The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-04

you, Sergeant Major Fred, your name
has gone III for u commission, and I've
no doubt a very deserving sergeant Will
be spoiled in making a very good for
nothing second lieutenant. Get you
back to your regiment sir, and call on
Captain Arnitage as soon as you reach
Fort Russell and tell him you are much
Obliged. He has been blowing your
trumpet for you there, and as some OF
those cavalrymen have sense enough to
appreciate the opinion of such soldier
as my ex- -adjutant-some Of them, mind
you; I don't admit that all cavalrymen
have sense enough to keep them out Of
perpetual trouble-you came in for o
hearty Endorsement, and you II probably
be up before the next board for exam
ination. Go and bone your constitution
and the rule OF three, and who was the
father Of Zebedee's children, and the or
der of the Ptolemies and the Seleucide,
and other such things that they'll be
sure to ask you as indispensable to the
mental outfit of an Indian fighter" 1t
was evident that the colonel was in joy
ous mood, but Alice was silent. She
wanted to hear the letter. He would
have handed it to Frederick, but both
Mrs. Maynard and Aunt Grace clamored
to hear it read aloud, so he cleared his
throat and began:
"Fred's chances for o commission are
good, as the inclosed papers will show
you, but even were this not the case /
would have but one thing to say in an
swer to your letter-he should go back
to his troop.
"Whatever our friends and fellow cit
liens may think on the subject, l hold
that the profession Of the soldier is to
the full as honorable as any in civil life,
and it is liable at any moment to be
more useful. do not mean tho officer
alone. l say and mean the soldier As
for me, | would rather be first sergeant
of my troop or company or sergeant
major Of my regiment than any lieuten-
ant in it except the adjutant Hope Of
promotion is all that can make subal-
terms life endurable, but the staff SER
geant or the first sergeant, honored and
respected by his officers, decorated for
bravery by congress and looked up to by
his comrades, is q king among men. The
pay has nothing to do with it. say to
Renwick, Come back as soon as your
wound will let you, and l envy him
the welcome that will be his.
GAS for me, am even more eager to
get back to you all, but things look very
dubious. The doctors shake their heads
at anything under a month and say I'll
be lucky if l eat my Thanksgiving din
ner with you. II trying to get well is
going to help, October shallno be done
with before B company will report me
present again.
II need not tell you, my dear old
friend, how rejoice with you in your
hum and haw and this is all about
something else," goes on the colonel in
malignant disregard of the longing
looks in tho eyes of three women, all of
whom are eager to hear the rest of it,
and one Of whom wouldn't say SO for
worlds. "Writo to me often. Remem-
ber me warmly to the ladies of your
household. fear Miss Alice would de-
spise this wild, open prairie country.
There is no goldenrod here, and | SO Of
ten sec her as--hum and hum, and all
that sort Of talk of no interest to any-
body" says he, with quizzical look
over his "bows" at tho lovely face and
form bending forward with forgetful
eagerness to hear how she so often sees
her." And there is great bunch of
goldenrod in her lap now and vivid
blush on her cheek. Tho colonel is wax
ing us frivolous as Fred and quite as
great tease.
And then October comes, aud Fred
has gone, and the colonel and his house.
hold arc back at Sibley, where the gar
rison is enraptured at seeing them, and
where the women precipitate themselves
upon them III tumultuous welcome. If
Alice cannot quite make up her mind
to return the kisses and shrinks slightly
from the raprurous embrace Of some Of
the younger and moro impulsiyc Of the
sisterhood, if Mrs Maynard is a triho
more distant and stately than was tho
case before they went away, the garri-
son does not resent it. Tho ladies dom t
wonder they feel indignant at tho way
people behaved and talked, and each
lady is sure that the behavior and the
talk wero all somebody else Shot by
any possible chance could it be laid ct
the door Of tho speaker.
And Alice is the reigning belle be-
yond dispute, though there is only sub
dued gayoty ct the fort, for the memory
Of their Losses at tho Spirit Wolf is still
fresh in the minds Of the regiment.
But no man alludes to the events Of the
black August night; 10 woman is per-
mitted to address either Mrs Maynard
Or her daughter on the subject. There
arc somo who seek to bo confidential
and who cautiously feel their way for
an opening, but the mental sparring is
vain. There is an indehnable some
thing that tells tho intruder, "Thus far
and no farther. " Mrs. Maynard is
courteous, cordial and hospitable; Alice
sweet and gracious ana sympathetic
even, but confidential never.
And then Captain Arrnitage, late in
the month, comes home on crutches
and his men give him welcome that
makes the rafters ring, and he rejoices
in it and thanks them from his heart,
but there is welcome his eyes plead
for that would mean to him fur more
than any Other. How wistfully lfe stud
les her face! How unmistakablc are the
love and worship in every tonel How
quickly the garrison sees it all, and
how mad the garrison is to see whether
Or not 'tis welcome to hgrl But Alice
Renwick is no maiden to be lightly
won. Thevery thought that the gnrri-
son had SO easily given her over to Jor-
rold is enough to mantle her check with
IL