Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-01-03
CHAPTER II.-CoNT1NUED.
1893. by ]. B. Lippincott C

But what Tintop could not do through
Morgan's wife's relatives he brought
about in other ways. The engineer
colonel knew prominent business men
who were comrades of Morgan's in the
old Wolverine brigade, famous at
Gettysburg, Winchester, Five Forks
and Appomattox. Some had amassed
wealth, many were prominent, all
were sympathetic, and when they took
hold it was with a vim. Meantime,
however, valuable time was lost, and
poor Morgan was breaking down under
his load. Meantime, too, ministcring
angels, army wives and mothers, mona
so wealthy that their charity entailed
no sacrifice, none SO poor that it could
not and did not help, moved by that
boundless pity and sympathy which
motherless little ones excite, were
lending helping hands about the cheer
less quarters and bringing grateful
tears and smiles to Comics anxious
face. Mrs. Warren, Mrs. Woods and
others had laid their matronly heads
together and organized a committee of
ways and means. Of course nothing
could be done to excite Morgan's sus-
picions or wound his pride. Connie,
too, was old beyond her years and
shranlz from what might look like de-
pendence, bat she was too young to
manage household expenses Old
NANNY had none but extravaganza
ideas, as befitted the retainer of a good
old southern family, and the father
was practically helpless. 1t was at
this stage of the proceedings that
Pagan, the veteran striker who had
long been on domestic duty for the
Morgans, in accordance with the syS-
tenn then in vogue, was taken down
with acute rheumatism and went to
hospital, and that Private Schramm,
who for days had never missed an OPP
portunity OF inquiring for the Eeutcn-
ant and occasionally lending a helping
hand. came suddenly into prominence.
Somebody had to be detailed rs Nor
gan's striker" There were always
quite a number of the enlisted
men who were eager to be placed
on such duty, thereby earning
five dollars month, living on
better rations, escaping guard duty,
drills and rOll-calls, having only to
bring in wood and water, black boots,
clean equipments, etc. Schramm was
reserved, temperate, StudiOuS, q model
young soldier, daily acquiring more
thorough knowledge of military duty
and of the English language as spoken
by the blue-coatS on the border. Two
or three times the doctor. finding him
lowering about the quarters, had sent
him over to the hospital for medicine,
or the like, and Schramm, saluting
with Teutonic precision, had obeyed
every order with soldierly alacrity.
More than once when Pagan, grooming
and coughing and wheeling in the
keen wintry air, seemed unable to bear
his burden of 3rewood into the house,
Schramm had laughingly lent his aid,
and one evening he came suddenly upon
the tall, slender, fragile form Of Con-
ME staggering into the kitchen door,
heavily laden with logs. With one
spring the Prussian was at her side,
the blue eyes kindling, and he who
hitherto had never presumed to address
the ''gnadige fraulein" except with
hand at temple and heels alicl, brisl1ly
-dispossessed her of her load, and bore
it into the sitting-roon, where Lot and
Billy were squabbling over their blocks
in the wintry cleaning, and Connie
blushed to her temples she thanked
the stalwart young soldier, once more
standing erect and brushing the bark
dust from mis- overcoat-