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

frontier used to be, Miss Guthrie" :" an
swers her hostess, the majors wife, in
her calm, placid way. ANY one con
trasting our beatitude of today with oui
life here, there and everywhere over the
west during the Indian campaigns in
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 ~ar-
risons a great many of the unplea IT
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 not?"
IF wishing will bring it about l shall
be with you again with the coming sum
ner 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 time
no one is conscious of the fact that out
on the parade the regimental line has
4 formed, and that the band is already
4 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 a number Of the la
4 dies come sauntering forth, gathering
opposite the center nearer the colonel's
house, from which point they generally
watched the closing ceremony of the
day. But still oblivious to any music
+ but that of her voice 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 tugging at his
waistbelt, that they realize that parade
I is over and dinner waiting.
''Now, you viii come back next
! spring?" sYou will writer" "You won't
forget to send me the photograph mind,
cabinet size Miss Nitar' "Indeed If
I ever get anywhere near st. Louis you'll
7 be the first soul | shall come in search of. -
I 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 a revelation, and city bellies be-
ings from another world. Winifred
Berrien is the leader of the coterie, a
girl whose eyes are as dark as Nita's 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
well all be down to see you off at train
time
The man who enters at the moment
and stands just within the heavy Nava-
jo portiere, smilingly looking upon the
group and quite unconscious of the al
most vengeful glances in the eyes Of the
young girls. is "a cavalry officer about
thirty five years of age. He is a tall fell
low. somewhat heavily built, yet well
broportioned and athletic. His face is
tanned by long exposure to the sun and
wind Of the wide frontier. His brown
hair, close cropped, has a suspicion of
gray just silvering the temples. His
eyebrows are thick and strongly marked
The eyes beneath are deep set and
fringed with heavy lashes. The mus
tache, sweeping from his upper lip, is of
a lighter brown than his hair, but
equally thick, heavy and curling. Other
wise his face is smoothly shaved, and is
one which impresses those who look
upon it, even carelessly, as strong and
resolute. He still wears the double
breasted coat, with shoulder knots and
fourragere, just as he had come off
parade, though he has exchanged he'll
met for forage cap, which latter head
gear at this moment is being dandled in
one hand, while the fingers of the other
beat rapid tattoo upon the visor Com
rades of Rolfe would tell you this is a
sign that he is nervous; yet to look at
him there, smiling upon the group, quite
as though remarlzing what pretty pic
ture they make, no one else would be
apt to think of such thing.
Ready in moment, Rolfe," shouts
the major from an inner room. "You
ready, Berengaria?'
81 am always ready, Richard, as you
well know" is Mrs. Berriens placid re-
sponse. 81 think | never kept you wait
ing so much as a moment"
''Promptest woman in the army or
out Of it," booms the major from his
sanctum, his joyial voice resounding
through the rooms of the bright garri-
son home. s'Never knew anything like
it, Miss Guthrie. Why, do you know,
even when wasn't half proposing she
never let me finish the sentenced
'Twasn't at ali what l was going to ask
her-that day, at least. Meant to
eventually, of course, if l ever could
muster up courage, but this time l had
only found grit enough to ask for her
picture, and was engaged i'll less than
ten seconds.
Winnie Berrien rushes from the par
lor into the paternal den, voluble with
protestations against such scandalous
stories at mammals expense; but Mrs.
Berrien, slowly tanning herself, remains
calmly seated, as though imperyious to
these damaging shots, at which every
body else is laughing meITily.
Possibly you don't believe me, !" again
booms the major, his jolly red face
aglow. as he is dragged forth from the
den, still struggling with the sleeve
links Of his cuff. "Winifred, my child,
unhand me. You'll never bring your
old fathers gray hairs i'll sorrow to the
grave by such unwomanly precipitancy,
unless it's a civilian with ten thousand a
year: will you, dearest? Miss Guthrie,
l never expect to be rich man. /
hadn't as many dollars when / fell in
love with Miss De Lancy sd had but
tons, and we only wore single breasted
coats in those days, and was the Junior
captain. pledge You my word | never
would have had the check to offer my
self. Twas the woman did it, | was
going away for q week, and / said, You
can give me one thing, if you will |
only meant to beg for that picture, and,
by Joyel she slipped her handinto mine.
I was shaking all over I-b-beg par
/ don,' stammered, i was only going to
4 beg for your p-p-p My promisey
said Berengaria, sweetly, looking up
into my eyes. You have it, Richard.
Prompt? Why, she just jumped at me.
1 Splendid arrangement, though, Miss
Guthrie. She furnished the quarters