The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-21

why. she said whenever she saw you
so clean and perfumed and so beautiful
you always reminded her of Cupid, her
dear little dead poodle"
You made that up" said Billy, "and-"
But look yonder. What's that girl
riding off for at that breakneck gait?"
The fair Helen had got on her horse
and was going 10 the rear of the house like
a comet.
She's going home." said Billy, "but
we've sworn to meet again. In the mean
time, old boy. | seek solace in the weed"
AND he quietly drew his pipe from his
deadly pale and trembled
What's the matter. Billy?"
Great God of heaven, that fiend of a
woman has stolen my papers-the sealed
ORDERS"
A gay man in distress is doubly pathetic,
and held up Billy as he staggered under
the disaster just as they held up poor
dying Mercutio He had lost his papers in
au intrigue with a woman. and having
been more than once rebuked for his gay
propensities. the case was all the worse.
I'VE must catch her," l CRIED but she
is going like the wind"
ID her," said Billy between his
teeth, well go like the whrwind."
And we did. 1t was terrific race which
the fair Amazon would have won except
that she had to dismount to take down
three draw bars" which she left down.
At the third one. lust as she was springing
in the saddle. Billy came up at full speed
and caught the horses bride. There was
violent struggle, aad then Billy struck
the horse 10 the flank and he galloped off
down the road, leaving the indignant DAM
sci standing in the road before the enemv.
Now, young lady. that envelope. or I'll
take it wherever it is.
''Pll die first" was the defiant reply.
THE lady would be wise to remember
that she is taken In the act of carrying in
formation through the lines, and is, there
fore. spy," said |.
IF you are man of honor remember
that L am woman"
Pm a man who has lost his honor and
you have it," was the reply.
Miss Helen was always beautiful. bnt
now she was superb as she stood before MS
with flushed cheeks and flashing eyes. the
auburn hair loose and waving in the wind.
Miss Helen" said Billy, taking off his
hat and bowling after the manner of Sir
Charles Grandson, "as gentleman hum
bly, apologize tn the lady, but as an officer
arrest the spy"
1t was near sunset now. and the boom of
gun in the distance announced that the
fort lad saluted the first approach of our
advance guard.
Young lady," said Billy. inventing
Vi bidbCsy. JOu HAY Tell Nv Id at
sound that our soldiers have invested the
fort and so if you don't surrender that
paper you may fall into worse hands than
ours before morning, not to mention Tn
Inconvenience of a night in the woods
without a femme de chambre, chaperon or
robe de-eXcuse me, | meant to saw sup
per-"
Struck with this unexpected turn of the
adventure Miss Helen bit her lip for mo-
meni, then drew the package from the
breast of her riding dress and. disdainfully
tossing il on the ground. stood beating her
skirt with her whip.
You have read this document" said
Billy, after opening the envelope" and
might convey the information without hav-
ing the paper. Come, fair Helen, this is
my friend Achilles. and I'll be Paris in
stead of Charles OMalley. Let Us fly 10
Troy, that is, 20 the safety of the Confed-
crate rear. where we may renew the
broken pledges of the matinee"
You will only BIZ a prisoner in FORM"
[ suggested, "and it's for your own safety,
you know"
At this our fair captive, to our great
surprise, gave a convulsive sob, and
sitting meekIy down on the side of the
road drew snowy cambria handker-
chief and sought relief in the tears that
make pretty woman in distress more
formidable than an army of Amazons.
We stood by like two stupid schoolbcys,
worse broken up by this sudden shower
than the lady herself.
AT last Billy said softly, you'll be as
safe with Us as if we were your brothers,"
"Or your mother" | suggested.
Pm afraid you'll catch cold sitting ON
that damp grass"
We'll 60 and get an ambulance"
NO" sobbed the heroine.
Then / whispered to Billy that when
women got into such humOr it was
tn UnJpfiv tba \
changed.
Sure enough. after leaving the young
lady to her grief for ten minutes she rose.
and slowly adjusting her hat and skirt said
family:
I'm ready"
But when led my horse up to the fence
and took down three rails to make an inl-
provised horseback she said, ruefully:
''I will have to ride behind you"
And 80 we TOOK our way to the Manson
House in melancholy procession to make
a sad end to our gay matinee, as Billy
called il.
As we passed along the groups OF SOL
diers going into camp the typical humorist
so familiar in the Confederate ranks gave
US what would have been called in later
times guy"
Manson's ga. Cap, yOu had ought to
cotched her dad, that old Union cuss."
"He prefers the GAL" said another.
Hold on to the cap'n, Sis" cried third.
''If the critter kicks up you fall off sure"
And with such gbes as these we ran the
gantlet, and finally brought our fearful
prisoner to her kinfolk, who heard the
story with deep sympathy, petted and con-
soled the fair victim, and babe us good
night in mingled tones of regret and re-
proach.
The next morning at daylight when we
attacked The fort there was not living
creature in it except cat sitting in front
of one of the huts, with the peculiar
serenity that only a cat can maintain under
such trying circumstances.
Billy handed the general the sealed
orders, explaining that they were only to
be delivered after the result OF the attack
on the fort, and he then narrated the cir
cumstances Of our adventure. The gen.
eral, or colonel, as he was then, gave a
contemptuous grunt and coldly remarked
that:
"Of course she has sent the Id Yam
KEGS the information, and hence they had
gone down the river TO join their cavalry
and overpower Jenkins" (our own cavalry
commander). And he promptly gave orders
for the troops to form in column and move
forward as rapidly as possible. The colonel,
who was afterward distinguished gen.
eral. was then vnupu man IN comm nd