Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-09-12

of it all. responds Mrs. Vance, whose
theories are not to be lightly shaken.
WAS there some early affair."?
My dear Mrs. Vance, have no doubt
l could tell you dozen stories, all plausi-
| BILE, all in active circulation when last
visited St. Louis and saw her in society
there and all as near the truth, prob
ably as any we could invent here. No
body knows but Mia, and she. won't
| tell
Now as the autumn sun. all red bur
nished gold. is sinking to the horizon on
this final day.of charming and memoir
| able visit Nita Guthrie is bidding adieu
with laughing, kindly cordiality to the
| little coterie gathered in her honor To
one and all she has the same frank. gra-
cious manner. Over all she throws the
same odd magnetic spell, seeming to I'M
press each and every one in turn with
! the same idea. Now. you are just the
! most thoroughly delightful creature
! have ever met. and cannot bear to say
! goodby to you" There is the lingering
hand clasp. and yet not the faintest sen
timentality Nita S blue eyes-very blue
gaze straight into those of her friends
/ She seems to advance IL step or two, as
/ though eager TO meet and take by the
hand each newcomer. Even the elders
among the women find it hard to go.
and as for the girls, they inger spell
bound: they cluster about her. watch
ing the sunshine in her face. the play of
her features. the sparkle of her ewes.
drinking IN her winsone words her rip
| ping laughter.
Its just the only chance we've had
to ourselves. Miss Nita protests Wini-
fred Berllen You've been surrounded
by men all the rest of the time. and we
couldn't see you now if it weren't that
they had to be in stables. Oh if you
only didn't have to go tonight
Indeed, Winnie. don't want to 60
1t seems to lAe nothing can be more de-
lightful than life in an army post like
this Certainly no girl ever had better
time anywhere than you have given me
here. and it is SO unlike what fancied
it might be.
1T is entirely unlike what life on the
frontier used to be. Miss Guthrie" an
swers her hostess. the majors wife, in
her calm. placid way. ANY one con-
trasting oEr beatipude of today with our
life here. there and everywhere over the
which the regiment was necessarily en-
gagged can only wonder how we found
it possible to exist in those days. Social
conditions have changed. too. and in the
gathering of our troops in larger gar
risons ii great many of the unpleasant
features of the old life have been elm
mated entirely Indeed. | wish YOU
might stay and see more of us But you
If wishing will brlng it about shall
be with you again with the coming sum
mer or early IN the spring. | have prom
Used Mrs Holden that l. will return to
her if only for Il fortnight.
The enthusiasm excited among the
girls ana apparently shared BY all the
women present when this announcement
is made ollglt certainly to convince
Miss Guthrie hat they most reluctantly
part with her now and most pleasantly
anticipate her future coming The
clamor of voices is such that for time
no one Is conscious of the fact that out
on tae paraoe the regimentaI line has
formed amt that the band is already
tro0plng down the front. Berrien had
taken MS position as commanding Off
Ger Several subalterns. whose heads
were Kept rIgldly straight to the 'front.'
found their eyes wandering furtlvely
over toward the major quarters In
couples and groups number of the la
dies come sauntering forth. gathering
opposite the center nearer the coloneFs
house, from which point they generally
watched the closing ceremony of the
day. But still obl1vious to any music
but that Of her voice a dozen of their
number hover about Miss Guthrie Even
gunfire fails to distract their attention.
1t is not until the major himself returns,
tossing off his helmet and Juggling at his
waistbelt. that they realize that parade
is over and dinner waiting
Now YOU will come back next |
spring.? You will write?' You won't |
forget to send me the photograph-mi
cabinet size-Miss Nita?" Indeed #
ever get anywhere near ST. Louis you'll |
be the first soul shall come in search Of :
1t is little flock of enthusiastic army |
girls surrounding her. maidens whose
early lives had been spent wandering
from river TO mountain. from the gulf
to the Columbia, to whom city life was
almost revelation, and city bellies be-
ings from another world. Winifred |
Berrien is the leader of the coterie, |
girl whose eyes are as dark as Nitas are |
blue, and they are ready to brim over at |
this very instant.
Here comes Captain Rolfe for you |
now, and we've got to let you go; but |
we'll all be down to see you off at train |
time.
The man who enters at the moment |