The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-08-17
THE STIRRUP-CUP.
A Tragi- Comedy of Garrison Life
on the Frontier

They were beautifully matched in
every way. He was dapper little cav
alryman who only exceeded the regula-
tion height by two inches. She was
dowdy little person, about as big as q
twelve-year-old child. He was hand
some, in a French miniature sort of
way, and she was pretty, with the
bread-and-milk 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
wife should be. AS if to leave nothing
wanting to complete this match-so
evidently of celestial malzing-fortune
had given to her only q spendthrift
father, and to him the vast wealth of
second lieutenant'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 tarted beautifully. Pat
ten had been twirling his thumbs be-
tween reveille and taps, with more or
less cursing of fate, for yeaS. He
was pretty badly in debt to the sutler
and was likely to become more so if 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
hundred miles from the railroad, by
the by-and the married women could
not be induced to firt-with him, at
any rate. So the soil was ripe.
Now, just in the nick of time, Capt
Ruggles' pretty daughter came Oh from
q New England boarding school, as in
nocent, simple, pink and white as such
girls should be. OF course Patten
Cdllou Oh llcT ClG AlRAo VI ACi Gil ANebi,
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 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 aman
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 at
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
so lose their spice. That was the way
with this one. After week or two of
thinking of Miss Ruggles-whom he
fondly called Bertha" in what an
swered for his mind-Patten got tired
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 TO lit was
far less trouble. and he objected to
trouble, attending reveille was enough
of it for him in one day. Then de-
lightful element was added to his for
mer employment; he discovered in
thinking of him. That was charming;
he sat back and enjoyed it, absorbed it
Heretofore the garrison had never
bothered its head about him, and he
had had only the sickly comfort of tell
ing himself that he represented pearls
the garrison swine. Here, however,
was girl who knew priceless jewel
when she saw it. He admired her
taste, and smiled on her approvingly
She smiled back, even more sweetly,
and, in little ways entirely original and
clever, she tried to lead him on. For
instance, she walked up and down her
porch on nice starry nights, and
coughed now and then, gentle little
cough. She would go to the suffers
for crewels and ribbons at the hours
when Patten was likely TO be there for
his mail Her horse never would stand
still at the mounting the exas-
perating animal! if the young officer
were in sight. All these little tendrils
reaching out are such, we all know, as
the world has never known before.
But there was good deal of the ma
ture of the government mule about
Patten. The instant he could see that
some one was attempting to lead him
he would refuse to advance a step; and
he did see, despite Bertha's wholly or
iginal methods of procedure. So he
stood still, and the poor girl tugged
and pulled, but Patten refused to move
ever so little. She really became quite
desperate and struck him in the face,
metaphorically, with some remarks
that were meant to be scornful and
sarcastic OF course, if she had known
anything about mules she would have
been aware that such treatment only
makes them jump back; but she was of
the infantry, and can be excused for
not knowing anything about live stock.
Experience taught her, though, and she
came to learn to let the mule think he
was free and going alore- The expert
began to fear that he was losing the
alteration, and advanced few steps
Bertha received his overtures with de-
light, and Patten was wise enough to
keep her little delighted all the time