The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-06-01
gagged. Only Miss Ruggles and her moth


If it happened, as it sometimes did, that
O day passed without Bertha spending
several hours in the ieutenant's society,
home was made generally uncomfortable
for her. for at such times Mrs. Ruggles'
temper returned to it's natural state. from
which it only emerged when Patterns form
rose against the horizon.
There came a time when the lady's tenn
per did not sweeten for whole weeks. 1t
was when the troops were ordered away.
Patterns troop was among them, and
Captain Ruggles' company was not. This
was bad 1t meant that Bertha would be
1.-THE girl he left behind him. if she did
not manage to Gland her fish" before the
appointed time, which was only fort
night hence Time wore on. Only a week
was left, and things were at a standstill.
Bertha was nervous, and her mother was
cross. The week became a day, and still
things were the same There remained
one more chance, however. 1t was a for
lorn hope
The troops were to camp the first night
only 10 miles away from the post, and
most of the ladies of the garrison were GO
ing out to take supper with the departing
officers; then they were to ride back by
moonlight Now or never must Patten de-
clare his intentions. When he rode away
with his troop that last morning, he stop
ped at Bertha's house and impressed upon
her that she must not fail to come out that
evening. He wanted to see her very
much, /" he added in what the listening
Mrs. Ruggles considered very significant
way. The good woman actually kissed
Bertha after the lieutenant had ridden
away, and the child was SO surprised that
she forgot to cry because her warrior
bold'' had ridden ''bravely to the fray
She really looked very pretty when she
cantered off to the camp that afternoon.
She felt quite confident of victory. 1t
seemed to her that the others went very
slowly through the pine woods. She would
have run her little bronoho every step Of
the way had she been alone. Lieutenant
Patten was mounted when the party ar
rived, and he suggested that he and Bertha
go for little ride, if she were not too tired.
Tired! Not she. She fairly beamed with
delight But after an hours scramble ON
the foothills they came back, and matters
had not progressed at ALL Patten was
lovely, but not quite lovely enough. vi
sions of maternal wrath began to float be-
fore Berthas eyes and dimmed the glory
OF the sunset which she and the young
cavalryman watched together from under
big pine. Sunset is the accepted time
for saying those things which Patten
should have said, but he did not know it.
Then they had supper, cooked over the
campfire. The married women seemed to
find it very jolly, Bertha thought wistful-
ly. 1t was determined after supper that a
couple of A tents should be prepared for
the party of women, that they might spend
the night in camp, and a courier was sent
off to tell those left behind.
There was still life and still hope,
thought Bertha, but every moment was
precious. Why, then, should those wom-
en-, with all the traditional barbarity Of
chaperons, say that they were tired and
carry Miss Euggles off to bed? But SO it
was, and that evening, which might have
turned out so well, was spoiled and lost for
ever.
AT daylight, however, Bertha emerged
from her tent. She looked haggard after
her sleepless night, and the cold, cruel
light of the morning was not becoming.
The soldiers had been up several hours
already, and breakfast-real camp break
fast of bacon, coffee, yeast powder biscuits
Ruggles felt her breath come in gasps as
Patten strode up to her and dotted his cam
paign hat He only mentioned the weather
and asked how she had slept Bertha said,
Mot we'll, - in tone that should have
melted the heart of any officer, but he only
supposed it was the mosquitoes-they
had bothered him too" Then they had
breakfast, and Miss Ruggles hid her face
hahir,6 tho lott ~
After that the tents were struck and the
wagons loaded with true soldierly dis
patch, and the men stood, foot In stirrup,
awaiting the order Mount" Patten and
Miss Ruggles stood little apart. He was
already on horseback, and she, in her habit,
stood beside him, giving him cup of cof-
fee. Her whole anxious little soul was in
her eyes, and she beat the toe Of her broad
little boot nervously with her willow rid
ing switch.
Patten leaned over her. ''This is stir
rup cup, suppose, " he said. "Let's call
it SO anyway. 1t sounds romantic and''-
tenderly-"I love romance, don't your"
Bertha said, Eyes" The lieutenant
raised the cup to his lips, than lowered it
again. II must drink your health in my
stirrup cup, and"-an awful pause and
wonder if one dare mention the word
love- to a girl SO young as your" Bertha's
lips parted dryly, and her head swan
Patten continued: II fancy may. Then
let me drink your very good health and
wish that the first time you love it may be
happily, and that you will let me, as an
old friend, be the first to know the name
Of the happy man. He emptied the cup
and at the command trotted away with his
troop, strapping the tin cup to his saddle.
-Gwendolen Overton in San Francisco
Argonaut
Her Sister Was Bashfal.
A young man entered the office of the
registrar and asked for license. He had
reached his majority, but when he was
asked the age Of his proposed wife, who,
by the way, did not call with him, he ap-
peared to be slightly fustered for mo-
ment and then replied, Nineteen.