The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-02
A FALSE MASCOT.

now. and had a fair chance Of paying on
some of his debts. Not that he was a
young man Of particular extravagant ha-
bits; but a second lieutenant. be he mar
ried or single. is always more or less in
debt. He is expected and forced by an
unwritten law to make quite as good
showing as his colonel, and to keep up
quite as much Of an appearance.
The dinner was a little unique. All the
officers were to leave at / O'Clock that
morning on a scout. They were IN their
field clothes. at Kings request. and had
already the rough. unshaven look of men
able and willing to do or dare anything.
In the hall of Kings bachelor quarters
their felt scouting hats hung on the rack;
on the porches of their own houses, their
mess-kits, ready-packed. stood waiting
TO be strapped upon the mules: their cloth
ing and bedding, wrapped in shelter tents
and ponchos. were beside the chests.
Here in the dining-room-lighted by a
lamp which King had admired while on
leave and had gone month into debt to
buy, and another which, in a fit of econ
omy, he had obtained from the quarter
master, and which hung in uncOmpromis-
ing ugliness over the table-sat a company
of twelve. Women in evening gowns,
strangely beautiful and modish in con-
trast to their surroundings, and men in
uniforms, very shiny at the seams, blue
flannel shirts and top boots they were
cavalry men and belonged to Kings reg
iment Their gayety was not that of pris-
oners Just before execution, although
there was the chance that any one or pos
sibly all Of them, might never come back
alive. hllf Vyhan hae to
going of every spring, and sometimes
every autumn, to chase-how often in
Vain!-the willy red man, one ceases to
consider the possibilities of the outcome
and, besides, it is not often that officers
are killed in Indian fights; there is fire.
quently a pretty animated exchange OF
bullets; but the death list is not heavy.
Howbeit, there are exceptions to the rule.
so these men, each one under a possible
sentence of death, and these women,
each one, perchance, to say goodbye for
ever to the man at her side, talked and
laughed in utter carelessness, finding only
an added Zest in the rough clothing of the
men, and a little deeper interest in the
plans they were laying for their camps
and their discussions of the contents of
the mess chests.
The dinner did not go off without hitch;
that was hardly to be expected in this far
off part of the world, 100 or more miles
a commissary department and a suffers
for its supplies; but nothing mattered and
nothing was noticed.
After time they all rose and went out
on the porch, where the men smoked
their cigars. They had not stayed at the
table and sent the women into the par
Tor this time. They were army officers
and preferred their feminine friends to
their tobacco, and each one was glad to
ignore custom which made it the proper
thing TO deprive himself of the women
for even so short time; they were glad
of the excuse which the coming parting
gave them of making the most of the few
remaining hours.
The night was duly dark the outlines
of the foothills and the mountains be-
yond them could not be seen, but a flicker
of light in the distance, from some In
dian signal fires, told where they were
Coyotes We're bowling up by the grave
yard, there was sound of preparation in
the barracks and occasionally the neigh
of a horse at the stables.
The sergeant of the guard called out
Ten o'clock!' and the officers made
movement to get their hats; there was
still much to be done before the night
march commenced. King sat on the rail-
ing of the porch talking to a woman who
| leaned against a post. He could not see
her, but knew that her beautiful face was
there close to his.
That was enough. He was asking for
promise before he should start off into
the heavy darkness across the plains. But
the woman had no wish to promise she
enjoyed Kings uncertainty far too much;
it would be commonplace to be engaged
She had discovered that on the previous
occasions-but to have him for a sutton
would not be so bad. He was handsome,
manly, brave, and her abjact slave. Be
sides, if she were to bind herself she felt
that this time, with this man, she would
have to keep her word.
She laughed slowly as he continued to
beg the promise I'll tell you what I'll
do; will give you the next best thing
to me-a picture of myself. / am always
a mascot; my picture will be more of one
l will give it to you when you start; of
course, well all be there to see you off
Now, remember" she went on, waxing ell
| oquent as the charm of her idea grew
upon her, and speaking with convic-
tion-"remember that wherever you may
go. in whatever peril you may be- who
ever shall threaten or warn you, you need
have no fear; if l were there in person
would be exempt from danger. So is my
picture-my other me-will also be, and if
it is with you no harm can come near"
And King had to be content There was
no time to say more, for the men were
/ leaving and orderlies passing backward
and forward.
Through the sightless darkness, King
walked home with the girl, and caught no
glimpse Of the face he kissed so tenderly
at parting. Out of the blackness a hand
could not see rested in his; up from the
gulf of the night, two lips were raised to
his; then he turned and walked back to
his quarters, lit a cigar and gave his
striker orders concerning the disposal of
his securing outfit.
In the silence of midnight the troops
rode away. The tramp of their horses,
the muffled clanking of accouterments
could be heard. but not a thing save the
burning points of light from the officers
cigarettes. The signal fires of the In
dinas flashed and went out on the noun
tains. There were no bugle calls no loud
orders, even, for the enemy had its spies
lurking behind every mesquite bush.
gliding beside every trail.
In front of the commanding officers the
officers halted before they started off; the
women, still in their evening gowns
crowded around them to say good-by
They could recognize faces only when
the light from the commandments windows
fell on them, beyond that all was dark
King waited for the mascot that had
been promised him, and was despairing