Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-11-09
Ul0uTaNa BILL.

Il was evident that something Of uncom.
mon interest had been arranged for the
meeting that evening at the headquarters
Of the Salvation Army In San Francisco.
Throughout the large attending crowd the
spirit Of expectancy moved uneasily. but
with mufiied wings; It's energy stirred not
only ty divers vagrant rumors on the
street, but also by many flowers and foil.
age plants which hampercd the stage.
After some preliminary religious excr.
cises conducted by the brigader, man
with clean face, clear eye and coax
Ing voice, that gentleman made the follow.
you doubtless oil read at the time Of
lie publication telegram from Butte,
Mont. announcing the distressing expert.
ence OF our brave little sister, Cadet Annie
Smith, who was so great fav0rite with
us here before she was assigned to duty ut
Butte"
There was an amused twinkle Ia the
brigadicr's eyes, but In the audience there
was spreading litter.
SWELL" resumed the brigadler, "our
noble little sister, with the help Of God,
passed safely through the ordeal, rs most
Of you are aware, but as II Is u part Of our
plan to confess publicly our errors aud
shortcomings l will ask Cadet Smith TO
give you the true and full account Of what
happened TO her at Butte"
A faint clappinc Of hands, vociferous
''0od bless Cadet Smith !" here and there
and q removal Of some Of the re-.
straints which muflled the wings OF the
spirit " expectancy greeted the ascent to
the pla, .orm Of small, 1.-the young figure
srrayed In the sombre blue and quaint
poke bonnet Of the army. Her face was
glowing crimson as she faced the audi
ence, but her eyes were bright aud her
glance was firm. and tie vigOr Of a strong
and sturdy soul lent a certain grace Of
freedom to her pose.
''After had served several months sell.
Ing War Crys In San Francisco," she be-
gan with steady voice which had nc.
CURED tint plaintive quality so common
tile hard workers In the cause, II was
sent TO Butte, where there was small
corps Of workers. They had become dis.
coureged, and Il was thought that my ex.
pericLce would help them little. I
didn't know that Butte was so different
from san Francisco, aud the members Of
the corps there didn't know It either,
because they had never worked anywhere
else. That IL why they didn't tell me
some things TINT wish had known more
about.
II started out the first day with about
eco War Crys. They looked surprised at
the corps headquarters when I asked for
90 many, but l thought could sell them
II s..a.
part Of the town, and after Ind visited one
or two saloons and failed to sell copy,
went into another one. A good many
men were gnmbling. had never seen
anything but card playing In Sun Fran.
cisco, but they had wheels OF fortune and
q great many other thin - 70 gamble with.
Several men were drinking ut the bar.
went among them all and asked them to
buy the paper, but they simply stared ut
me In wonder. Tho games began to stop,
and then big. fine looking man with u
broad.brmmed hat came up to me and
said--and he said--hc said: Hello, little
ParsOn Sally, what do you wantI' lie
said 1t just like that lie was SO big and
his voice was SO deep-and and he was
49,"
"Out with II, Cadet!" cried half
dozen voices In the audience rs the girl
broke down, stammering and blushing.
''HandsOme!" she added desperately
40 though the saying Of the word was a
cross between martyrdOm and the comics.
sion Of mortal sin. Great applause and
laughter followed this declaration with nn
occasional "GOd bless Cadet Annie ="
This SO overwhclmcl the girl that her lip:
trembled and tears sprang to her eyes aud
she cast u despaiiing, appealing gance to
ward one peculiar spot before her In the
audience where she had not had the colir-
age to look before. That single look was
sufficient to rivet the bonds OF tccorum
which had held giant In restraint, and
the uprising OF u towering frame sent th,
brigadier's programme and discipline tum
bling into chaos. The tall man up
preached and mounted the platform will
the stride OF a grenadler, while Cade
Annie gazed ut him with dlsmay which
WAS still inefficient 10 q,iench the light o.
the stars that sh0ne all the brighter In he
eyes now that her cheeks had paled
simultaneously startled hush fell upor
the audience, for although the familiar
uniform of the Salvation Army sat upol
the mans splendid frame, he was
stranger TO all, and there was o command
Ing air about him that stillcd all sounds.
lie stalked TO the girls side and stoot
there facing the big crowd like a lion a
bay In defence of his lair. And an I'm
commonly handsome man he was, will
swarthy face, Jet black wavy hair worl
long, and formidable black mustache on,
imperial. These two made o strange pic
ture as they stood side by side, she 8,
small and seemingly so fraIl, Ike so tall ant
muscular and competent; she looking III
at him, he ignoring her and sweeping TIL
hall with glance half Of defiance, half O
benignancy, and wholly Of strength AM
mastery. When the man spoke his voic
rolled forth In those rounded pillows tina
In arich diapason sing the mysteries Of til
deep.
my friends" he said, "with Cod
help and the brigadier's c0nsent"-whic
he never took the trouble to secure---''i
seems too hard for this poor child to tel
what happened to her in the gamblin
house at Butte that day. ! was ther
when 1t happened and saw 1t all, and
will tell you the story. ] can't bear to sc
her tortured as she has been this night
Cadet Annie Smith, take your seat"
lie said that still without looking at her
With q glance ut the brigadier whic
meant, GLOW can help 1t when this bi
thing shoulders me away?" she sllppe
behind the rose-embanked parlor organ an
tho empowering foliage plants ON the stag
and was lost to view.
The brlgadier sat watching the man wit
a peculiar expression which no one cOul