The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-06-30

mammaS presence Win lear ana
trembling; she did not know what her
mother would say, but she WIS sure of
good berating from a none too gentle
tongue Fancy, then, her surprise and
delight at being met with a sweet Ego
and eat your dinner, dear; I've had it
kept warm" at the monthly hop
Patten danced most of the time with
Bertha, and forgot to complain of the
scratches she made on his beautiful
pumps. Every one was sure they were
engaged; only Miss Ruggles and her
mother were the least bit uneasy.
Ifit happened, as it sometimes did,
that day passed without Bertha's
spending several hours in the lieuten-
ants society, home was made generally
uncomfortable for her, for at such
times Mrs. Ruggles' temper returned
to its natural state, from which it only
emerged when Patterns form rose
against the horizon.
There came time when the lady's
temper did not sweeten for whole
weeks-it was when the troops were
ordered away.
Capt Ruggles' company was not This
was bad; it meant that Bertha would
be ''the girl he left behind him" if she
| did not manage to ''land her fish" be-
fore the appointed time, which
was only a fortnight hence. Time
wore on; only week was left, and
| things were at n standstill. Bertha
was nervous and her mother cross.
The week became q day. and still
things were the same. There re-
manned one moro chance, however; il
was forlorn hope.
The troops were to camp the first
night only ten miles away from the
post, and most of the ladies of the
garrison were going out to take supper
with the departing officers, then they
were to ride back by moonlight Now
or never must Patten declare his inten-
tions. When he rode away with his
troop that last morning, he stopped 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 a very signifi-
| cant way. The good woman actually
kissed Bertha after the lieutenant had
ridden away, and the child was so sur
prised that she forgot to cry because
! her warrior bold" had ridden brave
| ly to the fray"
| She really looked very pretty when
she cantered off to the camp that after
noon; she felt quite confident of vic
tory; it seemed to her that the others
went very slowly through. the pine
woods. She would have run her little
bronco every step of the way had she
been alone. Lieut. Patten was mount
cd when the party arrived, and he
suggested that he and Bertha go for a
little ride, if she were not too tired.
| Tired! not she; she fairly beamcd 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. Visions of maternal wrath
began to float before Bertha's eyes and
dimmed the glory of the sunset which
she and the young cavalryman watched
together from under big pine Sun
set is the accepted time for saying
those things which Patten should have
said; but he did not seem to know it.
Then they had supper, cooked over
the camp fire. The married women
seemed to find it very jolly, Bertha
thought, wistfully. 1t was determined
after supper that acouple of "a" tents
should be prepared for the women. that
they might spend the night in camp,
and n 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
women, with all the traditional bar
barity of chaperons, say that they
were tired and carry Miss Ruggles off
to bed? But so it was; and that even
ing, which might have turned out so
well, was spoiled and lost forever.
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
AOdAS ASaNy, ofSdE 13St - Icdl
camp breakfast of bacon. coffee, yeast
powder biscuits, and canned beans
was nearly ready. Miss Ruggles felt
her breath come in gasps as Patten
strobe up to her and dotted his cam
raign 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 of
ficer; but he only supposed it was the
mosquitoes-they had bothered him,
too" Then they had breakfast, and
Miss Ruggles hid her white face behind
the regulation tin quartcup of coffee.
After that the tents were struck and
the wagons loaded with true soldierly
dispatch, and tho 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 coffee Her whole
snxious little soul was in her eyes and