San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-11


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 a step or two, as
though eager to meet and take by the
hand each newcomer. Even the elders
among the women find il hard to go,
and as for the girls, they Gnger 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 winsome words, her rip
ping laughter.
Its Just the only chance we've had
to ourselves, Miss Nita," protests Wini-
fred Berrien. 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 tonightr'
Indeed, Winnie, don't want to go.
1t seems to Inc 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"
ut is entirely unlike what life on the
frontier used to he, Miss Guthrie" all
swerS her hostess. the majors wife, iH
her calm, placid way. ANY one con
trasting our beatitude of today with our
life here. there and everywhere over the
west during the Indian campaigns in
which the regiment was necessarily Ell
gagged can only wonder how we found
it possible to exist in those days. Social
conditions have changed, too, and III the
gathering of our troops in larger gar
risons 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
are coming again, are you nOtT'
IF wishing will bring it about shall
be with you again with the coming sum.
mer or early in the spring. | have prom.
ised Mrs Holden that | will return to
her if only for fortnight"
The enthusiasm excited among the
girls and apparently shared by all the
women present when this announcement
is made ought certainly to convince
Miss Guthrie that they most reluctantly
part with her now and most pleasantly
anticipate her future coming The
! Clamor of voices is such that for a time
no one is conscious of the fact that out
| on the parade the regimental line has
formed, and that the band is already
trooping down the front. Berrien had
taken his position as commanding off.
Ger. Several subalterns, whose heads
were kept rigidly straight to the front
found their eyes wandering furtively
over toward the majors quarters In
couples and groups nun Der of the H.,
dies come sauntering forth, gathering
opposite the center nearer the colonel,
house, from which point they generally
watched the closing ceremony of The
day. But still Obhvious to any music
but that of her voice a dozen of theiI
number hover about Miss Guthrie Ever
gunfre fails to distract their attention
1t is not until the major himself returns
tossing off his helmet and tugging at hi
waistbelt, that they realize that parad
is over and dinner waiting.
Now, you will come back mex
spring." You will write?" You won
forget to send me the photograph-mind
cabinet size-Miss NitaY' Indeed ;
ever | get anywhere near st. Louis YOU
be the first soul shall come in search of
1t is little flock of enthusiastic arm
girls surrounding her, maidens who's
early lives had been spent WANDERING
from river to mountain, from the gul
to the Columbia, to whom city life wa
almost recitation, and city bellies bt
ings from another world. Winifre
Berrien is the leader of the coterie,
. girl whose eyes are as dark as Nitas al
!, blue, and they are ready to brim over a
this very instant.
Here comes Captain Rolfe for yo
now, and we've got to let you go; bu
9 we'll all be down to see you off at trai
time"
The man who enters at the momeI
l and stands just within the heavy Nav;
10 portiere, smilingly looking upon tn
: group and quite unconscious of the a
most vengeful chances in the eyes of tn
young girls, IS a cavalry officer abor
thirty-fve years of age. He is tall fe
low, somewhat heavily built, yet we