The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-05-19
THE STIRRUP-CUP.
A Tragi- Comedy of Garrison Life
on tho Frontier

A Tragi- Comedy of Garrison Life
on tho Frontier.
They certainly were made for each
other Everybody saw that. The young
lady herself saw it better than any.
They were beautifully matched in
every way. lie was dapper little cav
alryman who only exceeded the regula-
ton height by two inches. She was
dowdy little person, about as big as a
twelve-year-old child. He was hand
some, in French miniature sort of
way, and she was pretty, with the
bread-and- beauty of extreme
youth. AS to mental qualifications, no
two could have suited better, for his
love of domineering was that not only
of the little man but of an army officer
to boot; and she was submissiveness
itself; it really was a pleasure to her
to be walked over and stepped upon by
anything masculine, which just met
the young officers ideas as to what a
wanting to complete this match-so
evidently of celestial making-fortune
had given to her only u spendthrift
father, and to him the vast wealth of
a second lieutcnant's pay. They could
have loved very comfortably on such
means, and paid off their accumulated
debts of years when he came to be cap
tain, as others have done before. But
they may as well be introduced; you
may meet them some time. She, then.
was Miss Ruggles, daughter OF Capt.
Ruggles, of the --th infantry; he was
Second Lieutenant Patten, of the ID
cavalry.
The thing started beautifully. Pat
ten had been twirling his thumbs be-
tween reveille and taps, with more or
was pretty badly in debt to the sut]er,
and was likely to become more so IL he
was not given something to do with
his evenings very soon. He did not like
reading; he was too lazy to hunt, and
there was nothing but the elusive prai.
rie dog to hunt in any case; he was the
only bachelor at the fort-which was a
hundred miles from the railroad, by
the by--and the married women could
not be induced to fiirt-with him, at
any rate. So the soil was ripe.
Now, just in the nick of time, Capt.
Ruggles' pretty daughter came on from
New England boarding school, as in
nocent, simple. pink and white as such
girls should be. Of course Patten
called on her the night of her arrival,
as is customary in army posts. He
found her quite interesting. She sat
and smiled and drank in his poured
out wisdom as the soil Of the plains
drinks a rain, and the wisdom was lost
in the sandy depths of her unsophis-
ticated soul, as is also lost the little
rain which falls on the parched prai-
ries. However, she evidently admired
him. and he went home convinced that
this really was his first love, this time.
In New England boarding schools a man
is never seen, SO he was Miss Ruggles'
first experience of the sex, and she was
sure, too, that this was not only her
first, but her only love. Now Patten
liked the sensation of thinking of some
one else; it was novel, and there was
blessed little novelty" in the post al
any time, as he said-only he did not
say blessed exactly
The trouble with novelties is that as
soon as they are experienced few
times, they cease to be novelties, and
80 lose their spice. That was the way
with this one. After week or two oi
thinking of Miss Ruggles-whom he
fondly called Bertha in what an
swered for his mind-Patten got tireG
of it, and concluded that '.old things
are best" that he preferred his quon
dam occupation of thinking only OF
himself, and he went back 10 tit wat
far less trouble. and he objected tt
trouble, attending reveille was enough
of it for him in one day. Then de
lightful element was added to his for
Iner employment; he discovered in I,
short time that some one else wai
thinking of him. That was charming
he sat back and enjoyed it, absorbed it
Heretofore the garrison had nevel
bothered its head about him, and h,
had had only the siclsly comfort of tell
the garrison swine Here, however
was girl who knew priceless jewe
when she saw it. He admired he,
taste, and smiled ON her approvingly
She smiled back, even more sweetly
and, in little ways entirely original ant
clever, she tried to lead him on. Fo
instance, she walked up and down he
porch on nice starry nights, an.
coughed now and then, a gentle littl
cough. She would go to the sutler'
for crewels and ribbons at the hour
when Patten was likely TO be there 70
his mail Her horse never would stan'
still at the mounting block, the eXas
perating animal! if the young Office
Were in sight. All these little tendril
reaching out are such, we all know, a
the world has never known before.
But there was good deal of the ma
ture of the government mule abou
Patten. The instant he could see tina
some one was attempting to lead hin
he would refuse to advance step; an
he did see, despite Bertha's wholly OF
iginal methods of procedure. So h
stood still, and the poor girl tugge
And pulled, but Patten refused to NOV
ever SO little. She really became quit
desperate and struck him in the face
metaphorictlly, with some remark
that were meant to be scornful an
sarcastic. OF course, II she had know
anything ab9ut mules she would hav
been aware That such treatment onl
makes them jump back; but she was q
the infantry, and can be excused 10
not knowing anything about live stock
Expcrieuce taught her, though, and sh