Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-07-21

I Scores of the garrison proper seem in
clined to follow his example, and the
4 tall, dark faced black bearded soldier
handsome fellow-leaning ON the
/ breast-high wall over at the east end
midway between the hospital at the edge
of the bluff and the junior surgeons
quarters, his chin on his arms, his cap
pulled well down over his eyes, seems to
have been stricken by the general SOM
nolence. 1t is only the ladies who are
wide awake and alert, for this is Nita
Guthrie's last appearance, so to speak.
She has been paying brief visit to DIR.
and Mrs. Holden, kinsfolk Of hers, but
is to take the east bound train this very
night. Mrs. Holden goes, too, leaving
her lord, the Junior medical officer of the
station, to the mercy of the other wom-
en-, and of all the families of some thirty
married officers stationed in this big gar
rison not one is unreprcsented at Major
Berrien's today, for Nita Guthrie has
won all hearts. But this, say those who
have known her long, is an old, old story
with Nita; she has been doing the same
thing for years.
There is tang Of suggestiveness about
this statement; moreover, it is true: Miss
Guthrie is not in the first bloom of
youth 'Why, she must be nearly thir-
! ty," say some of the younger girls and
younger matrons, who envy her none the
4 less the freshness, the grace, the win
Eomeness that hover about her mobile
face; but those who are in position to
know and have no reason to feel the
faintest jealousy assert very positively
that Nita is not more than twenty-five.
"Well, why hasn't she married?' is the
instant query of Mrs. Vance, to whose
benighted mind it ever appears that be-
cause woman hasn't she cannot.
Simply because the right man is yet
to come" is Mrs. Harper's equally prompt
reply. ''Nita Guthrie has had more Of
fers in six years than any woman ever
heard Of !"
''Then there must be something back
of it all" responds Mrs. Vance, whose
theories are not to be lightly shaken
'fWas there some early affair.""
"My dear Mrs. Vance, have no doubt
could tell you dozen stories, all plausi-
bic, all in active circulation when last |
visited st. Louis and saw her in society
4 there, and all as near the truth, prob
ably, as any we could invent here. No
body knows but Nita, 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 a charming and memor-
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
4 press each and every one in turn with
4 the same idea, "Now, you are lust 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 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 20,
and as for the girls, they linger spell
bound; they cluster about her, watch
ing the sunshine in her face, the play Of
her features, the sparkle Of her eyes,
drinking in her winsoine words, her rip
ping laughter.
''It's just the only chance we've had
to ourselves, Miss Nita, 7 protests Wini-
fred Berrien. you've been surrounded
by men all the rest of the time, and we
couldn't see you now il it weren't that
they had to be in stables. Oh, if you
only didn't have to go tonightl''
Indeed. Winnie. don't want to 90.