who has never witnessed the perform- 
 ance could scarcely imagine, and all found themselves on 
 the plain in an incredibly short space of time, where 
 wheels and Roman candles, and the rocket's red glare, were 
 already making the heavens bright with the meteoric show- 
 er, while patriotic sentences and devices, written in letters 
 of flame, added to the grandeur and brilliancy of the
 
 192 Tactics; or, 
 
 scene. Through all, and above all, rose the music of the 
 band playing national airs, that fired the breast with 
 patriotism. 
 
 lone had fallen into the hands of a clergyman, to 
 whom Miss Randolph had introduced her. 
 
 He offered her his arm to go out on thf plain. As he 
 was a gray-haired man, she dared not refuse; and Lieu- 
 tenant Smith followed, making warlike demonstrations at 
 the head of the old gentleman, whenever he could catch 
 lone's eye. Every rocket that went up he followed with 
 his spectacles, but when he expected the returns, he seized 
 lone by the hand and ran for dear life, dragging her inva- 
 riably directly toward the falling baton, intending however 
 to keep from under it, and supposing he was going in just 
 the opposite direction. 
 
 Lieutenant Smith kept near her, endeavoring to gain pos- 
 session, but this only aroused her new friend's ire. 
 
 " You will have to come to me one of these days, to 
 take care of her for you when you go to fight the In- 
 dians, and I am not going to give her up to you." 
 
 " I shall have to shoot you ! " replied the fierce young 
 soldier, in a laughing way. 
 
 " Shoot ! I am bullet proof, and could not die in a bet- 
 ter cause." 
 
 " Bullet proof, ha ! ha ! " shouted the youth, trespass- 
 ing a little on the good man's indulgence. 
 
 His Reverence eyed him from head to foot, and in a fine 
 histrionic style addressed him. 
 
 " Hence 
 
 Horrible villian ! or I'll spurn thine eyes 
 Like balls before me ; I'll unchain thy head ; 
 Thou shalt be whipped with wire, and stewed in brine. 
 , Smarting in lingering pickle." 
 
 Smith clapped his hands in delight, and lone joined him. 
 At length the inevitable drum beat, and all wound their 
 way to the hotel. lone was getting to be herself again. 
 Viola had no one to persecute her about, and was 
 quite agreeable, with the exception of being " out of all
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 193 
 
 patience with lone for letting Lieutenant Mera slip through 
 her fingers that way." " Miss Storme had done well for 
 herself, took the first offer she had." 
 
 Poor lone looked at the noble class-ring, but that was a 
 heavy link between two hearts that did not beat in unison. 
 
 3. To Fire by File." 
 
 lone, here is a letter for you from Miss Storme ! " said 
 Mrs. Bobaline entering lone's room. She took the letter 
 and Viola sat down to hear her read it. 
 
 " STORME TOWER, 
 
 Dearest lone : 
 
 I write to tell you to be ready to 
 
 come to me in two or three days at farthest. My brother 
 Harry will come down for you. He says " Tell Miss lone 
 that I will stop one night and take her to the hop, if she 
 will look at an officer in citizen's dress, on West Point." 
 Maria is here and sends love. 
 
 Your friend, 
 
 Lou. STORME. 
 
 " How charming that will be ! " lone exclaimed. u Vi- 
 ola I do wish you could go, and not be left here alone ! " 
 
 " O, I shall be at the wedding, and that is all I care for." 
 
 lone was like a bird in her joyful mood, while prepar- 
 ing for her trip. It was a perfect dream of delight to her. 
 Shortly after, as she was sitting on the piazza with Madam 
 Maryglot, the omnibus drove to the door, and Lieutenant 
 Storme sprang out? Seeing lone he ran up the steps and 
 greeted her warmly. " Well, Miss lone, all ready ? " 
 
 " Yes, for the hop to night ? " 
 
 He sat down in his own natural way, told her all the lit- 
 tle interesting et cetera going on at home. He had just 
 returned from visiting Miss Nora Kearney, with whom he 
 was more deeply in love than ever. All who heard him, 
 9 

 
 194 Tactics; or, 
 
 admired, and wished him success in his manly, honorable 
 love. 
 
 lone was a belle that evening, and with her lively com- 
 panion attracted a great deal of attention, and was envied 
 by not a few. 
 
 " 4. To Fire by Rank." 
 
 The fine steamer bound up the Hudson, landed at West 
 Point the next day, the passengers gathering in a black 
 mass, to look at the fine buildings, and stare at those com- 
 ing on board. " That handsome officer, papa ! Is he a 
 general ? " " Yes, I think he is ! " " O, no ! he is one 
 of the cadets. They say they are terrible fellows among 
 the girls ! " This was a conversation overheard by lone 
 and Lieutenant Storme ; the general was a dragoon senti- 
 nel, at the ferry house. As they neared the pier, a few 
 miles up the river, among the crowd lone discovered Lou. 
 and her young brother, awaiting their arrival. When 
 they went on shore she found two arms were around her 
 neck, and Lou.'s musical voice reiterating, " I'm so glad 
 to see you ! This is my brother Johnny, lone." 
 
 The brother Johnny was dark-eyed, broad-shouldered, 
 and finely moulded, with a face browned by exposure. 
 His manners were elegant, with an air of well-bred mod- 
 esty, charming in a young man of twenty-two. He shook 
 hands with lone, and his hands were hard and brown as 
 any farmer's, he boasting himself captain of a yacht, 
 lone was hurried from the crowd into an elegant carriage, 
 drawn by two superb chestnut horses. Young John 
 mounted the box, handling the rains like^Plato's " Grecian 
 youth." A delightful drive along the river-bank for sev- 
 eral miles, with desirable homes on every side, brought 
 them to a gate, with a bird-cage of a lodge beside it. 
 Johnny shouted " Gate ! " and a curly-headed urchin 
 ran out all smiles, to open it for them. A serpentine 
 carriage road on the margin of the river, gave her a fine 
 view of the expanse of lawn, and of the home-like man-
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 195 
 
 sions, with its verandas and pillars draped with roses and 
 honey-suckles, the arm-chairs so temptingly arranged, the 
 fine glass adjusted to look at the vessels on the river, the 
 pretty fountain, with its murmuring music, made a fairy 
 land to lone. Maria Hamilton was reading on the piazza, 
 and ran down to meet them. Mrs. Storme came too, and 
 greeted the new arrival like a mother. 
 
 She was not disappointed in anticipating a pleasant visit. 
 The days flew like moments. Johnny took her to sail 
 every day, or to gallop over the fine roads, or out in his 
 little trotting-wagon, and even the day the wedding party 
 arrived, found lone and John up the river the entire 
 morning. As she came up from the beach on her return, 
 all drenched with waves they had shipped, Maria met her 
 on the steps, and said, " lone, you naughty girl ! go right 
 to your room and dress. Lieutenant Saberin and Lieu- 
 tenant Mera, and the Doctor have come, and Nora Kear- 
 ney is up stairs waiting to see you ; hurry, or you will not 
 be ready for dinner." 
 
 lone rushed up stairs, arrayed herself in her favorite 
 blue silk, in " double-quick time," and entered the parlor 
 after every one had assembled. Lieutenant Storme offer- 
 ed his arm and introduced her to the guests as the second 
 mate of the fast-sailing yacht, " Speed." John did not 
 happen to be present or perhaps the joke would not have 
 been so vociferously received. There were many warm 
 greetings, and each made his way to take the distinguished 
 " tar " by the hand. 
 
 Ere long, Lieuteuant Saberin was ensconced in a cosy 
 window, behind the curtains, whispering sweet things to 
 lone. The Doctor and Lou. had betaken themselves to 
 one piazza, Miss Hamilton and Lieutenant Mera to the 
 other, and Harry Storme and Miss Nora were walking 
 around the empty conservatory, as if it had been the lost 
 site of Eden they had just discovered. Robert was sent 
 in search of the young people, and being an expert in 
 this sort of thing, he soon brought them in. They bore 
 Doctor Storme's merciless jokes in a very shamefaced.
 
 196 Tactics; or, 
 
 way. At dinner there was a good deal of " by-play," 
 among the young people, and the health of the Doctor 
 and Lou. was drank by each one calling out to pledge 
 them in his turn, as if he had been the first to propose it. 
 After dinner they adjourned to the grounds. 
 
 John offered Lieutenant Saberin the use of his fast horse 
 and bugy for a drive, which he accepted, and invited lone 
 to accompany him ; they whirled down the road, amid 
 cries of caution not to run away, and not to disable them- 
 selves for their onerous duties for the morrow. Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin was perfectly lovely, admired the scenery, 
 asked what she had been doing at West Point, and said 
 " What would I not give if we were in the Dr's. and Miss 
 Lou's place to-morrow ; but oh, that dream of happiness 
 may not be fulfilled in long years." 
 
 lone did not look as desparing as he anticipated. If he 
 had been sure that lone had such a home as Miss Storme, 
 would he have postponed his dream of happiness so long ? 
 On their return they found Lieutenant Mera entertaining 
 Mrs. and Dr. Storme, Maria and John. Lieutenant 
 Saberin went wild over their country, its roads, its fences, 
 in short, everything. Robert came to say tea would 
 be served, and the lovers came from caves and grottoes, 
 and condescended to sip a little nectar, and take a dainty 
 bit of cake. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera and Mr. John suddenly disappeared, 
 and the moon having risen, ndt to mention a fine breeze, the 
 "perfect brick," as Lieutenant Mera called him, proposed 
 a sail. " Who shall I take ? " asked Lieutenant Mera. 
 
 " If I were to choose, I should say Miss lone. She is 
 not afraid of anything." 
 
 " But she belongs to Lieutenant Saberin." 
 
 " I guess not, soul and body ! " said John, confidently. 
 " I'll manage that." 
 
 And he did manage. He walked into the parlor, and 
 stood in front of the window, until he attracted lone's- at- 
 tention, and then left the room. She knew well enough 
 who he wanted, and in a few moments went after him.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 197 
 
 " Would you like to take a sail by moonlight ? " said he, 
 as she went up to him. 
 
 " O, yes indeed ! But what will they all say ? " 
 
 " I don't know," replied he laughing, " But Lieutenant 
 Mera wishes to go, and I proposed you ; he understands 
 boating, so I will stay, and no one will miss you but Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin ! " added he slily. 
 
 lone said, " Hush," and turning, saw Lieutenant Mera 
 buried in an immense arm-chair. 
 
 He rose and said, " Will you go ? " 
 
 lone nodded smilingly in reply, and ran down the steps. 
 
 Mr. John suggested the propriety of not shipping 
 many waves in that blue silk. 
 
 They sailed down the river, tacking from side to side, 
 now in the deep shade of high rocks, then running in a 
 sunny little cove, next out in the bright moon-light, as if 
 they were sailing in liquid silver. 
 
 " Night on the waves, and the moon is on high 
 
 Hung like a gem on the brow of the sky 
 Treading its depths, in the power of her might, 
 
 And turning the clouds, as they pass her, to light." 
 
 Lieutenant Mera told her one or two incidents connect- 
 ed with his own history, commencing with commenting on 
 the family they were visiting, and the happiness Dr. Storme 
 must feel in his old age, to have a home of elegance for his 
 children, with no anxiety to shorten his days. " I shall 
 never know that pleasure my father an officer, was 
 killed in Florida when I was an infant, leaving my mother, 
 a beautiful, gay young woman, an independence. She went 
 to Paris and mingled in the beau-monde, but her slight for- 
 tune soon melted away, and she married a French gentle- 
 man and returned to New Orleans, where he owned an im- 
 mense estate. I was sent to my father's brother, when I 
 was four years of age, and have never seen my mother 
 since. She had a brother in the East Indies, that was very 
 fond of me as a baby, who she thought would leave mo 
 his fortune ; but a number of years ago I heard of his
 
 198 Tactics; or, 
 
 death, and that he had left it to some one there. However, 
 I shall never dispute it, but carve my way to fortune with 
 my sword, and be wedded to my profession. I enjoy ladies' 
 society as a gleam of sunshine, which may not linger with 
 me. Being more than usually interested considering our 
 short acquaintance, and as I would wish an honorable 
 man to do by my sister, I speak to you now. I have told 
 you this about myself to show you that I am not selfish in 
 what I am going to say ; though I am speaking of a friend, 
 I hope I am speaking to one. You are, or may be, inter- 
 ested in Lieutenant Saberin, if you have any dear friend in 
 whom you can place implicit trust, on whose judgment 
 you can rely, tell him or her everything, lay open your 
 heart to him, and all that Lieutenant Saberin says and 
 does, and be guided by that friend, if you know such an 
 one ; there can be no harm in that. I should not suggest 
 Mrs. Bobaline, as she is young and inexperienced, I wish 
 your uncle were with you, he is a noble man." 
 
 lone did not speak till he had finished, she then said, 
 "I thank you a thousand times, Lieutenant Mera, and shall 
 take your advice. Do you approve of Madam Maryglot ? " 
 
 He answered " Yes, in her truth, but her judgment I 
 know nothing of. She has never known a mother's anxiety, 
 and may not decide so nicely, but you will know Miss 
 lone." 
 
 She saw they were running past the bay that they 
 should enter, and spoke quickly, " In here ! " 
 
 He turned the boat in short, the lower side struck a 
 rock, the wind blowing strongly at the time, she immediate- 
 ly capsized. lone rose and clung to the boat, but soon lost 
 her hold, and fell into the water. Lieutenant Mera plunged 
 after her, as she disappeared in the shadow of a great rock, 
 but he missed her ; she rose again, he clasped his fingers in 
 her hair, and drawing her up, put one strong arm around 
 her, and swam to the beach ; when reached he found her 
 almost lifeless. Seizing her in his arms he set off for the 
 house. 
 
 John was watching for them, and as they came in sight
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 199 
 
 he ran forward with an undefinable dread. Seeing the 
 almost lifeless form of lone he snatched her in his arms, 
 and carrying her to his sister's., room, called his mother. 
 
 In a few moments the whole household knew what had 
 happened. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera went to his room to change his clothes, 
 but soon returned to answer the thousand and one ques- 
 tions always asked on such occasions. 
 
 When Lieutenant Saberin bid him good-night, he said, 
 " I hope you will not suffer from it, Mera, but you came 
 near losing my wife ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Mera looked ghastly, and replied, " You 
 could not have lost more. Thank God, she is safe!" 
 There was very little sleep in the house that night. Poor 
 Mr. Mera walked the floor all night, scarcely knowing 
 which he felt worst about, lone's engagement, or the duck- 
 ing he had given her.
 
 200 Tactics; or, 
 
 "LESSON THIRD." 
 " 1st. To March in line of Battle" 
 
 The day was perfect as all wedding-days should be. 
 lone arose looking very pale and interesting, but not in- 
 jured in the least by the dive she made to the caves of the 
 Naiads. Lieutenant Mera looked worse than she did, as 
 promenading all night with a mind ill at ease, is not likely 
 to tinge the cheek with vermilion. Many times during 
 the morning, when he looked at lone, he almost wished 
 they had never risen from the waves, but had slept peace- 
 fully there until the last day ; while she avoided or looked 
 shyly at him. 
 
 The wedding party had assembled in the upper halls 
 and piazzas, and the train from down the river having 
 brought crowds of guests, the grounds and parlors were 
 filled with cheerful friends. Twelve o'clock arrived. All 
 are assembled. Lieutenant Saberin and lone descended 
 first ; Miss Hamilton and Lieutenant Mera ; Miss Nora 
 Kearney and Lieutenant Storme ; then the bride and 
 groom. The Doctor, radiant with happiness, seemed to 
 say, 
 
 " She is mine own ! 
 And I as rich in having such a jewel, 
 As twenty seas, if all their sands were pearl, 
 The water nectar, and the rocks pure gold." 
 
 The bridesmaids represented all the colors of the National 
 flag Nora in red, Maria in white, and lone in blue. 
 The officers in full uniform. 
 
 The greetings of Louisa's father and mother and broth- 
 ers over, joy took the reins. The family well knew she 
 would not have to brave any of the hardships of army 
 life, but the thought was touching, that she might be sta-
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 201 
 
 tioned where she would have no gas ; hence their sadness. 
 That over, joy took the reins, as I said before. 
 
 At five o'clock, the bridal party and guests took the 
 trains, the former to spend the night at West Point, and 
 attend the twenty-eighth ball. 
 
 " 2. To halt the company marching in line of battle, and 
 to align it" 
 
 The crowd at Roe's hotel, were " fast and furious," but 
 the host " polite with candor, elegant with ease," seemed 
 a wizard in accommodating his dear five hundred. The 
 mats and blankets were laid in parlor and hall, while the 
 " citizen-kings," were grateful for a peg to hang their 
 crowns upon. The wedding-party arrived. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin immediately consulted the pages of 
 what seemed to him the " book of fate," lo, there in very 
 legible characters, stood, " Lieutenant Ambert, and lady, 
 Miss De Save, New Orleans." He sent his card to their 
 room, grasped Lieutenant Alton by the arm and said, 
 " Let me introduce you to a dear friend of mine, rich and 
 beautiful ! I have one lady too many to attend to, to-night ; 
 will you be so very kind as to take her to the hop if you 
 are disengaged ? " 
 
 " Certainly, I am always disengaged when there is an 
 heiress to escort ! " 
 
 Mrs. Ambert and Pauline came down. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin said he was wild with delight at 
 their coming, introduced Lieutenant Alton, asked after his 
 friend Ambert. He had gone to Lieutenant Burlyton's 
 tent, he would go and find him. He left Alton and Pau- 
 line in a lively conversation, and " with contending emo- 
 tions." 
 
 Lieutenant Alton invited her to attend the hop with 
 him. 
 
 She said she could not accept, as Lieutenant Saberin had 
 invited her, last spring. 
 
 " Ah ! " said he, " I may be able to persuade him to re-
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 sign in my favor, may I make the audacious attempt ? He 
 has just returned with a wedding party and has a bride's- 
 maid to take care of." 
 
 " In such a case, I will accept your invitation now." 
 
 Lieutenant Alton bowed and left the parlor, to report to 
 his friend. 
 
 " But Saberin, I should think you would rather give up 
 Miss Smith ! Miss De Save is queenly." 
 
 She is ! but I cannot break up the wedding-party ; it is 
 only the matter of walking over and back." 
 
 "The deuce, I imagine you will find it more of a mat- 
 ter than that, if I take her ! " and he walked off highly in- 
 dignant. 
 
 " 3. Oblique march in line of battle" 
 
 The thousands of yards of tarleton, tulle, and organdy, 
 crowded into the hotel hall at eight o'clock, would have 
 astonished Stewart or Lord & Taylor. As one puff 
 after another descended and was carried off on the arm of 
 cadet or officer, another came to fill the place. 
 
 The wedding party stood waiting in the hall, when 
 Lieutenant Alton and Pauline swept by. " Who the dick- 
 ins has Alton got ? " said Lieutenant Storme, " O, ye 
 gods, but is'nt she superb ? " Nora trembled in her silk 
 stockings, and lone glanced as indifferently at her, as one 
 lies down, when he hears the sounding of the fire-bells, 
 and finds his own walls cold. 
 
 "Assemble on the Battalion." 
 80 = J Andante. 
 
 K 
 
 
 1
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 203 
 
 Pauline verified the description given by Lieutenant 
 Ambert in his letter to Saberin, she moved through the 
 gay assemblage, truly reminding one of an Indian Princess. 
 She wore a white satin dress, entirely covered with a 
 golden tissue, the dark waves of her hair were wound with 
 chains of gold, and lay in rich coils round her graceful 
 head. Lieutenant Alton thought her " superb," and said 
 to lui-meme, " every man must paddle his own canoe," he 
 pointed out the " young bride's-maid in blue as Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin's bride elect." She was shocked, but chose 
 not to believe it. 
 
 He asked if she was going to Washington. 
 
 Yes, Mrs. Ambert had promised some friends there, 
 that she should return before going south." 
 
 He asked to be permitted to join their company as he 
 was just going on there. 
 
 She was very glad, as it would be agreeable to have a 
 larger party. 
 
 Lieutenant Alton was quite captivated, trembled, fear- 
 "ing Saberin would come and claim her. 
 
 Presently Lieutenant Mera came to his side, and signi- 
 fied a wish to be introduced to Miss De Saye. 
 
 Lieutenant Alton presented him with a grand flourish, 
 as " Lieutenant Mera of the United States army." 
 
 Mera crimsoned, and invited her to dance. She accept- 
 ed, and as he bore her off in triumph, his friend whispered 
 " Bring her back to me." He smiled an assent, but as 
 soon as the dance was ended, invited her to promenade. 
 New Orleans was discussed, as she boasted that magnificent 
 city as her home. 
 
 " I think Mrs. Ambert called you Pauline, when speak- 
 ing to you in the dance ? " said Lieutenant Mera. 
 
 " Yes, that is my name." 
 
 " Pauline De Saye ! " repeated he. 
 
 " That was my mother's name too," said Pauline. " I 
 am all French. I was born in Paris, and all my father's 
 family live there ! " 
 
 " And your mother's family, do they live in New Or- 
 leans ? ' ' asked he.
 
 204 Tactics; or, 
 
 " O, no. She was a South Carolinian. She had bnt 
 one brother, all her family are dead," she replied. 
 
 " Was she the widow of an officer who was killed in 
 Florida, before she married your father ? " 
 
 " Yes, she was wedded to her first husband but one 
 year when he was killed." 
 
 A chill crept over Lieutenant Mera as she finished the 
 sentence. Just then Mr. Alton came to take her for a 
 dance. Mera went to Lieutenant Ambert. " Who is the 
 young lady attached to your party ? " 
 
 " Miss De Saye ? She is one of the richest girls in 
 New Orleans. But you may keep your heart closely but- 
 toned in, as she is engaged to a mutual friend of ours ! " 
 he answered laughing. 
 
 " To whom, Alton ? " 
 
 " No, indeed ! yet not to his superior, I must confess ; 
 but one the ladies all admire more." 
 
 " You cannot mean Lieutenant Saberin ? " said he, 
 turning pale. 
 
 " Why not ? I do mean Mr. Ulm Saberin," he replied, 
 with a shrewd smile, as if he saw the demons jealousy 
 and doubt, peeping through Mera's inquiries. 
 
 " Do you know this ? " asked Mera, measuring his 
 words as if they were so many yards of his heart-strings. 
 
 " Yes, sir, I know it I " he rejoined haughtily. 
 
 " Villain ! " was all that Ambert caught, through the 
 savage growl, as Mera rushed from the hall. 
 
 Ambert became uneasy, npt knowing what to fear. He 
 sought his wife, but she was dancing with the Colonel, and 
 Pauline looked so happy with Alton, that he gave her no 
 more thought. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera sought to cool his throbbing brow in 
 the night air, but was unable to stop away from a scene 
 of so much interest to him. Returning, he met Alton 
 and Miss De Saye coming out on the balcony. He had 
 been meditating challenging " the miscreant," as he de- 
 nominated his most loved class-mate. He thought with 
 tears " I will not sleep till I have killed poor Saberin."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 205 
 
 Lieutenant Alton stopped him saying, " Mera, Miss De 
 Saye did not hear your name when introduced, and im- 
 agines she has known you before. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera bowed and begged to converse a few 
 moments with the lady. As soon as they were alone, he 
 asked her to take a seat on the guard-stone. 
 
 She began, " Lieutenant Mera, I am persuaded you are a 
 relative of mine, my mother was a widow Mera, before 
 she married my father." 
 
 " Indeed ! then I am happy to say there is no doubt of it." 
 
 He buried his face in his hands, and 
 
 " Eyes that mocked at tears before, 
 With bitter drops were running o'er." 
 
 Pauline sat looking at him, afraid to speak. Visions of 
 his infancy were floating before him. A child-mother, 
 with starry eyes, looking love into his baby face. His soul 
 sickened and he nearly swooned, with terrible and contend- 
 ing emotions. The faces of lone ; his mother ; of the now 
 hated Saberin ; of his new fonnd sister ; danced before his 
 reeling brain. The cool night winds restored him. He 
 essayed to speak, but was afraid the very tones of his voice 
 would terrify the excited girl. He rose, saying as quietly 
 as possible, yet as one would imagine Joseph to have spok- 
 en when he said, " The old man, is he yet alive ? " 
 " Your mother is she living ? " 
 
 The light from the door fell on her face, she gave him a 
 woman's glance, her eyes softened ; " My mother ? I hope 
 so. What should I do, if she were not ? Is your mother 
 living ? " she asked tenderly. 
 
 He drew her hand in his arm, without replying. 
 
 She exclaimed, " There is something you will not tell 
 me are you ill ? " 
 
 " Have you never heard your mother speak of a little 
 boy she left, when she went to France ? " he enquired 
 in a low, melancholy tone. 
 
 " O yes ! she often, often speaks of her baby boy, and 
 weeps bitterly. He died before I was born."
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 " He did not die, would to God he had ! " he said, un- 
 able' to control himself. 
 
 She grasped his arm, unconscious of what she was doing. 
 " Do you know him ? where, Oh, where is he ? " 
 
 " Would you care to know him ? " he asked proudly. 
 
 " Care to know him ? How can you speak so ! I have 
 always longed for a brother ; the pure light of a sister's love 
 has ever burned before the altar where my little brother 
 is enshrined in my heart ! " She trembled with emotion. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera was softened. ' : Pauline, you have 
 found a brother, when perhaps you needed one most. I am 
 your brother." They walked to the edge of the balcony, 
 and clasping each other's hands, wept in silence. Pauline, 
 Lieutenant Ambert tells me you are betrothed to Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin," said he with a sorrowful voice. 
 
 " Yes," she answered " with the proviso that mamma 
 likes him." 
 
 " My darling, you have fallen into the hands of an un- 
 principled man ! The lady he has in his care to-night, is 
 also his betrothed." 
 
 " Lieutenant Alton told me so, but I could not believe 
 it. Do you know it to be true ? " she spoke in a very 
 humble tone. 
 
 " He told me so this week himself," he replied and she 
 heard the words choking him, as if he were dying, and 
 became greatly alarmed. 
 
 She was brought up in a city where duels were every 
 day aftairs. She clung to his arm, and murmured " What 
 shall I do?" 
 
 " Leave him to me ; " he said sternly. She burst 
 into tears. " Pauline, do you love him ? " 
 
 " O, no indeed ! I only fear to lose you now." 
 
 Lieutenant Mera plead with her to control herself, if she 
 valued his life, while she plead that he would leave Sa- 
 berin to her to punish him. 
 
 After reflecting and much persuasion, he consented. 
 She was so happy now, that she thanked God for her es- 
 cape and for the protection He had raised up. Lit- 
 tle thought the gay butterflies about them, of the tender
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 207 
 
 scone passing so near them. There was a charm to the ro- 
 mantic girl in the thought of having a brother in disguise 
 in this handsome young officer, which greatly soothed the 
 sting that the infidelity of her lover had inflicted ; 
 while Lieutenant Mera could scarcely deny himself the 
 proud gratification of standing forth before the multitude, 
 an acknowledged brother to this beautiful girl. One con- 
 sideration held him like bands of steel, the humbling 
 thought, that his young mother had deserted him when a 
 little helpless child, and eloped with a young foreigner of 
 a distinguished family. She had no property, but thought 
 a rich bachelor brother and her widow mother, would take 
 care of her child. She suspended her brother's likeness, 
 and a remarkable ring he had sent her from India, on a 
 gold chain around his neck for toys, these he still had. 
 Her mother dying and giving her child to his father's rel- 
 atives, a proud austere family of Spanish descent, she never 
 returned to her native state. He had just begun to re- 
 hearse the incidents of his life to Pauline, when they were 
 interrupted by Lieutenant Alton, who keeping his eye on 
 Saberin, saw him at liberty and loooking for Pauline, and 
 came to secure her. Entering the hall they met him. 
 
 " Miss De Saye, I have come to say that I have at last 
 succeeded in disengaging myself from my bride's-maid, 
 will you honor me with this dance ? " 
 
 Lieutenant Mera stalked past him, and ground his teeth. 
 
 Pauline's eyes glittered, as she said, " Possible ! have 
 you succeeded in entirely disengaging yourself from her ? 
 You have attained great skill in that art, and accomplish 
 those things in double quick time here ! " 
 
 Saberin glanced at Alton, but that gentleman not no- 
 ticing him, said, " You know, Miss De Saye, that is an 
 important part of our education here, to make quick 
 matches." 
 
 " Yes, I've been told, 
 
 ' You saucy Iluzzars 
 
 Only care for love-letters to light your cigars ; 
 And 'tis said I must tell you 'tis such a good joke, 
 That with soldiers, engagements cud always in smoke ! '
 
 208 Tactics; or, 
 
 replied she, with a toss of her queenly head and a scorn- 
 ful laugh. 
 
 " Miss Pauline, you wont refuse me one dance this eve- 
 ning?" plead Lieutenant Saberin. 
 
 " Most unfortunately my list is full." 
 
 " But I must see you, if only a moment to explain." 
 
 " O, I assure you the case will admit of no explanation," 
 said she haughtily. 
 
 Lieutenant Alton moved on with her, and Saberin 
 reached the dancing room just in time to see Lieutenant 
 Mera and lone set off in a frantic redowa. 
 
 " 4. To mark time, to march in double-quick time, and 
 the back step" 
 
 Were you ever at a cadet hop? No? Then don't 
 talk of your grand parties, of your balls, sociables, stiffa- 
 bles and quadrilliones ! They, compared to a live cadet 
 hop, are " bosh, all bosh ! " in surgical parlance. There 
 is no waiting for the spirit to move, at one of them. There 
 are no solemn quadrille-marches without a word to say for 
 one's-self, but in the appropriate and poetical words of 
 
 " A SURVIVER." 
 
 " Round the room, round the room, 
 Round the room, onward 
 Like a tee-totum, 
 Revolved the one hundred ; 
 For all were in order, 
 And no one had blundered. 
 Onward the bright brigade ! 
 ' All around ! ' Palfrey said ; 
 So round and round the room 
 Spun the one hundred. 
 Round then the bright brigade, 
 No one the least dismayed 
 None for the ladies knew 
 They never blundered ; 
 Not theirs to make reply, 
 Not theirs to seem too shy, 
 Theirs but fast round to fly, 
 So round and round the room 
 Whirled the one hundred.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 209 
 
 Rose all their arms so bare, 
 Flew all their skirts in air, 
 Sweeping those sitting there 
 Whirling and spinning, while 
 Lookers-on wondered ; 
 Trod on and pushed along, 
 Some looking quite forlorn, 
 Some of their drapery shorn, 
 Till they had reached their chairs 
 Spun the one hundred. 
 Gas lights to right of them, 
 Gas lights to left of them, 
 Gas lights above them, 
 By glass pendants sundered 
 Laughing and blushing so, 
 At seats all rushing so, 
 Heated and out cf breath. 
 And from the figure there, 
 Now all have reached a chair, 
 All that are really left 
 Of that one hundred. 
 When will the next begin ? 
 Oh, that enchanting spin ! 
 How old folks wondered, 
 How can they labor so, 
 Is that true pleasure, oh, 
 Lovely one hundred ! " 
 
 " 5. To march in line of battle, in retreat. 1 ' 
 
 When Lieutenant Saberln arose the next morning, the 
 first thing his eyes alighted on was the following delicate 
 little billet. 
 
 " Lieutenant Saberin : 
 
 Hearing from my brother, of your en- 
 gagement to another, it gives me great pleasure to say 
 you are most cheerfully released from your engagement 
 to me. 
 
 With sentiments, &c. 
 
 PAULINE DE SATE." 
 
 He read the note, a carte blanche for those who are 
 
 adepts in these matters to fill at their leisure. " Who 
 is her brother ? that Alton has done this ! Heavens,
 
 210 Tactics; or, 
 
 what shall I do? " " Send her her ring," said Pride, and 
 he followed her advice. 
 
 At breakfast Miss Randolph came and told lone that 
 her father, who had arrived late the night before, was 
 going to take her to Professor Weir's studio. Would she 
 accompany them at eleven o'clock ? 
 
 lone accepted with delight. 
 
 Mr. Randolph Avas a true type of a Virginian gentle- 
 man of the Washington school, and charmed them with 
 stories of his travels. He was disappointed at not finding 
 his friend at home, hut his son received them. They 
 stood before the " Veiled Nun," in silent rapture ; the 
 white haired man was dumb before the inspiration of Gen- 
 ius, and felt himself in the presence of a divinity. He 
 begged permission of the young artist to read a piece of 
 poetry he had found while in Europe, years ago. It was 
 taken from a number of Blackwood. He would like to 
 read it to the young ladies in this room. He stood where 
 the light fell on his silver locks, and read to the beautiful 
 group, 
 
 AX ARTIST'S STUDIO. 
 
 FROM BLACKWOOD OF JAN. 1851. 
 
 " I well remember how the light, the pale, pure north light, fell 
 On all within that lofty room, and clothed with mystic spell 
 A massive oaken cabinet, and many a curious chair 
 Bright armor of the olden time, and relics quaint and rare. 
 
 " I marked them well, the gathered books, the painter's treasures all: 
 Here was the resting place of day, whatever might befall ; 
 The inner shrine of one whose brow the stomp of genius bore, 
 And who the laurels of his fame with childlike meekness wore. 
 
 " I touched his easel and his brush ; I saw his colors laid 
 Those simple implements of art, they made me half afraid ; 
 For with such trifling means alone, to bid their visions glow, 
 APELLES, ZECXIS, RAPUAEL, wrought wonders long ago ! 
 
 " Oh, many a slowly-waning hour this silent room alone 
 
 Had seen the dreaming artist sit, like statue carved in stone ; 
 Absorbed in patient watchfulness of all that Fancy brought, 
 Gleanings of gladness or of gloom from out the fields of thought.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 
 
 " With steady gazing eye upraised, he heeded not at all 
 
 The light and shade of shimmering leaves upon his study wall ; 
 
 The light that o'er his poet soul its lovely rudiance threw, 
 
 Was shadowless and pure as stars, when all the heavens are blue. 
 
 " The breeze that through the window came, to fan his lifted br</w, 
 Fold of sweet perfumes all abroad, of blossoms on each bough 
 He heeded not its fluttering, nor listened to its sigh, 
 As sadly it stole back again, along the wave to die. 
 
 " He recked not that the golden eve on old Fort PUTNAM glowed, 
 Or that the tiwlight in the vale enveloped his abode ; 
 Or that the i-iver glided by, majestic, calm and free, 
 While on its bosom snowy sails were flowing tranquilly. 
 
 " For bright unto his soul there came, while wrapped in revery, 
 A noble theme of other days, and lands beyond the sea ; 
 Of men who strove in vain to break the stern oppressor's rod, 
 And boldly sought in other climes the right to worship GOD ! 
 
 *' Firm on its heavy rollers hung a canvas broad and high, 
 Dusky at first, but glowing soon with vivid imagery ; 
 Life-like beneath the painter's touch, the little ' Speedwell ' rose, 
 Frail hopes of beating, trembling hearts, escaping from their foes ! 
 
 " And kneeling on the open deck, beneath the o'erarching sky, 
 A Bible in his hand enclasped, and heaven-ward, holy eye, 
 The pastor prayed a thrilling prayer that GOD would guide and bless 
 The pilgrims and their tossing ship, in night and loneliness. 
 
 " That He who with a word can calm the wind and wave at will, 
 To the wild sea of Galilee who whispered ' Peace, be still ! ' 
 Would guard them with a Father's care, on billows white with foam, 
 And grant them on a foreign shore, a haven and a home ! 
 
 " Around him bent a reverent group : a bridegroom and a bride, 
 To whom all places were alike, so they were side by side. 
 A mother and her pallid boy, with look of patient woe 
 Strong was the faith, high-hearted one ! that prompted thee to go ! 
 
 *' Miles Standish, with his stalwart form, and soul of manly might, 
 Ready to don his armor there, and battle for the right ; 
 While on his shoulder fondly leaned his wife, so fair and true 
 Sweet Rose ! how love and sorrow strove within thine eye of blue ! 
 
 " CARVER, and WHITE, and BRADFORD too, strong men and stern were these; 
 They stayed not for the unknown wastes of trackless, stormy seas ; 
 The hope of safety and of peace their every doubt beguiled : 
 Here, dark Oppression lower'd in gloom there genial FREEDOM smiled
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Childhood was there, and youth, with eye keen-looking far away, 
 Longing to ride the lifting crest of ocean steeds at play ; 
 Naught cared he for the coming night, for visions new and strange ; 
 Joy dwelt for him in stirring life, in scenes of chance and change. 
 
 " And timid women tearless stood, with courage firm and rare, 
 Waiting to hear the deep ' Amen ' of that most fervent prayer, 
 And then to see the white sails set to catch a favoring wind, 
 And know each early home and friend forever left behind ! 
 
 " Borne from his studio's silent walls, to meet a nation's gaze, 
 The painter's vision hath received its meed of fitting praise ; 
 But dearer to his thoughtful soul, of far more solid worth, 
 The noble lesson he would teach, than all the fame of earth. 
 
 " Tell ye, mute, yet speaking forms, creations of his skill, 
 How trust in GOD and lofty hope, and firm, unconquered will, 
 Sustained and soothed each aching heart among that little band 
 Who bore with them across the sea, the freedom of our land ! 
 
 " Thank GOD, my country, that the seed in doubt and meekness sown, 
 To such a spreading, lordly tree in later times hath grown ; 
 A pilgrim sire's beloved name a noble boast should be ; 
 A pilgrim's grave a holy trust, Oh, children of the Free ! " 
 
 " LESSON SIXTH." 
 
 3. To march in column, in route, and to execute the 
 movements thereto." 
 
 As our little party left the studio, the young artist ac- 
 companied them to see the tents struck. He told them 
 it was a beautiful sight, the tents falling in an instant. 
 The crowds were hastening to the spot, regardless of the 
 burning rays of the sun. The band was in attendance, and 
 the cadets were swinging their mallets about their heads 
 like so many young Vulcans, dealing blows on the tent- 
 pins. 
 
 On the ground Lieutenant Mera introduced Miss De 
 Saye, whom he had brought with him, to lone and her 
 party. She asked many questions about West Point. She 
 said, " Do you know I always thought there was some- 
 thing magical in the falling of the tents, but I should call this 
 taking down the tents ! " As she said the word tents, she
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 213 
 
 glanced over her shoulder an instant, and on looking back 
 to see the cause of the huzzas, she was so startled at the 
 collapsed appearances of the camp-ground, she fairly 
 shrieked. Every one laughed that heard the " O ! " and 
 saw the affright depicted on her face. 
 
 Unhappy Lieutenant Saberin stood off near the Colonel, 
 not daring to approach either of his flames, lest he should 
 be rolled up like a scroll. 
 
 Lieutenant Alton came up, " looking lovely," in his 
 travelling suit, " All ready for the omnibus Miss De 
 Save ? "' 
 
 " Yes, I need not return to the hotel." She bid lone a 
 tender good-bye, wishing they might meet again. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera scarcely touched lone's hand, saying, 
 " Remember what I said the night I came near drowning 
 you ! " 
 
 lone looked up, her eyes welled over, and she said, " I 
 will, Lieutenant Mera ; I promise you I will not act unad- 
 visedly." 
 
 The omnibus stopped in front of camp, and the many 
 that were to leave, bade adieu again and again, to their 
 friends. Lieutenant Alton ran back twice to shake hands 
 with lone. Lieutenant Mera returned to linger a moment 
 near, and gave one look of agony that lone never forgot. 
 " Well, I should not wonder if he should change his mind 
 about marrying a rich girl, for he looks at Miss De Saye 
 very lovingly," thought she. She walked off the camp- 
 ground perfectly unconscious that she had come there with 
 any one, till she found the polished young artist had kept 
 near her and was now at her side. He walked to the hotel 
 with her, and bade her adieu in a very graceful manner. 
 She met Lieutenant Burlyton, who faced about, and offered 
 her his arm, stepping as if he were walking over dogs and 
 cats. A bleak smile played coldly over her face. He sighed 
 like a blacksmith's bellows, and repeated in the saddest, 
 and sweetest way 
 
 " Alas, for my weary and care-haunted bosom ! 
 
 The spells of the spring-time arouse it no more,
 
 214 Tactics; or, 
 
 The songs in the wild-wood, the sheen in the blossom, 
 The fresh swelling fountain their magic is o'er ! 
 
 When I list to the stream, when I look to the flowers, 
 They tell of the past with so mournful a tone, 
 
 That I call up the throngs of my long vanished hours, 
 And sigh that their transports are over and gone." 
 
 Singing " Ri tu, di nu, di na ? " 
 
 " You are a host of joy in yourself, Lieutenant Burly- 
 ton. I cannot be very miserable, while you are left ; I wish 
 every body was just like you, and then this world would 
 not be such a " weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, unweed- 
 ed garden." 
 
 He answered in a half bitter, half sentimental way, 
 
 " Don't you know that the people wont employ 
 
 A man who wrongs his manliness, by laughing like a boy ? 
 And suspects the azure blossom that unfolds upon the shoot, 
 As if wisdom's old potato could not nourish at its root." 
 
 lone laughed heartily. They went into the parlor and 
 she sung, " Robin Adair," for him. He was much affect- 
 ed, said it was his lullaby when he was a baby, that she 
 must stop or she would have him boo-hoo-ing right out. 
 But he was ha-ha-ing a few moments after, and begging 
 her " To take him for her lover, and let all those incon- 
 stant swains glide, they were not worth one of those invalu- 
 able pearls he saw in her eyes, when he met her." 
 
 At parade Mrs. Bobaline was startled by hearing the 
 order read that Lieutenant Bobaline was ordered to Wash- 
 ington immediately. She clung to lone's arm, and looked 
 into her face aghast. She could not tell whether she was 
 glad or sorry. After she had regained her composure, she 
 said, " I wonder if Lieutenant B. has applied to be 
 relieved. In his last letter, he said he would be at home 
 soon, but dreaded the duties of West Point more than 
 ever." The ladies gathered round her to express their 
 sincere sorrow at the prospect of losing one who had been 
 the life of the post. The officers stood oft' in front of the 
 ** officers' quarters," making their own comments. Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin left them and walked after Mrs. Bobaline 
 as she left the parade ground. He politely expressed his
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 215 
 
 regret that she was going, and said the winter would be un- 
 endurable ; but if this political excitement continued, 
 they would probably all meet at Washington. 
 
 " Yes." cried Lieutenant Burlyton, " as the beavers do 
 at the hatter's. That's fur enough from from " 
 
 " From one head ! " laughed lone. " I fear you'll need 
 a scratch after that." 
 
 " 1 think you have given me one, ' free gratis.' ' 
 
 " If we have war, I hope Lieutenant B. will resign ! 
 If he does not, I shall go home to Florida." 
 
 " Don't ' secesh,' while under orders, Mrs. Bobaline ; 
 that would not be honorable, you know ! " said Lieutenant 
 Burlyton. 
 
 " I think things are coining to a pretty pass, if there is 
 to be a war because Southerners will not free their slaves, 
 and work their plantations themselves, like your great 
 northern men do. I presume that at home, this President 
 of yours was no better than any slave in the South ! ac- 
 tually digging in his own farm ! Just think of putting 
 such a man to rule over gentlemen. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin glanced scornfully at her, while 
 Lieutenant Burlyton called a dragoon to haul down those 
 stars and stripes and run up a palm-leaf fan, which threw 
 Mrs. Bobaline and Mrs. Maryglot into spasms of laughter. 
 Mrs. Bobaline turned away angry at herself for counte- 
 nancing him in his ridicule of her dear, sacred South. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin walked between her and lone to the 
 hotel, and took seats on the piazza. 
 
 Lieutenant Burlyton offered Madam Maryglot his arm, 
 and conversed quite intelligibly till they arrived at the 
 foot of the steps. He said, " Let's go and make friends 
 with poor Mrs. Bobaline," and rushed along the piazza, 
 dragging the old lady by the arm, until he confronted Mrs. 
 Bobaline. He bowed to the floor. " Madam, ' horresco 
 referens ! ' what I heard at parade, entre nous ; this is a 
 faux coup ! When you leave, I will turn down my chap- 
 eau de bras, and make a monachus of myself, mais quand 
 on empriente' on ne choisit pas ! on dit, poco a poco, post
 
 216 Tactics; or, 
 
 nubila jubila ! moi vous oublier ? non jatnais ! honi soit, 
 qui raal y pense ! Ich dien, E pluribus unum ! " at 
 the last word he put his hand on his heart, threw back his 
 head, and waved it to and fro, as if he were executing a 
 trill in an opera ; then turning abruptly to Madam Marv- 
 glot, who stood holding her sides, " Sprachen sie deutsch ? " 
 said he in a most polished and graceful manner, " Quid 
 vides ? " he exclaimed saucily to the other ladies. 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! ha ! O, you fool ! " screamed the amiable old 
 lady, in great distress. 
 
 " ARTICLE FIRST." 
 
 " To break the company into platoons." 
 
 Lieutenant Bobaline returned in a few days, and insist- 
 ed that lone should spend the winter in Washington, with 
 them. Viola was heart-broken at leaving Lieutenant 
 Saberin and her cadet friends, but Washington contained 
 many to interest a beautif '1 woman, and she consoled her- 
 self with the thoughts of what a Phillipa she would be 
 there. Lieutenant Saberin made himself perfectly fascina- 
 ting now that Lieutenant Mera was gone, and with his beau- 
 ty and sweetness of manner and disposition, a woman must 
 be adamant not to do as our heroines did. fall in love anew 
 with him. He was kind and considerate with lone, never al- 
 lowing the slightest change, or shade of change of his ten- 
 derness toward her, gave her no opportunity to find fault 
 with him. She could scarcely recognize him as the same 
 man. Mrs. Bobaline was occupied in making preparations 
 for her winter's campaign, and overseeing her packing ; but 
 when she did appear, Lieutenant Saberin was her ever 
 ready and willing attendant. On the morning of her de- 
 parture, lone said farewell to West Point with deep re- 
 f gret. She was to leave Madam Maryglot, who however 
 promised to go after them as soon as the cold weather com- 
 menced. She must say good-bye to jolly Lieutenant Bur- 
 lyton. What should she do for some one to make her laugh
 
 B 
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 217 
 
 when she was sad, and say touching things when she was 
 laughing ? But he said he should apply to be stationed 
 near her, and resign if Mr. Secretary did not comply. 
 Cadet Smith would come to see her as soon as lie gradu- 
 ated, and Lieutenant Saberin accompanied them as far as 
 New York, and whispered to lone that if he was not or- 
 dered to Washington before spring, he should get a leave 
 to spend a week with her. These asurances robbed her sev- 
 eral partings of their sting. 
 
 " To re-form the company." 
 
 Arrived in Washington, the first persons Mrs. Bobaline 
 and lone met, were Lieutenants Alton and Mera ; now 
 bosom friends. They greeted the party as if they were 
 relatives. The first question Lieutenant Mera asked Lieu- 
 tenant Bobaline, was, " Are you going to stand firm*?" 
 Lieutenant Bobaline grasped his hand, saying, " I can't 
 give up the old stars and stripes ! I cannot fight under 
 any thing else ! How are you ? " 
 
 " Firm as a rock ! " said Mera. Lieutenant Alton waved 
 his cap above their heads, repeating, 
 
 " O'er the proud heads of freemen, our star-banner waves, 
 Men firm as their mountains and still as their graves ! " 
 
 " You know Ambert has gone over?" said Lieutenant 
 Mera. 
 
 " Gone under, you mean ! " Lieutenant Bobaline replied. 
 
 " The night before he left," said Alton " we gave him a 
 supper, and embraced all round at parting, possibly to 
 meet next on the battle-field, ugh ! " 
 
 10
 
 218 Tactics; or, 
 
 ARTICLE EIGHTEENTH. 
 
 Time flew to lone, in sight-seeing, with Viola i'rom 
 day to clay. Viola was constantly meeting old army ac- 
 quaintances, and attended by half a dozen distinguished 
 gentlemen, her ladyship became quite reconciled to the 
 change, and as ' soft as the dawn." 
 
 Madam Maryglot came on in haste, the first rebuff she 
 received from " Storm King," who holds undisputed swav 
 over "' all he surveys." quite half the year. Her very 
 caps and ribbons brought up charming, lovely, enchanting 
 West Point now. She told lone all the news, brought her a 
 love-letter from Lieutenant Saberin, and a bouquet of au- 
 tumn leaves, from Lieutenant Smith, which she wore in 
 her hair to the President's levee, then pressed them on 
 Bristol board, and framed them to hang in her room. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera had introduced to her a lovely young 
 girl, the daughter of an M. C., Miss Mary Greenleaf. He 
 had been very attentive to this lady, so much so, that lone 
 was jealous for Miss De Save, who had been spirited awav 
 almost immediately after her arrival in Washington, by 
 Lieutenant Ambert and lady, seeming to feel worse at 
 parting with Lieutenant Alton than with Lieutenant Mera. 
 lone began to suspect an engagement between her new 
 friend and her old beau, Lieutenant Mera. He was strange- 
 ly variable in his treatment of lone, sometimes with the 
 affectionate familiarity of a brother, and at others cold 
 and distant, as if he was deeply offended. Madam Mary- 
 glot, the repository for all her sorrows, would be duly in- 
 formed, and then she would forget it all till the next time. 
 Mrs. Bobaline was attending a party every night, and
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 219 
 
 sleeping all clay. After the first month, lone became so 
 weary of society, with a mind ill at ease, that only on es- 
 pecial occasions would she accompany her aunt and uncle. 
 Lieutenants Smith and Corridor she saw whenever they 
 came in from camp. Her weariness of everything in\Va<h- 
 ington was not abated by the reception of a letter from her 
 sister younger than herself. It had gone thousands of 
 miles out of its way, came to West Point after her depart- 
 ure from that post, and was fonvarded to her. 
 
 " SAN FRANCISCO March 25, 1861. 
 
 Darling Isie. 
 
 You wish me to write, to atone for all mamma's omis- 
 sions by telling you every thing we do every day ! Well, 
 you know the old routine, studies, rides, sails, etc. There 
 are some charming young officers here now. Our lovely 
 Dr. H. brings them to spend the evenings with us, and Kdes- 
 tina often comes in, and then we wish for you, and Gertrude 
 is called upon for the sweet songs she warbles so like a bird ; 
 her favorite she always sings, " Farewell ! but whenever 
 you welcome the hour," and when she murmurs, " 1 wish 
 she were here!" we all join in but mamma, I'll not 
 tell you what she does. The spring and summer has been 
 very gay, but as I have not " come out " yet, I see but 
 little of it. Now " I'll wager," as mamma says, that you 
 have not been written a word about our holidays, and all 
 our presents. . Yours were bought the same as if you were 
 here ! You wrote about the deckings of churches, etc. 
 with evergreens. " The sweet spring comes to deck our 
 lovely land !" For three days before Christmas, mamma, 
 Dr. II., and Lieutenant I)e See, and us four girls, attended 
 t!u- sales and auction at Blank and Fladi Halls, and the 
 Dr. said that the scene rivalled Paris. He said, that we 
 saw enough Japanese cabinets sold, to " furnish one to every 
 house here, and then supply \Vashington with a new one 
 every week for the next four years ! " There were nine 
 festivals in the city Christmas eve ; we attended one. 
 There were five hundred children gathered around loaded
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 tables, and an immense evergreen, forty feet high, which 
 bore gifts on every twig. There was delightful music, and 
 the children played and danced, and Grace had her arms 
 full of gifts, and a stocking full the next morning. New 
 Year's eve a terrible shower set in, and we feared we should 
 have a rainy day for our calls. Gertrude and Edestina 
 came in all the rain, and we were all to sleep in your room. 
 It stormed till nearly twelve o'clock, and then we sat in 
 the open window, not a breath of wind stirring, and the 
 moon shone like day on the bay, turning the crest of the 
 waves all to snow. O, it was glorious ! Gertrude sang, 
 and Edestina too. We were saluted at twelve with the 
 booming of cannon. At seven o'clock the next morning 
 we threw open our windows, and it was June ! The warm 
 rain had brought out all your delicious flowers in full 
 bloom ; the warm sunshine turned everything to gold, and 
 across the bay, the ridge three thousand feet high, you 
 know the snow on its top looked like a vast opal, with 
 the rays of the sun, while the warm ravines at its base in 
 their green freshness was like an emerald setting. The birds 
 were flitting about and the humming bird clinging to the 
 legumes of the locust trees, made it all look like fairy-land. 
 We dressed as quickly as possible, and went into the gar- 
 den to cull flowers to deck our tables and parlors. The 
 Jeddo urn on the side-board, we filled with gilly flowers, ver- 
 benas, red and white roses, fuchias, veronica, abutilons, 
 mignionette and heliotropes, and locusts and acacias, all 
 out of our own garden, and all the Japanese vases were 
 filled with flowers. Your Lamarque roses, and Australian 
 pea, made a lovely bouquet. We dressed our hair a la 
 Japanese, and drank our coffee from the Japanese cups ; 
 sliced Oregon apples, weighing two pounds each, on the 
 Japanese plates ; had bananas and melons in Japanese 
 dishes ; received cards on the Japanese platter ; arranged 
 the Josses, or Japanese gods, on the mantle piece, and dis- 
 played all the trays and work baskets and, (this is a secret) 
 we " showed off,'' three new Japanese cabinets, all presents, 
 yours the largest and most beautiful, and a surprise for
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 221 
 
 S)u on your return ! not from mamma, from the good 
 r. H., don't dare to mention it, or I will freeze you into ice 
 cream ! We had two hundred calls from gentlemen with- 
 out overcoats, in parlors without fires ; and at dark sat 
 down to dinner, and all cried a tear or two about you. 
 Here is the bill of fare : " Radishes straight from the 
 ground, and cauliflowers fresh and tender. Isn't that any- 
 thing to make a fuss about ? well, we had lettuce not 
 raised under glass. Are you still stoical ? we had new 
 potatoes, and splendid ones too ; and a heaping dish of green 
 peas, genuine marrowfats, large and sweet. Now you begin 
 to open your eyes, I see, if not your mouth. I don't speak 
 of the fresh salmon, that is a drug with us all the time. 
 But wait for the climax strawberries ! do you hear that ? 
 grown within city limits, in the open air, without any 
 stimulant or coaxing, and we had a large box of them, and 
 their average size was that of a big walnut, I shan't tell 
 you what they cost." Why don't you speak of coming 
 home ? The Dashers often speak of you, and how much 
 they enjoyed your society on the voyage, Mi's. Dasher 
 says she loves you from head to foot. We all send you a 
 sweet kiss, mamma and all ; and our best love to our beau- 
 tiful new aanty, she must bring you home to us and stay 
 as long with us as you have with her. But uncle ! how 
 we would like to see him Just think of he and mamma 
 not knowing each other. Do make him come to see us. I 
 cannot bear to stop writing, but here I am with pages 
 checkered over and over, and no more place to write ! 
 Dear, dear, dear Isie, all send kisses and love more than 
 tongue can tell. 
 
 YOUR OWN DAISY. 
 
 lone sat in her room and wept herself nearly sick over 
 tiiis letter. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline and Mrs. Maryglot were out, and went 
 to seek the recluse as soon as they came in. They sup- 
 posed she had heard the death of her dearest friend, her
 
 cheeks were so blistered with tears. She read them the 
 letter. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline was wild over it. She would go home 
 with lone : " Let us go immediately, and you, Mrs. 
 Maryglot, with us ! " 
 
 " Thank you, I should prefer not being snapped up and 
 taken to Barbadoes or Barbary, by your enterprising pri- 
 vateers," she replied grufly. 
 
 Oh, sure enough ! we can't go out of our own country, 
 or stay in it in safety ! " said Mrs. Bobaline, for the first 
 moment tasting some of the bitter fruits of secession. 
 They went to their parlor. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin came in, and Mrs. Bobaline must 
 read him '' the letter from Paradise." He was charmed, 
 and told lone he thought he would wait till he saw " Dai- 
 sy." He knew Dr. H. very well had been with him in 
 Mexico. They made lone describe her home, and the 
 bay, and the golden gate and Fort, and the entrance into 
 the city at night, so like the scenes depicted in the " Ara- 
 bian Nights," and Mrs. Viola was justly indignant that 
 she had been permitted to remain in ignorance of such a 
 wonderful place till this time. 
 
 " Position of the Sword or Sabre, under Arms." 
 
 Cards were issued to the bon ton of Washington, for a 
 grand reception at the mansion of the Secretary of State, 
 Mr. Seward. The elegant saloons were ablaze, every per- 
 son of distinction was present, and the assemblage had 
 more the appearance of a foreign court, than of a demo- 
 cratic party. " Our Chief," the Lieutenant General of 
 the American army, was present, moving among the 
 throng, with the majesty of a sovereign by " Divine 
 right." Many a line of care is added to his brow. 
 What wonder ? His gigantic mind grasps the terrible 
 responsibilities resting on every freeman, high and low. in 
 all their magnitude, realizing that they are sufficient to
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 223 
 
 crush an archangel, unassisted by the Almighty hand. 
 May God direct him ! On all sides one can see the wise 
 and sage of our land the paddlers of our canoe of state. 
 Not inappropriate is the motto we see inscribed on the ser- 
 vice of blue and gold, " esse quam videri." Near the 
 door stand a group of United States army officers, survey- 
 ing the gorgeous scone. " Our young engineer officers," 
 I presume, or they would not be surveying at such a time. 
 
 At length one of them directs the attention of the rest 
 to a foreigner, a distinguished looking young man, with 
 a lady leaning on his arm* " Who are those ? She is the 
 most beautiful woman I have seen to night," he said. 
 
 The gentlemen stared and admired, but did not know. 
 
 The eldest of the party questioned some one standing 
 near, and found the gentleman to be a young attachd, but ' 
 could not learn who the lady was, surmised her to be 
 his wife. 
 
 The first officer that spoke, vowed he must know who 
 she was, and with this view set off after them to ascertain 
 who their acquaintances might be, but they appeared to 
 know only each other, as they looked " neither here nor 
 there," but into each other's faces; He said "they are not 
 married, but may be engaged," and tried to distinguish 
 how they addressed each other, but they spoke so low, he 
 could only hear that they were conversing in French. The 
 more he watched the girl's beautiful face and graceful 
 play of features, the more interested he became, and the 
 fact that she was a foreigner, and evidently the young 
 man's betrothed, only added to his flame. Late in 
 the evening found him still her shadow, yet not once had 
 the heavenly blue eyes re'sted on him, so entirely were 
 they engrossed by the pair of dark hazel ones at her side. 
 
 " She gazed upon a world she scarcely knew 
 As seeking not to know it, 
 And kept her heart serene, within its zone ; 
 There was an awe in the homage which she drew 
 Her spirit seemed as seated on a throne, 
 Apart from the surrounding world, and strong 
 In its own strength, most strange in one so young/'
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 Still lingering near the unconscious pair, he was startled 
 by a hand laid on his shoulder, and a familiar voice. " O 
 Saberin, you here ? " He started as if he had been shot 
 when he saw Lieutenant Bobaline. They shook hands 
 and went in search of the ladies. He found lone not at 
 all inferior to the belles of Washington in her San Fran- 
 ciscan ball dress, and Indian jewels, and took, what he sup- 
 posed was his place beside her, but she was lost to the 
 world for the hour, in listening to the wiling voice of a 
 fascinating little R. N. to whom she introduced her inevit- 
 able inheritor ; but the R. N. stood his ground, without the 
 slightest idea of giving up the ship, and stood by her till 
 the last man left, in search of Madam Bobaline, who showed 
 too plainly her delight at the addition of this brilliant to 
 her crown. 
 
 " Where are you stopping ? you must come to us! " 
 
 " Beyond a question, what would be more charming 
 than to re-form our West Point circle, complete in Wash- 
 ington ! " It was farthest from his thoughts at that mo- 
 ment to change his hotel, at least not till he had accom- 
 plished an object, and that was to find out his incognita. 
 He could not at once give up his habit of going on from 
 " conquering to conquer." 
 
 Lieutenant Bobaline came to say, they must go home to 
 breakfast. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin attended lone to the carriage, whis- 
 pering a tender little speech about his happiness being 
 complete, as they drove away ! 
 
 " MANUAL." 
 " Far relieving Sentinels" 
 
 At the fashionable hour for calling, Lieutenant Saberin 
 dressed in all the " pride and pomp of glorious war," 
 thought he would see the buildings of interest, and then 
 call on lone. He accordingly took himself to see the 
 home of the Russian minister. There were many more
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 
 
 abroad on the same errand, that is, reviewing the public 
 buildings. 
 
 " There were foreigners of much renown, 
 
 Of various nations, and all Volunteers ; 
 Not fighting for the country or its crown, 
 
 But wishing to be one day brigadiers ; 
 Also to have the sacking of a town ; 
 
 A pleasant thing to young men of their years, 
 'Mongst them were several Englishmen of pith, 
 
 Sixteen called Russell, and nineteen named Smith ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin promenaded past Russian Place, 
 after a very troubadourish fashion, gazing as a miner would 
 for glittering ore, but no soft blue eyes looked forth from 
 the casement, or golden locks gleamed from the doorway, 
 and too late, for his call, he hurried to his hotel, lest he 
 should lose his dinner. At a most unheard-of hour, when 
 all ladies of taste, are " snoozing ! " Lieutenant Saberin 
 sent his card up to Miss Smith. She was alone in the 
 parlor, Viola was permitting 
 
 " Sleep to kill those pretty eyes, 
 And give as soft attachment to her senses 
 As infants empty of all thought." 
 
 As he entered, lone arose saying, " I feel the breezes of 
 West Point fanning my cheek, when I see you, Lieuten- 
 ant Saberin ! " 
 
 " Yes, and they sent their regards to you and a kiss," 
 said he laughing. " But ah, West Point is sadly changed." 
 
 " Changed ? West Point cannot change. Her beauties 
 changeless, her hills everlasting, her Hudson exhaustless, 
 and her sunsets to eternity, 
 
 " Fairest of all that earth beholds, the hues, 
 
 That live among the clouds, and flush the air 
 Lingering and deepening at the hour of dews." 
 
 " Oh, Miss lone, you make it a heaven, when without 
 the presence of those we love, i\ is the reverse, while
 
 Tactics ; or, 
 
 ' Heaven would be hell, if loved ones were not there, 
 And any spot a heaven, if we coul 1 save 
 From every stain of earth, and thither bear, 
 
 The hearts that are to us our hope and care ; 
 The soil whereon our purest pleasures grow, 
 
 Around the quiet hearth, we often share, 
 From the quick change of thought, the tender flow 
 
 Of fondness waked by smiles, the world we love below ! ' " 
 
 lone said, " Really, you should have an audience, you 
 recite so well ! " 
 
 " I wish no more appreciative audience, than I have at 
 present." 
 
 She asked if he had seen many he knew since he came. 
 He replied, no he had spent the morning looking at the 
 buildings. 
 
 She asked in surprise, if he had never been in Washing- 
 ton before. 
 
 " O yes, many times ! but there are sights of beauty we 
 cannot see too often ! " He could not appear himself, was 
 restless, at last plead an engagement, and promised to 
 call soon again. 
 
 A few moments after he left, Mary Greenleaf entered to 
 tell lone she was going to ride on horseback. 
 
 " Why did you not come in sooner? I would have in- 
 troduced you to such a handsome young officer ! " 
 
 " I am always a ' day after the fair,' why didn't you 
 send for me ? " 
 
 " I will when he comes again." The girls chatted on 
 till it was time for the ride. lone stood in the window, and 
 watched her out of sight. : She felt a little sad about Lieu- 
 tenant Saberin's call, it had left an unpleasant impression 
 on her heart, and she intuitively attacked the book-case, 
 for Pickwick, which she had not seen since she left West 
 Point. She took the old volume down, with a very solemn 
 face, but before long forgot her own griefs, to be happy 
 "with Samivel." When Viola came down, she told her of 
 Lieutenant Saberin's call, and gave his pleasant messages ; 
 but she received them very ungracionsly, was indignant 
 that she was not sent for, while poor lone would gladly
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 227 
 
 have exchanged places with her, and given her the call 
 and taken in its place her painless sleep. Some one 
 knocked. Mrs. Bobaline called " Come ! " 
 
 Lieutenant Alton entered and said a la Phcenixiana " how 
 are the 94 young, and 100 beautiful ladies this 90 fine 
 day?" 
 
 lone shouted, " Thank you, I feel like 60." 
 
 " I am 150 ! " he replied. "I have just heard from N. O . 
 A gentleman direct from there, saw our 74 friend, and she 
 is as 1000 beautiful as ever." 
 
 " O, dreadful ! New Orleans, why don't you stand 99 
 true by 100 firm for our country's flag of 34 stars ? " 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline entered the lists, for his resigning at once. 
 " They will make you a Brig ! " 
 
 " I would rather be shot a Lieutenant under my flag, 
 than resign and be a Napoleon ! " 
 
 " Well, they'll beat you any way, and take you prison- 
 er ?" she replied, sneering. 
 
 " ' The flag of our Union forever.' Is Washington 
 safe ? " said lone. 
 
 " Not quite if they attack us now, I fear ; but it soon 
 will be," he replied thoughtfully. 
 
 " Now that the 7th have arrived," said Mrs. Bobaline. 
 
 War, war, war ! was the only topic discussed by small 
 and great, and Washington was one " tented field," and 
 ladies drove to the camps to see parades, and drills, and 
 meet their friends. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin daily gave hours of toil, and inches 
 of sole, to the pursuit of beauty " under difficulties."
 
 228 Tactics; or, 
 
 " ARTICLE SIXTEENTH." 
 
 " Rules for maneuvering by the rear rank." 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin's only hope is to meet his incognita 
 in the street, and follow her home. This decision leads 
 him up the Avenue early one afternoon, fearing that he 
 should not meet her, yet hoping against hope. A lady 
 and gentleman dash by him on horseback. 'Tis she, and 
 the young foreigner ! He follows them at a rapid pace, 
 but he is soon distanced, and they have turned off the 
 Avenue, and are out of sight. Disappointment clouds his 
 brow. But they must return ! He will while away the 
 time by sitting in Madam Bobaline's windows, and watch- 
 ing for the only woman in whom he now feels any inter- 
 est. He accordingly repaired to their hotel, sends up his 
 card, and waits for the ladies. On a chair in the window 
 stands a bijou, a lady's work basket. Supposing it to 
 be lone's, he takes it up, and showing a very gentlemanly 
 curiosity, examines its contents. He finds a tiny book, 
 formed of a sheet of note paper, folded till it was but two 
 inches square. He opened it and was surprised at the 
 date, written in a very familiar hand, but dated years be- 
 fore he had seen lone. He looks again ; the writing is 
 not lone's, nor is it Mrs. Bobaline's, but more familiar 
 than either. Then the date, why should that recall 
 memories of the past ? He reads 
 
 Oct. 27, 1856. 
 I wait for thee, as morning waits 
 
 With dewy eye, the coming sun, 
 My soul sits trembling at her gates, 
 
 To greet her best beloted one !
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 229 
 
 I wait for thee as waits the flower 
 
 I droop for thee as droops the flower, 
 Beneath the noon-tide's fervor deep 
 
 Ere pitying stars at twilight hour, 
 Put on their snowy veils to weep. 
 
 He turns the leaf, and reads 
 
 March, 1859. 
 I waited for thee ah, how long ! 
 
 You came but ah, how changed ! 
 Your self-conceit was ah, how strong ! 
 
 Self, in the shade at 90 ranged ! 
 
 Both dates came up before him like apparitions. He 
 was as much surprised as he would have been in his cadet 
 days, by the appearance of the " great highankadank,"-on 
 his post at dead of night. What a strange magic there is 
 about dates ! How they thrill one, as they are seen on the 
 letter or page, the figures that have brought to us some joy 
 or sorrow, and how strangely near, becomes the inscriber 
 of those figures ! The rest of the tiny book is a blank, 
 and lie begins again to read its contents. He has just fin- 
 ished as Mrs. Bobaline and lone enter. He quickly put the 
 little record in his breast pocket. He sat conversing for 
 a long time, often glancing out of the window, but the 
 fair equestrian did not make her appearance. Impatient 
 and weary he was about to excuse himself and seeV her 
 through the streets again, when a low tap, tap, tap ! said 
 some one was coming, and Mary Greenleaf entered. 
 When she saw a strange gentleman, she hesitated and 
 said, " I came to get my work-basket ! " She approached 
 the chair, took the basket and changing color painfully, ex- 
 cused herself and retired. Lieutenant Saberin moved 
 away to the window, shocked to find his long neglected 
 blue-eyed one, and the beautiful foreigner he had been 
 pursuing so untiringly, were one and the same person ! 
 This at once solved the enigma of the little blank-book, 
 its dates, and familiar hand-writing. What had changed 
 her so ? Had a few years wrought such a transforma- 
 tion ? With a profound sigh, he turned to the ladies,
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 trying to look wonderfully indifferent. " Who is 'the 
 young lady ? " 
 
 lone answered, " She is the daughter of the Hon. Mr. 
 Greenleaf. They are stopping here, isn't she lovely ? " 
 
 " Yes ! Is she engaged to the young foreigner with 
 whom she rides ? " he asked as deliberately as if each word 
 was the last he could utter. 
 
 " O, he is wild about her, but she, I am not her con- 
 fidant I cannot say." lone showed in her manner that 
 there was something she would like to say, but did not. 
 She was thinking about Lieutenant Mera. 
 
 Lieutenant Saberin bade her good day, saying he would 
 see her often as possible, as in these times, they knew not 
 what a day would bring forth. 
 
 She shuddered, for she had seen all the terrible prepara- 
 tions with an aching heart, fully realizing that they were 
 more than a gay parade, or an idle pageant on West Point. 
 Had not Suinter borne testimony to the stern reality, the 
 wild forgetfulness of all that we hold sacred ? the lives 
 of our precious ones there our hero-martyrs, was it a 
 dream to them in their prison of flame their fiery fur- 
 nace, from which they came, pure gold, to shine forever 
 in our crown of Freedom? Noble men ! When forsaken 
 by men, God delivered, to show how He could save ! May 
 the God of battles be their shield in like manner, in every 
 hour of trial. lone sat in the window, till the gray twi- 
 light deepened round her, realizing in all its terrors the 
 dark cloud that hung over our beloved land. Every hour 
 brought nearer the fearful struggle. Hearts must know 
 anguish, deeper than death, and " men must work, and 
 women must weep." O, why ? Will the " by and by " tell 
 us ? 
 
 "0, wonderful visions of long ago ! 
 
 Lighting so the warm young brain, 
 You've lost your aura of golden glow, 
 
 You are tarnished now, by the touch of pain. 
 Can Love retint what rust hath lain ? 
 
 Can it kindle again for the eager eye? 
 0, beautiful dreams, will you live again, 
 
 Will you live again, in the by-and by.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder -Straps, 231 
 
 * They who began life's race with me, 
 
 The amber-haired, and dewey-eyed, 
 Who made life sweeter than dream can be ; 
 
 Alas ! how many of them have died ! 
 The old , old story beside the way, 
 
 In low cold houses, mute they lie ! 
 When all shall come forth, to immortal day, 
 
 Shall we love again in the by-and-by ? 
 
 " The tangled web of mortal life, 
 
 Will Jesus' pitying hand untie ? 
 That error and evil mingle strife, 
 
 Despite His love Will He toll us why? 
 Why glorious promises stranded lie ; 
 
 Why hearts are wrecked on this lower coast, 
 Why heirs of a God-born destiny 
 
 Reel into chaos, ruyles?, lost 1 
 
 " Many who love in silence here, 
 Walk as strangers, far apart, 
 Never naming the name most dear, 
 
 The being born their twin in heart ; 
 In God's after-day will it all be clear 
 
 The story of Fate and its sorrowful " Why? " 
 The loved and longed-for, waiting here, 
 Will they know and love in the by-and-by ? " 
 
 Saturday, 16th June, 1860. 
 
 Twilight deepened into darkness, still lone sat dreaming 
 on of the future. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline came in with a letter from Colonel Boba- 
 line, in Western Virginia. The gas was lighted and the 
 letter read. Lieutenant Mera entered, and they were ea- 
 gerly discussing the news it contained, the victory under 
 their glorious young General. " Colonel Burlyton is with 
 us," it said, " the same brave, noble fellow he was at West 
 Point. He is idolized by his men." I knew he would be ! " 
 exclaimed Lieutenant Mera warmly. 
 
 " He is too pleasant and lovely for a warrior, I wish he 
 were here ! " said lone. 
 
 Tap, tap, and the gentle Mary Greenleaf opened the 
 door. Lieutenant Mera shook her hand kindly, and told 
 her about the letter and Colonel Burlyton, what lone just 
 said, and how he envied him.
 
 232 Tactics; or, 
 
 " Dear old West Point ! " cried lone, and they began re- 
 calling reminiscences of that enchanting spot. One said 
 " Do you remember ? " and then another, till a perfect 
 picture gallery was established, whose bright colors and fa- 
 miliar scenes brought back words and smiles long forgotten, 
 whose reflected light brightened the faces gathered round 
 the table. 
 
 " Miss lone, you remember one morning playing the 
 'officer's call,' and all of us rushing in, to see who was 
 calling us ? " asked Lieutenant Mera, in a livelier humor 
 than lone had seen him in since her early acquaintance 
 with him. 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! and the scolding Viola gave me for being 
 so improper ! But do you remember that you tried to 
 make me promise to play it when I wished to see you, and 
 you would come directly ?"
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 233 
 
 The partings came. Colonel Burlyton fresh from, and 
 flushed with victory, came with his great heart and sono- 
 rous voice to cheer on our troops. Captains Alton and 
 Saberin brought him to see the ladies. He sang for them, 
 " The soldier's dream," and " Ah, doth not a meeting 
 like this make amends," drawing tears from every eye. 
 Captain Alton looking like a young David, with his gentle 
 blue eyes and beautiful hair, came to say " good night, 
 until the morrow." It was all he would say ; his hopes 
 were high. He commanded a battery. Captain Mera 
 came not. What ! gone without one word ? Ay, so true 
 love should do ; it cannot speak. Captain Saberin came 
 last of all, determined to bid them good bye cheerily, as 
 Alton had done, but was petrified to find lone and Mary 
 Greenleaf sobbing in each other's arms ! lone bowed her 
 cold brow for him to kiss. He shook hands with Mrs. 
 Bobaline who was nearly in hysterics, and flinging one 
 glance to Mary, who had retreated to the sofa, he fled 
 from the room. Poor Mary ! " Through the lashes of 
 her darting eyes she shot her soul at every glance ! " in- 
 wardly saying, " I part with thee, as wretches that are 
 doubtful of hereafter, part with their lives trembling at 
 Futurity." She left the room, fearing she should die, if 
 she did not hasten to give way to her great agony. She 
 threw herself on her bed alone, exclaiming, 
 
 " Oh ! had he ever loved, he would have thought 
 The worst of tortures bliss, to silent parting ! ' ' 
 
 ( CENTERVILLE 20th July, 1861. 
 \ Saturday night, 10 o'clock. 
 
 " Centerville ! centre of ' uncertainty, fell demon of our fears 
 The human soul that can support despair, 
 Supports not thee.' ' ' 
 
 Our glorious land, thy great hopes center here to-night. 
 Will they be dashed to the ground? The arteries of
 
 234 Tactics; or, 
 
 every great heart in our beloved country, center here, 
 shall the life blood of Freedom redden Liberty's soil ? 
 God knows ! This is one of the most beautiful nights the 
 imagination can conceive. The sky is perfectly clear, and 
 the air as serene and still as that of Eden. The bright 
 moon cast the woods which bound the field into deep shad- 
 ows, through which the camp-fires shed a clear and brilliant 
 glow. From the crest of the hill, the scene is a picture 
 of enchantment. On the extreme right, in the neighbor- 
 hood of the Fire Zouaves, a party were singing the ' b Star 
 Spangled Banner ; " and from the left rose the sweet strains 
 of a magnificent band, intermingling opera airs, like the 
 beautiful serenade of Don Pasquale, with the patriotic 
 bursts of " Hail Columbia," and " Yankee Doodle." 
 From far beyond the woods came the hum of the hosts 
 encamped in the extreme rear. How many to-night either 
 in their heart's deep silence, or in converse with friends 
 new found, or mayhap " grappled together with hooks of 
 steel," quoted More's touching lines. 
 
 " Sweet moon ! if like Crotona's sage 
 
 By any spell, my hand could dare 
 To make thy due its ample page, 
 
 \nd write ray thoughts, my wishes there ; 
 How many a friend whose carelsss eye 
 
 Now wanders o'er that starry sky, 
 Should smile upon thine orb to meet 
 
 The recollection kind and sweet 
 The reveries of fond regret, 
 
 The promise never to forget, 
 And all my heart and soul would send, 
 
 To many a dear loved distant friend."
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 
 
 " FORWARD." 
 
 160 J Presto. 
 
 3=3- 
 
 3=2: 
 
 " By the hope within us springing. 
 
 Herald of to-morrow's strife ; 
 By that sun whose light is bringing, 
 
 Qtaine or Freedom ; death or life ; 
 Oh ! remember life can be 
 
 No charm for him, who lives not free ! 
 Like the day-star in the wave, 
 
 Sinks a hero in his grave ; 
 Midst the dew-fall of a nation's tears ! " 
 
 The terrible word, " Forward," had gone forth, and all 
 the household gods taken from their altars to be placed in 
 the van, to lead on our brave soldiers, and to ' shield 
 them in the fight." Sanguine of success, all panted for 
 the sanguine combat. Forward in the moon light of the 
 stillest hour of night. Forward, thirty six thousand free- 
 men, through the hazy valleys and o'er the hill slopes, past 
 the burning fires at which forty regiments had prepared 
 their midnight meal; miles apart in the vistas, opening 
 along a dozen lines of view. Forward, our artillery, hope 
 of the conflict, whose black mouthed republicans shall 
 awake the country to what will bo the order of the day, 
 whose detonatincr arguments shall shake the distant hills.
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 " And thunder in their ears, their country's cause ! ' 
 
 Forward, white army wagons, with their hearse-like am- 
 bulances, draped like the hearts of the American people 
 with 
 
 " Black images 
 
 Of stern agony, and shroud and pall, 
 And breathless darkness, and a nation's woe ! " 
 
 Forward, not to meet the armies of the aliens, but fath- 
 ers, brothers, class-mates, friends ! men who had sworn by 
 the same Holy Name, to protect their country's flag ! who 
 had fought side by side contending for the sacred rights 
 now trampled upon, who had knelt and wiped the death 
 damps from each other's brow, and borne them from scenes 
 of carnage, to light and life. Fathers against sons, they 
 had blest and taught to lisp their evening prayer ; broth- 
 ers who had slept, clasped in each other's arms, in the 
 same little crib, under the same roof-tree. Class-mates, 
 whose hands have pressed the sacred volume, when 
 they swore by the Almighty God, to be true to their coun- 
 try and the constitution. Friends that have stood the 
 test in hours of trial, and deep woe ! Such must " For- 
 ward ! " in the moon's tender light, with the soft rustle of 
 our idolized stars and stripes above them, for which who 
 would not die ? through the grey of dawn, and white 
 morning twilight on under the splendor of such a sun 
 as rose on Austerlitz! It was Sunday morning. Even 
 in the wilderness the sacred day seems purer and more 
 hushed than any other. It was ours first to break the sa- 
 cred spell of the god of silence as he sits ever thus his 
 only song to earth and heaven, " Hush, all hush ! " To 
 becloud the clearness of that serene atmosphere with the 
 rude clangor of the avant messenger, that heralded our 
 challenge to a disloyal foe. The fortunes of the day rose 
 and fell Jike the waves of a mighty ocean ; we heard 
 continuous tidings of heroism and victory ; we could catch 
 glimpses of the advances and retreats, could hear occasion- 
 ally the guns of a battery before undiscovered, could guess
 
 Cupid in Shoulder- Straps, 237 
 
 how terribly all this accumulation of death upon death 
 must tell upon those undaunted men, but could also see 
 and our cheers continually followed the knowledge that 
 our forces were gradually driving the right of the enemy 
 around the second quarter of a circle, until by ten o'clock 
 the main battle was raging directly opposite where it had 
 commenced six hours before ! We heard of the intrepidity 
 of Burnside and Sprague ; how the devoted and daring 
 young governor led the regiment he had so munificently 
 equipped, again and again to victorious charges, and at last 
 spiked with his own hands the guns he could not carry 
 away ! The victory seemed ours. It was an hour sublime 
 in unselfishness, and apparently glorious in its results. The 
 question was quickly to be decided for us. " The issue of 
 this hard fought battle, in which certainly our troops lost 
 no credit, in their conflict on the field with an enemy ably 
 commanded, superior in numbers, who had but a short dis- 
 tance to march, and who acted on his own ground on the 
 defensive, and always under cover, whilst our men were 
 of necessity on the open field, should not prevent full cred- 
 it being given to those officers and corps whose services 
 merited success if they did not attain it." Such is the his- 
 tory of a day. Why hid not the sun his face ftom. such 
 a scene ? 
 
 " Give me the death of those 
 
 Who for their country die ; 
 And oh ! be mine like their repose 
 
 \\ hen cold and low they lie ! 
 Their loveliest mother earth 
 
 Enshrines the fallen brave ; 
 In her sweet lap, who gave them birth, 
 
 They find their tranquil grave." 
 
 " The prayers of fair women, like legions of angels, 
 Watch over our soldiers by day and by night ; 
 And the King of all glory, the chief of all armies, 
 Shall love them and lead them, who dare to be right 
 As each column sweeps by, 
 Hear their hearts' battle-cry, 
 It was Warren's, ' Tis sweet for our ct-untry to die ! ' "
 
 2-33 Tactics; or, 
 
 The parlor, the hall, and the respective rooms were tra- 
 versed with unsteady steps, by Mrs. Bobaline, lone, and 
 Mary, unable to sit quietly at their patriotic employment 
 of making every needful article for the army, from a have- 
 lock to an embroidered flag. They followed each other, 
 or sought their chambers alone, weeping and praying by 
 turns. 
 
 Madam Maryglot gave way to her own great heart, by 
 denouncing the demagogues and politicians in good healthy 
 English, forgetting her accomplishments in her honest ire, 
 at the sorrow and terror of those she saw weeping around 
 her. Occasionally she would break forth into sneers, that 
 there was no head to our affairs ; that of we only had a 
 king, he could send at once and take the miscreants, and 
 hang them as high as Haman. " Shame on the American 
 people, for their sleepiness, allowing traitors to disarm the 
 government, and then bully them or destroy their country ! 
 If they had the spirit to hang every traitor they get hold 
 of, the trouble would soon be put an end to. They should 
 have hurled Davis from his seat in the senate, and Floyd 
 from the cabinet, as the old disloyal and ambitious no- 
 bles of England were ; taken and decapitated them at 
 once, and there would have been an end to a thing ! " This 
 was strong meat for the broken and crushed spirits she 
 was haranguing, and she received no reply. Then she 
 would tell them stories of heroic women, who freed their 
 country by their super-feminine bravery. Joan of Arc, and 
 Charlotte Corday were introduced, but her " words were 
 as idle tales " to those whose bowed heads were humbled, 
 whose hearts were bleeding. Again she would endeavor 
 to read to them, but finally gave it up and entered into the 
 grief and anxiety of those most vehement in their great 
 a^onv for their absent ones. She ran through the house for 
 news, till one would have thought her own sons were on 
 that awful field. Whenever she heard a regiment or bat- 
 tery named she cried, " Is there any one I know in that 
 battery or regiment ? " Her mind was in the wildest con- 
 fusion as to the whereabouts of her favorites. She had
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 239 
 
 them numbered on her fingers, and before reading the 
 papers would count them over as if she were saying avas 
 for their souls : " Colonel Bobaline in Western Virginia ; 
 Colonel Burlyton, Fairfax court-house ; Captain Alton in 
 command of a battery, Captain Saberin, Assistant Adjutant 
 General ; Captain Mera, Aid de camp ; Lieutenant Smith, 
 Griffin's battery ; Lieutenant Corridor, Sherman's battery." 
 Long before she could finish her d roily numbered list, every 
 one present was smiling through their tears. 
 
 Mrs. Bobaline was sndly tried by receiving little missives 
 from the rebel colonel, begging for one word, that she had 
 no interest at stake at Washington, she was a Southerner ; 
 her husband was a rebel against his own land. She an- 
 swered one or two of them, but gave no very important 
 information, till she became alarmed lest she should be ar- 
 rested, when she wrote to him not to dare to write to her 
 again. 
 
 Madam Maryglot suspected her of disloyalty, and im- 
 proved all occasions to rant at wolves in sheep-skins, and 
 pretended friends, till they came to be open enemies. In 
 the darkest moment of suspense, she would taunt her with 
 being sorry that we were triumphant, or glad that we were 
 beaten, when really the poor lady was nearer dead than 
 alive, fearing to hear that some one she loved was killed. 
 Madam M. was better than any news-boy of the city ; she 
 would make her appearance and astonish a group of listen- 
 ers with, " Our army is outflanked. General Lee is 
 threatening Washington ! McDowell is encircled with bay- 
 onets, had nothing else to do but surrender at discretion." 
 She would stand and watch the effect of this piece of intel- 
 ligence upon her listeners, as one administering laughing-gas 
 to an audience would do, in a highly scientific manner. 
 When they were a little come to themselves, she would 
 leave them for new supplies. " We took Bull's Run bat 
 teries in the morning, but they were retaken in the evening. 
 Johnson, Beauregard, or Mr. General Fine-to-see, and Lee, 
 are concentrated at Manassas with 80,000 men, and as God 
 is on the side of the big batteries, we are most likely to be
 
 240 Tactics; or, 
 
 whipped in the contest." It is twelve o'clock at night, 
 and the doors of private houses are open, groups of sleep- 
 less ones ai*e on the steps and on the side walks, hearing 
 and telling the latest news in undertones. Afar the faint 
 rolling of the drum of the different regiments hastening tow- 
 ards General McDowell's head quarters is heard, the city is 
 awake but silent, as if the last trump had brought the inhabi- 
 tants of a " city of silence," from their dark beds and houses. 
 Toward morning the rumbling on the pavements of wagons 
 going to the camps, the trampling of the courier's horse 
 galloping in the avenue, and the conversation in the streets 
 are all that is heard. At one o'clock a regiment passes 
 Willard's. Three cheers are exchanged between the citizens 
 and the soldiers, and they take their run down the avenue. 
 Colonel Burnside came into town on Monday evening, and 
 after an interview of a quarter of an hour with General 
 Mansfield, returned to join his brigade. His hat and 
 coat were riddled with balls, and his face grimed with dust. 
 He did not say a word to the persons who obstructed his 
 passage in the lobby of Willard's. Colonel Burnside, you 
 are not alone in your speechless agony, America, the world 
 is dumb with grief! 
 
 THE BATTLE FIELD. 
 
 " Hero you might see 
 
 Barons and peasants on the embattled field, 
 Slain or half dead, in one huge ghastly heap, 
 Promiscuously amassed. With dismal groans 
 And ejaculation in the pangs of death, 
 Some call for aid neglected ; some o'erturned 
 In the fierce shock, lie gasping, and expire, 
 Trampled by fiery coursers : Horror thus 
 And wild uproar, and desolation reigned 
 Unrespited." 
 
 A voung rebel officer moves cautiously among the 
 wounded and dying and dead, on the scene of the late 
 bloody encounter. His large eyes are dilated, his lips com- 
 pressed ; his breath comes quick and hard like that of a
 
 Cupid iu Shoulder-Straps, 241 
 
 dying man, as lie motions to his men rather than give 
 them orders, to execute his wishes. He fears each ghast- 
 ly face will reveal the well remembered features of a rel- 
 ative, a class-mate, or bosom friend. A low moan call- 
 him to the side of an officer, lying on his face. He carefully 
 raises him, wipes the black dust away, and lo ! a cherished 
 friend ! He lays his hand on the heart. It still beats. He 
 calls for water, bathes the face and raises him in his arms. 
 A groan very low and faint comes from the parted lips, 
 tears rain on the pale face, and an outburst of manly 
 grief causes the dying man to open his eyes. He sees a 
 luvv-d class-mate. A sad smile plays like the light of a win- 
 try sun, for an instant around the purple mouth, and he is 
 insensible again. " Alton, Alton, my friend, k Would to 
 God I had died for thee ! ' " cried Lieutenant Ambert. The 
 men gathered around him, and the great hearts leaped to 
 the eyes, and ran in big drops over the rough faces stained 
 with powder and blood. He is no longer a foe, they no 
 longer thirst for his blood. He is raised tenderly in strong 
 arms, and borne to the hospital. Lieutenant Ambert 
 watches him night and day. Weeks of suffering and the 
 loving care of two lovely women, Mrs. Lieutenant Ambert 
 and Pauline DeSaye, brought him to a state warranting a 
 careful removal to New Orleans, to the home of Mrs. 
 Ambert. A relapse was the consequence, and a fever en- 
 sued. The physician gave him up to die, a clergyman 
 was called, and at Lieutenant Alton's request tinited him 
 and his frantic Pauline, in the holy bonds of marriage, 
 in the presence of Madam De Saye, who already loved him 
 with a mother's fondness ; indeed, it was impossible to look 
 into his sunny blue eyes, and ingenuous face, and not be- 
 come attached to him, so Pauline thought. As the crisis 
 of the fever approached, she hung over him, unwilling to 
 be relieved for a moment, as if calmly resolved to die with 
 him. The crisis came. The morning broke gray and chil- 
 ly, the mist creeping through the open casements like spir- 
 its from a " city of silence," throwing a death dew on the 
 faces of Pauline and him she would have died to save 
 11
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 The physician returning after but two hours' absence, was 
 shocked to find his patient gone, as he supposed, and the 
 young wife fallen, apparently as lifeless, forward on his 
 bosom. Pauline had listened to the last sigh of her lover, 
 and throwing herself on his pillow, swooned. 
 
 " Alas, the lore of woman ! it is known 
 
 To be a lovely and a fearful thing ; 
 For all of theirs upon that die is thrown, 
 
 And if 'tis lost, life has no more to bring 
 To them, but mockeries of the past alone ! " 
 
 Pauline had seen her mother looking exhausted and 
 worn-out, and persuaded her to retire for a little rest. Half 
 an hour after, Lieutenant Alton rose in the bed, a faint 
 sigh only escaping him, the terrified Pauline threAv her- 
 self on the pillow beside him, and swooned. The whole 
 house was like a church yard, so noiseless and still. The 
 physician rang the bell, took up Pauline and bore her into 
 the open air. The servants came, but at the sight of their 
 loved young mistress, fled through the house crying 
 " Miss'es Lena dead ! " The household gathered round her, 
 making every effort to restore her to consciousness. At last 
 the light of life came to the staring eyeballs, but seeing the 
 anxious faces hanging over her, she appeared to compre- 
 hend it all, and swooned again. She was borne to her cham- 
 ber, and a brain fever supervening, she lay in blessed un- 
 consciousness of her sorrows for ten days ; and when God 
 in his mercy restored her reason, the first eyes she looked 
 into were those of an angel ! ay those of one dearer to 
 her than all the angels in heaven her husband's ! As 
 time sped on, our dead restored to life, lived but for each 
 other. Every ray of intelligence respecting the war was 
 kept from Lieutenant Alton, but there were times when 
 he seemed to realize his position an officer of the Gov- 
 ernment a captive, doubly indebted to his captors for 
 life and a husband! Long hours he would sit and 
 ponder, thinking of that terrible day, of his comrades 
 in arms, of his noble friend Ambert, of his gentle and
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-straps. 243 
 
 loving nurses and last though not least, of his distracted 
 country ; and he would bow his sick and weak head on his 
 hand and sob like an infant, as if his heart was broken ! 
 Pauline would get her guitar and accompanying it with 
 her delicious voice, soothe his melancholy, causing him to 
 feel as he looked upon her, that he would almost forfeit 
 heaven itself to gaze on the heaven of her face ! 
 
 In the list of the brave among the reports culled from 
 the national papers, Pauline discovered her husband's 
 name among many of his class-mates and friends. She knew 
 they would be precious to him, and kept them sacredly for 
 him. She surprised him one morning with her treasures 
 in his hand, eagerly devouring their contents while the 
 tears rapidly followed each other over his emaciated face. 
 " In conclusion, it gives me great satisfaction to state that 
 the conduct of the officers and enlisted men of the sever- 
 al batteries was most exemplary. Exposed throughout 
 the day to a galling fire of artillery and small arms, sever- 
 al times charged by cavalry, and more than once aban- 
 doned by their infantry supports, both officers and enlist- 
 ed men manfully stood by their guns with a courage and de- 
 votion worthy of the highest commendation. Where all did 
 so well it would be invidious to make distinction, I there- 
 fore simply give the names of all the officers engaged, 
 viz. Major Hunt, Captains Carlisle, Ayers, Griffin, Tid- 
 ball and Arnold. Lieutenants Plat, Ransom, Thompson, 
 Webb, Green, Edwards, Dresser, Wilson, Throckmorton, 
 Gushing, Harris, Butler, Fuller, Lyford, Well, Benjamin, 
 Babbit, Haines, Ames, Hasbrouck, Kensell, Harrison, 
 Reed, Barlow, Noyes, Kirby, and Elderkin." She ten- 
 derly took the paper, and led him to the cigar holder.
 
 244 
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 " AFTER THE BATTLE." 
 
 " Night closed around the conqueror's wny, 
 
 And lightnings showed the distant hill, 
 Where those who lost, that dreadful day 
 
 Stood few and faint. but fearless still, 
 The soldier's hope, the patriot's zeal 
 
 Forever dimmed, forever crossed, 
 0, who shall say what heroes feel , 
 
 When all but life, and honor 's lost? " 
 
 The last sad hour of Freedom's dream, 
 
 And valor's task, moved slowly by; 
 While mute they watched till morning's beam, 
 
 Should rLe and give them light to die ! 
 There 's yet a world where souls are free, 
 
 Where tyrants taint not nature's bliss ; 
 If death that world's bright portal be, 
 
 0, who would live a slave in this ? ' ' 
 
 lone stood with the crowd, in the parlor, to hear the 
 latest news from the dead and dying ! At length, among 
 a number of officers that entered the hall, she thought she 
 saw Lieutenant Mera. How could she be sure it was he ? 
 How see him ? She walked the hall rapidly, now leaning 
 on the balustrade, now going to the window, fearing she 
 should see him go away. As she turned she saw the piano 
 open. Like a flash she thought of his promise to come if 
 she played the officers' call. She touched the keys softly, 
 fearing the people would think her wild. She listened, but 
 he did not come. She thought herself foolish to think he 
 would remember such a thing at such a time, but she 
 would try once more, and from very weakness she sat 
 down on the piano stool, leaned her head on the piano, 
 and struck the notes, one after another, as firmly and as 
 distinctly as she could.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder -Straps, 245 
 
 " What if he is not there, but is lying on the "battle 
 field ! " A hand rests on her head. She starts and sees 
 Lieutenant Mera at her side. She lays her hand in his and 
 thanks God that he is safe ! she tries to speak, but cannot. 
 
 " I am safe ; but poor Saberin is in the hospital, badly 
 wounded ! " 
 
 " She looks in his eyes with a wild stare, and drops her 
 head again on the piano. He bends over her and whispers 
 that she shall go to see him ; he will take her now. She 
 rises mechanically and goes fro her room. Deeply veiled she 
 returns to him. They thread the thronged streets filled 
 with the terrified residents, and the half-crazed, blood 
 stained and terrible soldiers. They reach the hospital, 
 and stand beside the pallet on which he lies. His eye has 
 no intelligence, but wanders as if in search of some one. 
 
 o * 
 
 His lips are drawn, as if his agonies were more than mor- 
 tal could bear. His dark curls lay in masses on his pallid 
 brow. lone trembling violently, leans over him, her eyes 
 set, and lips apart, ready to faint. His eye rests on her 
 a moment, and he raises his hand toward her, but it 
 falls again, and he closes his eyes and murmurs " Mary ! 
 Mary I " 
 
 lone grasps Lieutenant Mera's arm, to prevent herself 
 from falling on the couch. He supports her, saying " My 
 poor lone! How much more must you suffer ? " The sur- 
 geon came. 
 
 Lieutenant Mera asked what he thought, giving him to 
 understand they were very near friends of the wounded 
 officer. 
 
 lie gave lone a look of pity, and said, " I imagine he is 
 not dangerously wounded, but his life hangs upon the discre- 
 tion of his friends," which gentle hint Lieutenant Mera took, 
 and led her away. They entered the carriage, and lone 
 leaned back and closed her eyes, the fountain was stirred 
 and tears came to her relief. Lieutenant Mera raised her 
 veil and said, "lone I did wrong to take you to him, he 
 was only raving." The tones of his voice came over her 
 like a dream, reminding her of her first Saturday night
 
 Tactics; or, 
 
 on West Point, when he offered her a chair, and said, 
 " Rest, Miss lone ! " 
 
 , " Her every sense 
 
 Had been o'erstrung by pangs intense ; 
 
 And each frail fibre of her brain, 
 
 (As bow strings when relaxed by rain, 
 
 The erring arrows launch aside,) 
 
 Sent forth her thoughts all wild and wide." 
 
 " No, he was not raving ! I thank God you took me, 
 that I might know, for a certainty, all I suspected so long. 
 Why did I ever come where none are true ? Lieutenant 
 Mera, I told you, I would not act, but who was there to 
 feel an interest in me, except indifferent friends ? " 
 
 " Ah, Miss lone, I an indifferent friend ? My heart is 
 all your own, and God knows what I have suffered since I 
 
 knew you because I am poor ! " he muttered bitterlv. 
 
 He leaned back in the carriage. " Juan Alcantara ! un- 
 natural man ! " 
 
 " Juan Alcantara ! The truest man that ever lived ! I 
 love that name ! " 
 
 " What mean you, lone ? Juan Alcantara was my un- 
 natural uncle, for whom I was named." 
 
 lone hid her face in her hands. Her unhappiness seem- 
 ed to have culminated. Lieutenant Mera forgot all his 
 own wrongs and griefs to comfort her. 
 
 He took her hand and for the second time essayed to put 
 the mysterious ring on her finger. " Have faith in me, 
 dearest lone." 
 
 She raised the ring to her lips and the tears flowed un- 
 restrainedly. 
 
 " lone ! dear lone ! Why do you weep ? " 
 
 u Juan ! you spoke prophetically' when you called this 
 ring the key to your destiny. Your uncle's fortune can be 
 secured to you by it but " she added smiling a love- 
 smile through her tears, " you must take it with this en- 
 cumbrance ! " and she put her own little hand in his.
 
 Cupid in Shoulder-Straps, 217 
 
 "ARTICLE FOURTEENTH." 
 
 " The Column march in Retreat, to march it to the Front." 
 
 " 0, Death ! all eloquent, you only prove 
 
 What dust we doat on, when 'tis man we love." 
 
 " O, father ! I must go to the hospital, if I do not I 
 shall die ! " The eyes of Mr. Greenleaf rested tenderly 
 on his daughter ; great tears stood in his eyes. 
 
 " My darling child, it will kill you if you go ! and I 
 fear we cannot see him." 
 
 " I must, I must ! " she said, throwing her arms around 
 his neck. 
 
 He loosened her hand, to go for the carriage. She 
 rushed to her room and tied a thick veil over her bonnet, 
 that none might recognize the tear-stained face beneath. 
 As they entered the room the surgeon was ordering the 
 nurse to keep him very quiet and he might live. 
 
 " O, may I not speak one word to him, doctor ? " Mary 
 cried passionately. " May I not hear his voice once 
 more 1 " 
 
 " Please be quiet, madam," the surgeon answered. " He 
 is very weak, and does not recognize any one." 
 
 Mary threw back her veil, and regardless of everything, 
 knelt at the side of him she loved, and whispered " Ulm ! " 
 At the familiar sound, he opened his eyes a moment with a 
 glad look on, his death-like face but the look faded away 
 into one of anguish, and he murmured as before, " Mary, 
 Mary ! " She shrieked aloud for God to spare him to 
 her,, in tones that might have reached the ear of Death, 
 and covered his face with kisses that might have warmed 
 to life the marble statue.
 
 248 Tactics; or, 
 
 She was gently removed to the carriage, the surgeon 
 telling her that everything should be done to save him ; 
 that he would not die. 
 
 A few hours after, Mr. Greenleaf came to Tone's room 
 to ask her to go to Mary, she was ill and calling for her. 
 
 She ran at once. When she entered the room, Mary 
 was lying with her face covered with her hands. lone 
 forgot her own sorrow while contemplating the despair of 
 her friend. She stepped softly to her side and whispered, 
 " Mary dear Mary ! do you want me ? " The sympa- 
 thizing voice, so full of tenderness, like Moses' rod, opened 
 the sealed fountain and an agony of tears came like 
 mercv-drops to relieve her burdened heart. lone wept in 
 silence held and caressed the small white hand. When 
 wearied with weeping, Mary looked up and kissed lone 
 fervently, saying, '* I do not blame you, Mary ! nor 
 him for loving you he could not help it." 
 
 lone saw that Mary's eyes were fixed on Lieutenant Sa- 
 berin's class-ring, adorning her own fair hand. Their eyes 
 met Mary covered hers with her hand, lone slipped off 
 the ring from her ringer and attempted to put it on that of 
 her friend. 
 
 " No, no ! dearest lone, it was placed on your hand by 
 one who had a right to place it there." 
 
 " Mary, said lone, solemnly, " He had no right to place 
 on my finger any ring when his heart was yours. You 
 were engaged to him, were you not ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes ! " sobbed Mary, " Years ago, but he has 
 ceased to love me ! " 
 
 ^ Do not deceive yourself wilfully, Mary," and lone 
 persuaded her to lay her aching temples on the pillow, 
 while she rehearsed the short and simple story of her ac- 
 quaintance with and betrothal to Lieutenant Saberin, end- 
 ing with the scene at the hospital. " So you see dearest 
 Mary, your hold on his heart, was the one rulinor ' strong 
 in death. ' 
 
 " Oil, say not that ! God forbid that he should die now I 
 He will not restore him to me, only to tear him away 
 again ! "
 
 Cupid in Shoulder Straps, 249 
 
 lone soothed her as best she could, and promised to go 
 every day to the hospital with her, which she faithfully 
 performed. 
 
 "ABOUT FACE." 
 
 Before the threatening storms that settled darkly over 
 our proud Capital, Madam Maryglot decamped to the city 
 of brotherly love, Philadelphia. lone wrote to her every 
 week, and such letters ! Pauline had sent her brother 
 word by the safest conveyance, assuring him of the health 
 and safety of " her prisoner," and as Mary Greenleaf was 
 gradually restored to light and life, all her secrets were 
 duly forwarded to the grand safety fund the capacious 
 heart of that good lady ! From her we learn that lone 
 and Captain Mera, Mary Greenleaf and Captain Saberin, 
 
 captivating as a penitent as he had been killing as a 
 beau and being fearfully stung by his irate conscience, 
 as all Captain Saberins, I presume are and quite cured 
 of his jealousy of " sublime salad oil," as he persisted in 
 calling Mary's foreign lover, (who turned out to be a Turk 
 instead of a Russian) had enticed the chaplain of the 
 house to prevent further mishaps by bow-stringing all par- 
 ties with the silken bands of Hymen a temporary ar- 
 rangement however as when peace, the Heavenly dove 
 with the olive branch in her beak, shall again brood over 
 our beloved land, they are to order cards regularly from 
 Gimbi'ides, and inundate the whole country with them. 
 Madam Maryglot fell back exhausted in a fit of laughter, 
 mingled with tears, tears of thanksgiving that the sorrows 
 of her young favorites were turned to joy laughter 
 
 for she began the Latin quotation, " Quod Deus bene 
 vertat." " May God direct it to a good end " translat- 
 ing it from habit when Lieutenant Colonel Burlyton 
 came up before her mind's eye, as she remembered him 
 bowing before Mrs. Bobaline, repeating like a raving ma- 
 niac, quotations from every language he had ever seen or 
 heard. The recollection came near strangling her. Be- 
 ll*
 
 2-50 Tactics; or, Cnpid in Shoulder-Straps, 
 
 coming a little composed she adjusted her spectacles, three 
 pairs of them, to take a survey of the Future. Shall we, 
 my patient reader, borrow her spectacles to see what she 
 sees ? Spectacles 1st. The most refreshing of country 
 villages, everything new and fresh as the picture of a vil- 
 lage. The mansion of the place, in a park of forest trees 
 facing the Fifth Avenue of the town. Lieutenant Saber- 
 in crowning himself, a la Napoleon I. or in the parlance of 
 the rural districts, jumping over the broom-stick. There 
 was happiness worth looking at. Spectacles -d. A quiet 
 commotion in the streets of San Francisco, on account of 
 the arrival of a military cortege. A huge San Franciscan 
 full-dress party preparatory to a voyage to China to look af- 
 ter the chop-sticks, in English " the spoons." Spectacles 3d. 
 New Orleans at night. Paris boiled down ! Pauline 
 De Saye Alton wrapped in a misty dream of the past, re- 
 gards her lord reclining on the eider-down couch, in that 
 dolce far niente so peculiarly his own, and so very becom- 
 ing to him. He is enveloping his fine head in a saturnian 
 halo, whiffed lazily through his glittering teeth, and the 
 brown curls of his idolized mustache. 
 
 None of my heroes have " lumbered the army down 
 with poor wives ! " 
 
 DIXI.
 
 NEW BOOKS 
 
 And New Editions Recently Issued by 
 CARLETON, PUBLISHER, 
 
 (Late RUDD & CARLETON,) 
 413 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 
 
 N.B. THB PUBLISHER, upon receipt of the price in advance, will send any 
 of the following Books, by mail, POSTAGE FKEE, to any part of thp United States. 
 Tliis convenient and very safe mode may be adopted when the neighboring Book- 
 sellers are not supplied with the desired work. State name and address in lull. 
 
 lies Miserable*. 
 
 Victor Hugo's great novel the only complete unabridged trans- 
 lation. Library Edition. Five vols. izmo. cloth, each, $1.00. 
 The same, five vols. 8vo. cloth, $1.00. Paper covers, 50 cts. 
 The same, (cheap ed.) i vol. 8vo. cloth, $1.50. paper, $1.00. 
 
 L<es CTiserables Illustrations. 
 26 photographic illustrations, by Brion. Elegant quarto, $3.00. 
 
 Among the Pines, 
 or, Down South in Secession Time. Cloth, 81.00, paper, 75 cts. 
 
 my Southern Friends. 
 By author of "Among the Pines." Cloth, $1.00. paper, 75 cts. 
 
 Rutledge. 
 A powerful American novel^ by an unknown author, $1.50. 
 
 The Sutherland*. 
 The new novel by the popular author of " Rutledge," $1.50. 
 
 The Habits of Good Society. 
 
 A hand-book for ladies and gentlemen. Best, wittiest, most en- 
 tertaining work on taste and good manners ever printed, $1.50. 
 
 The Cloister and the Hearth. 
 
 A magnificent new historical novel, by Charles Reade, author 
 of "Peg WofEngton," etc., cloth, $1.50, papercovers, $1.25. 
 
 JBenlah. 
 A novel of remarkable power, by Miss A. J. Evans. $1.50.
 
 LIST Of BOOKS PUBLISHED 
 
 
 Artemus Ward, His Book. 
 
 The racy writings of this humorous author. Illustrated, $1.25. 
 
 The Old Merchants of New York. 
 
 Entertaining reminiscences of ancient mercantile New York 
 City, by " Walter Banett, clerk." First Series. $1.50 each. 
 
 Like and Unlike. 
 Novel by A. S. Roe, author of "I've been thinking," &c.$l 50. 
 
 Orpheus C. Kerr Papers. 
 Second series of letters by this comic military authority. 1.25. 
 
 Marian Grey. 
 New domestic novel, by the author of "Lena Rivers," etc. $1.50. 
 
 Lena Rivers. 
 A popular American novel, by Mrs. Mary J. Holmes, $1.50. 
 
 A Book about Doctors. 
 An entertaining volume about the medical profession. $1.50. 
 
 The Adventures of Verdant Green. 
 Humorous novel of English College life. Illustrated. $1.25^ 
 
 The Culprit Fay. 
 Joseph Rodman Drake's faery poem, elegantly printed, 50 cts. 
 
 Doctor Antonio. 
 A charming love-tale of Italian life, by G. Ruffini, $1.50. 
 
 Lavinia. 
 A new love-story, by the author of " Doctor Antonio," $1.50. 
 
 Dear Experience. 
 An amusing Parisian novel, by author " Doctor Antonio," $ i .00. 
 
 The Life of Alexander Von Humboldt. 
 A new and popular biography of this savant, including his 
 travels and labors, with introduction by Bayard Taylor, 1.50. 
 
 Love (L'Amonr.) 
 A remarkable volume, from the French of Michelet. $1.25. 
 
 Woman (La Feninie.) 
 A continuation of " Love (L'Amour)," by same author, 61.25. 
 
 The Sea (La ITIer.) 
 New work by Michelet, author " Love" and " Woman," $1.25. 
 
 The Moral History of Woman. 
 Companion to Michelet's " L'Amour," from the French, $1.25. 
 
 Mother Goose for Grown Folks. 
 Humorous and satirical rhymes for grown people, 75 cts. 
 
 The Kelly's and the O' Kelly's. 
 Novel by Anthony Trollope, author of" Doctor Thorne," $1.50.