News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-07-06

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Scores of the garrison proper seem in
clined to follow his example, and the
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
Guthries last appearance, so to speak.
She has been paying brief visit to Dr.
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 i'll this big gar
rison not one is unrepresented 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: Mi ,
| Guthrie is not in the first bloom o.
youth. "Why, she must be nearly thir-
| ty," say some of the younger girls and
younger matrons, who envy her none the
less the freshness, the grace, the win
Gomeness 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 marriedY is the
instant query of Mrs. Vance, to whose
benighted mind it ever appears that be-
cause a woman hasn't she cannot.
Simply because the right man is yet
to come" is Mrs Harpers 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.
WAS there some early affair."
my dear Mrs. Vance, have no doubt
could tell you Il dozen stories, all plausi-
bic, all i'll 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 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-
Rble 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 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 linger spell
| bound; they cluster about her, watch
! ing the sunshine i'll her face, the play of
her features, the sparkle of her eyes,
drinking i'll her winsome words, her rip
pling laughter.