Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-05-24
LOVE AND A BLIZZARD.

The sweet air unIalnUeu Dy tue lOul
breath of the town, blew as it never
does east of the Rockies, in regular,
rhythmical swells.
Although it was early April, the
prairies were green, and covered with
the hardy blue and crimson flowers
which bloom beneath the snow. 1t
was just the day of all others when
confinement within four walls is in
tolerable, and the joy of mere animal
existence demands expression.
On the piazza of her fathers quar-
ters Katy Dare was standing, looking
at the sky, which was unhidden by
architectural deformities, undimmed
by the smoke of trade.
ooh. gift Of God! Oh, perfect day!
Wherein shall no man work, but play,
she sang softly. That's just it; we
must do something. Think of letting
this glorious weather go by without
recognition. Tomorrow we may be
perishing with cold"
Quickly the dainty maiden ran be-
meath the row of prim cottonwood
trees which looked more than ever
like hop-poles in their leatless state,
and raped impatiently at the door
of quaint, old adobe house which
stood with its many blinking windows
facing the parade ground. Mrs. Rem
some, the wife of the Captain, who
mothered every girl in the garrison,
and was perfect mine of new and de
lightful social projects, would know
Just what to do with this June day
which some way had slipped into
April's calendar.
Seated in the pretty parlor waiting
for the busy housewife, Katy Dare
made a lovely picture. From the
crown of her pretty head to the tip of
her tiny shoe, she was simply irresisti-
BILE. You could no more classify her
beauty than analyze the perfume of a
violet. There were no standards in
her case. She was herself and there
fore to be loved. The strongest-mind-
ed person well fortified by theories.
became her most unreasoning slave.
Absolute, unconditional surrender was
the fate of all.
The wife of the Chaplain, Mrs. Nc
Graft, who had long since constituted
herself the moral policeman of the
garrison. had been known to defend
the most bare-faced flirtations on Ka-
ty's part, and lay all the blame upon
the victims of her charms-'those de-
signing young men,"
From the gray haired commanding
officer, to the colored striker of the
Youngest Lieutenant, she was queen
of hearts, Sweet and gracious was
her sway. Even the most obtuse no
ticed that there were fewer card par
ties at the suffers store since Katy's
return from boarding g-school; and
brave indeed was that man who ven
tured into her presence with his lips
tainted with wine. Yet she was far
from perfect; a more willful, arrant
little fiirt never lived Her love af-
fairs kept the garrison in a state Of
breezy excitement. The number of
pale, woe-begone young men who pc
riodically asked to be exchanged into
far distant regiments was legion. 1t
was darkly limited that every unlnar-
ried man within radius of one nun
dred miles had proposed and been re-
jected.
Major Dare protested that the dis
cipline of the Seventh was being ru-
ined; the men did not half attend to
their duties, and then begged Katy to
forgive him for his cruelty; and at
last the suffering victims of her ire
sistible ways found themselves 10 be
regarded as presumptuous offenders.
Still the army of martyrs grew.
At the time when our story opens a
consumptive Episcopal clergyman
was softly signing at her feet. Rev.
James Little had come TO Wyoming
Territory in search of health. His
cousin, Captain Little, had found him
quarters in the town near the Post,
and introduced him to the social life
of the garrison.
A wonderful change now took place
in Katy Dare. Waltzes and operate
songs were banished from her music
stand. and Gregorian chants reined
in their stead Regularly she went
TO Caldwell, where the enthusiastic
churchman had commenced to hold
daily services. The surplices for the
choir boys were fashioned by her dim
Piled hands. Demurely seated in the
rough, bare room, which did duty as
a chapel, she listened attentively TO
eloquent discourses on love and the
domestic virtues, which at this time
formed the theme of the rector's SER
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