The Republican journal., 1872-10-24


general at dinner, only she and her hus
band know; but, after dinner was over
the general was seen with his fishing
tackle making his way to the trout stream
Two days after this, Mrs Dr. Gilbert
arrived; and with her came her sister-in
law, Daisy Gilbert Daisy Gilbert was
uncommonly pretty. She had curls anC
dimples and smiles tluttering around ant
across her face She was 1.-THE and grace
ful, though petite. She had considerable
Independence of character. She seldom
asked advice, and still more seldom took
it. She was, in q word, Il spirited little
beauty.
BY the time of her arrival there was 4
distincty-recognizpd hostility between
Mrs. Gen. Bulington and Mrs. Crestle
They still greeted each other politely
enough; but Col Crestle did not smoke
an atter-tlinner cigar, as formerly on the
piazza Of Mr. Bullington's cottage; and a
distinct boundary line seemed now to be
drawn between the respective premises ol
the two gentlemen.
The arrival of Daisy Gilbert produced
a marked effect on the camp. In the
first place only did it inspire the two nm
married lieutenants with Il wild passion.
which made them drill their men for the
most rtrt directly under her windows,
especially when n right or left wheel was
required. Thereby Daisy's lawn was in
.lured, and her temper slightly rntfleh But
strong as was Daisy's effect upon the
gentlemen, still more marked and intense
was the impression she produced upon the
ladies. Mrs Gen. Burlington remarked
TO Mrs. Crestle that Daisy was so gentle
and modest. Mrs. Crestle replied in
acqniesencc with Mrs Burlington ,intimat-
ing that a chief charm of Daisy was that
she never gave herself any airs. TO this
Mrs. Burlington retorted that Miss Gilbert
wasn't always ''working and conriving
to gain gentemen's attention. Mrs Cres-
tle;" and Mrs Crcstle responded that she
wasn't SO old that she had to exert herself
to do so. The ladies were fast becoming
a little broad and elegant in the manner
of scratching each other, being so tar re-
moved from civilization. Each looked on
Daisy as an adhrrent that must be won 10
her side But Daisy would not ally her
self to either the Burlington or the Crestle
faction; though she was Il great pet with
the general and accel ted numberess lit
tie attentions from Col. Crestle.
"Now. one day, when it happened that
Daisy and Mrs. Crestlc We're on Mrs.
! Bullington'S piZza together, Il sergeant
came up with a message to the general.
which he delivered and went way
'What a handsome soldier" said Daisy
'Is he ?" said Gen Burlington
''My dear" said Mrs Burlington. 'svou
really onght not TO notice a common sol
dier."
"He wasn't a common soldier" said
Daisy. ''ior he had braid on his arm
"The principle is the same,h sail Mrs
Burlington.
But he was handsome insisted Daisy
and Mrs. Crestle laughed. But Mrs.
Burlington did not laugh
She delivered a sort of lecture up0n the
evils which might arise from Young ladies
looking at young people OF the opposite
sex and then, with swift, feminine logic,
asserted that such evils were intensified
when there was great social inequality he
tween the locker on and the looked ON.
Daisy stood there, very pretty and Slight
ly yexed, pulled q boquet to pieces. as the
calm stream of Mrs. Bullington's dis
course mcandered gently on. Again the
sergeant appeared, and stood before them
Daisy saw him look al her admirngly and
colored; then she observed that his eve
fell upon the flowers she held. Suddenly
and almost abruptly, she held them out to
him.
'Do you like flowers ?" she asked ''If
You do. you can have them" And the
sergeant bowed, and glanced expressively
at he'-his eye was blue and expressive,
and then he walked away.
''My dear" began Mrs. Burlington;
and then she stopped; utterance tailed
her.
"Well," said Mrs. Crestle, ''has that
sergeant made conquest of you, Daisy
First you called him handsome then you
gave him flowers what will yon do next?"
''Oh was that the same sergeant ?' said
the little humbug, innocently.
''Of course it was" replied Mrs. Cres-
tie.
II think you are mistaken, Mrs Cres-
tle," said Mrs Gen. Burlington, with DIG
nifty.
''Oh, come now !" said Gen. Burlington
Indignantly, ''let us drop the sergeant"
And so the sergeant was dropped. But
some three or four days afterward, as the
same people We're sitting in the same spot.
Col. Crestie said
There is going TO be ball Tomorrow
night"
"a bail ?" said Daisy, suddenly bright
ening up
yes" said Col. Crestle; 81 ball over
at Porter's Gap. Shall we 90 ?"
''oh. yes ~ said Daisy: ''bY all means q"
"Why, Nel,'' said Mrs. Crestle: '.inst
think what you are proposing! There
will be miners and all sorts Of creatures
there; and its fifteen miles away from
here. Our going is quite ont Of the ques-
ton"
81 think you are mistaken, Mrs. Cres-
tle,' said Mrs, Bullingtou. at is possible
for us to go, and for one should enjoy
it. General, we will 60, and will take
Daisy with us"
''Very we'll" said the general subms-
sivcly.
Now, Mrs. Gen. Bullinoton did not wish
to 90 to the ball at Porter's Guch, and
only the controversial spirit inspired her
| to do so. But, of course, it was impoSSi-
! Bile for her to recede from her position :;
and so, on the appointed evening, she and
! Daisy, together with Gen. Burlington and
DR.. Gilbert, entered the huge mountain
wagon belonging to the camp, and start
ed for Porters Gulch Just rs they enter
ed that hourshiny settlement, Dr. Gilbert
was recognized, and carried off to attend
a sick person ncarb so that the Bullng
tons and Daisy entered the dining room
Of the GuIch House, where the ball was
to take place, alone.
The dining-room was certainly not an
imposing apartment. The ceiling was
low and smoky; the walls, unlike those
in most OF the houses at Porter's Gulch,
were papered, but with paper so hdeous
in its design and color as to make the
spectator re ret that the laths and plaster,
which had, at all events, the merit of
simplicity, were hidden from view. Dane
ing had already begun when the Bullng
ton party entered. The room was crowd
ed; there were three sets of 'plain cotil-
lions"-wonderfully plain, Daisy thought,
with shudder, already on the floor :;
while forty-three young men with large
feet and hands, who were unable to secure
partners, sat grimly in the seats which
were placed on all four sides of the ball
room. Such a motley assemblage as that
was! Fat women, gaunt women, gray
haired women, and little girls among the
dancers; and grandmother, if Daisy