Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-11-08

ruin and waste; my brilliant hopes and
prospects have been worse than crushed
and now I am simply Sergeant Butler, ex-
cept tonight, when I try to forget what
| am, and return to what | was. This
waltz is over; may dance with you
again?"
sBut Mrs. Burlington will detect you, l
am afraid" said Daisy.
'eNot a bit" said the Sergeant, gayly.
Introduce me and see." And straightway
Daisy did so.
''Let me see," said Mrs. Burlington, re-
1ectively. "Curran, Curran. Your face
seems familiar. Are you relative of
Mrs. Joseph Curran, of Philadelphia-a
charming woman, and very dear friend
of mine?"
81 am her husbands nephew" said Mr..
Harry Curran, with bow.
''Dear mel" said Mrs. Burlington, 81
thought your face seemed familiar. Gen
eral, how much he reminds one of Joseph
Curran"
''Very," said the General.
''You must take good care of Daisy to-
night" said Mrs. Burlington, blandly.
'The child is passionately fond of dane
ing, and enjoys the picturesque element
she finds among these people. Only the
other day she quite went into raptures
over such commonplace looking Ser
geant at the camp-said he was handsome
so ridiculous, you know"
The child upon this blushed vividly,
and hastily said it was time for the next
dance; upon which Mr. Curran checked
the flow of Mrs Bullington's conversation
by carrying Daisy off.
care you really Mr.. Joseph Curran's
nephew" asked Daisy.
"Certainly," said Mr.. Curran.
Daisy looked carefully at him. He
seemed handsome; but she fancied his
look had little eXultation in it,
"Do you know who the handsome Ser
geant at the camp is?" she asked, and had
the pleasure of seeing a shade of doubt
appear in his expression
" No, do not" he said. "Has he a
mustache?"
ooh, mol" replied Dasy; ga full beard
and taller and darker than you are. And [
only said he was handsome to tease Mrs.
Burlington"
"Will you do me favor?" asked Mr.,
Curran.
"Perhaps," said Daisy, "What is it?"
"When Mrs. Burlington is ready to
leave, delay her a little" replied Mr..
Henry Curran, "until we can start ahead
of them, and get back to the camp in
time"
Now, at this moment the wrath of Mrs.
Gen. Burlington was aroused. She sat
and looked upon the throng, but mingled
not with them. Now, beside the "caller,"
who stood mounted on platform behind
the melodeon, and by the side of the
trumpet, was bottle and tumbler; and
in the bottle was the national beverage,
whisky. Agreeably exhilarated by the
national beverage, the natural wit and
humor of the caller of figures began to
find vent. Accordingly he varied his
calls from the dull and stereotyped rou-
tine. Instead of "Lady forward, and
swing opposite gentleman, and balance to
fourth gentleman" he cried, LADY for
ward, and swing the handsomest man in
the room, and then balance to the one
she loves best" This filled the bosom of
Mrs Gen. Burlington with disgust; and
when Daisy and Mr.. Curran returned, she
announced her intention of leaving ''this
disgraceful scene" But Daisy teased for
Just one dance more, and Mr.. Curran
seconded her; and so she went out for the
Virginia Reel. Mrs. Burlington saw the
figures of ungainly men and calico dress
ed bellies go spinning about, and grew
thoroughly glad that Mrs. Crestle was not
present to exult in her discontinue. Very
long, indeed, the dance seemed to her, and
very much astonished she was when
Daisy appeared alone beside her.
"Why, where is Mr.. Curran?" she
asked; and Daisy explained that he had
been called away. Then Mrs. Burlington
rose to go; but Daisy was such long
time getting ready that she grew quite
impatient and the General quite sleepy.
And then, when they were all seated in
the ambulance, Daisy found she had for
gotten her fan, and it was absolutely nee
essary to go back and get it. But at last
they reached the camp, and Daisy broke
the silence whichhad oppressed them
with the words:
"Quite safe Oh, am so glad"
"Of course we are quite safe, you fool
ish child" said Mrs. General Burlington.
"You had better go straight to bed. You
have been dancing too much tonight"
And Daisy thought perhaps she had,
though she did not say anything, but
went slowly, very slowly, to sleep.
"To-morrow morning." she thought,
when he comes, as he probably will, to
the Generals cottage with some message,
he will not find me there, and that will
disappoint him. And when he does see
me he will smile from under his mus
tache-his mustache is certainly very be-
coming-and l shall look very blank.
How disappointed he will bel" And so
Daisy began to dream.
The next day found Daisy very fretful
and disappointed. Cause-her plans had
been frustrated. In the first place, he
did not come in the morning; in the
second place, when he did come, in the
afternoon, he did not smile from under
his mustache, partly because his mus
tache was shaved off, and partly because,
having flirted occasionally in his life be-
fore, he was prepared for a feminine re-
action on the part of Daisy from the
graciousness of her behavior on the pre-
ceding night
But the next day General Burlington,
who had made a pet in every way of
Daisy, blindly became an instrument in
the hands of Providence.
"My dear" said he, "I have found
horse in the camp that will just suit
you. Horseback riding will do you
good"
ooh, it will be lovely" cried Daisy,
loyously; and then, as an afterthought,
added, t"but can't 60 alone, General"
'sThat is true" said the General. 81
have told Sergeant Butler to act as your
escort. He is a good honest sort of a
fellow-very trustworthy; and, while he
rides behind you, you can feel quite
safe"
II should feel safe, ] know, General"
said Daisy, demurely; "but would it be
"Properl Oh, confound itr' said the
General; "I forgot all about that. I'll
ask Matilda"
Matilda. on being asked, and on hear
ing casually that Mrs. Crestle had said it