The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-09-10
HARDLY A ROMANCE.
y STORY WHICH WOULD BE I'M
PROVED BY A LITTLE FICTION.

AFTER All, Disappointing.
Fire island wouid be sighted the next
day it all went we'll, and the great
steamer rushed through the water as If
she were as anxious TO reach her pier us
those whom she bore were to be at home
again. a li,tle party of men sat by a
sinOkestack telling stories. The play of
the moonli mt on the waves had turned
channels. AID the judge, giving way to
the influence of the lowers lamp" told
the following story:
You know | was a colonel in the
Union army i'll the war. Well. early in
the struggle ! was ordered to Louisville,
where | reported to General Don Carlos
Buell.. Instructions were given me to
90 into camp with my regiment about
six miles sul,th of the city. The place
chosen for the encannplnent was the
lawnof a fine country place. the home of
one of Kentucky's blueblooded old fan
lilies. The were known to be in
strong sympathy with the south, so we
had no computations about disfiguring
the ground by making our temporary
home III them.
"On arriving at the farm | and ON
of my officers rode up to the house TO
range for such food as we could get.
We found 30 young women, pretty as
pictures, awaiting us on the broad We
randa. They had seen the preparations
g., ,.Nl,,,g. Al. X,,,+, ,,AI .,..u -:
IDENTIFY not pleased. ~dismounted, made
my best bow and explained that the ext
gencies of vi ar compelled us to camp on
their lawn. | assured them that the
soldiers would Inconvenience them as
little as pos iible.
1.-THE two listened TO my little speech
with looks If anger, and the taller one
snapped wa: 'You shall not camp On
our place. The last time onion soldiers
were here ve didn't have cream for our
coffee for t"o weeks and we don't pro.
pose to stand it again
I'VE soldiers, accustomed to pretty
rough fare. could not help laughing at
this, and the flush on the faces of the
women grew hotter. l fastened to
apologize and to say again that We
would he n, considerate las the necessi.
ties of war permitted. Then we rode to
our tents.
The next morning | visited the house
again to ste about getting SOM provi-
sions. The young women We're still
naughty, but | did my best to soften
their %antipathy. did save them much
annoyance and they could not help being
grateful. somehow | found occasion to
visit the house daily, and sometimes |
managed 10 conjure up IA second preteXt
before bedtime. AT the end of "A week
the sisters regarded me more AZ an indi-
vidual and less as Il Union officer, for |
studiously avoided referring to the war.
Once or twice the elder one told lie
with flashing eyes what would happen
to our men when they met IA Confederate
force on the battlefield. Her brother
was Il captain in General Humphrey
Marshalls army, and she warned me
against getting within rifle shot of his
regiment.
I'VE got on swimmingly on the whole,
however. and | confess | grew more
than Il little fond of the spirited girl.
In Il little while the order came to move
III to eastern Kentucky, and | felt nm
commonly sad when | rode mp to the
house to tell the young ladies goodby.
| imagined there was a slight sign of
emotion in the elders pretty face when
| told the news, but it disappeared al
most instantly. Holding ont her hand
to me she said frankly: 'Goodby. colo
mel. | am really sorry to see You go.
You are not so bad-for "A Yankee.
Please avoid my brother. Iou migut
get into trouble
Il laughed. Would you like to see
your brother | asked.
"'Oh, yes. Why do You ask she said.
puzzled.
well, III send him to see you them
1t was her turn to laugh, and she said
mockingly, You'd better look out when
he's in the same county with YOU |
rode away, the tones. but not the words,
ringing in my ears.
Not long afterward my regiment was
in eastern Kentucky. One night two of
our men brought in IA prisoner. He had
carelessly wandered outside his lines
and been captured. A handsome young
fellow he certainly was, with the bear
ing of a cavalier. What is your name?
| asked him.
Captain -, of the - Kentucky
he replied.
Il was all excitement, but | tried to
speak in calm tones, Do you live about
SIX miles south of Louisville!' | asked,
to make assurance doubly sure. He
said with some surprise that he did.
The next day | arranged that the pris-
oner should be paroled. | said that |
knew his family and would vouch for
his honor. He was allowed to go home
after giving the usual pledge. merely
explained to him that | had met his sis
tiers, and asked him to tell them that
Colonel -, of the - Minnesota. had
sent him. He said he would, and started
for Louisville"
There vas silence for "a time. Finally
Soma ono SOL ..Wall."