The Bossier banner., 1894-06-21

were IN sight. All these little tendrils
reaching out are such, we all know, a
the world has never known before.
But there was a 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 step; and
he did see, despite Berthas 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 alone. The expert
ment worked like a charm. Patten
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.
He did not think, now, that he was
really in love; on the contrary, he was
sure that his first love was yet to come;
but Bertha was pastime, at any rate.
Things progressed nicely now. Pat
ten and Miss Ruggles took frequent
horseback rides, and often did not get
home until after dark. The first time
this happened, Bertha approached her
mammals presence with fear and
trembling; she did not know what her
mother would say, but she was sure of
a good berating from none too gentle
tongue, Fancy, then, her surprise and
delight at being met with a sweet ''go
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 beautifl
pumps, Every one was sure they were
engaged; only Miss Ruggles and her
mother were the least bit uneasy.
If it happened, as it sometimes did,
that day passed without Berthas
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.
A1 l.
temper did not sweeten for whole
weelzs-it was when the troops were
ordered away.
Patterns troop was among them, and
Capt. Ruggles' company was not This
was bad; 1t 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 a week was left, and
things were at a standStill. Bertha
was nervous and her mother cross.
The week became a day. and still
things were the same. There re-
manned one more chance, however,; il
was forlorn hope
night only ten miles away from the
pSst, 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 "wauted to see her very
much" he added, in what the listening
Mrs. Ruggles considered a very signif-
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
ed when the party arrived, and he
suggested that he and Bertha go for a
little ride, if she We're 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. 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 a couple of "A" tents
should be prepared for the women. that
they might spend the night in camp,
and courier was sent off to tell those
left behind.
There was still life and still hope,
thought Bertha, but every moment