Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-05-18
ChPTAIN CLOSE
BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
copyright, 1894, by J. B. Lippincott Col
KILL.

Confined to her bed and room as was
Madam Walton, and only vaguely alive
to what might be going on in the house
hold-for there were days when she
lay dull and apathetic, yet mercifully
spared from suffering-it was Esther's
duty and fondest care to minister to
her mothers needs even at time when
her heart was torn with anxiety or &C
count of her husband, now prisoner
in the hands Of the United States mar
shall at the capital, and of her brother,
who, under the orders Of the general in
command of the department, had been
sent under guard to New Orleans. there
to await his trial by court-martial for
the crime of deserfion. The visits of
the old family physician were frequent,
for the invalid had had too much to suf-
fer and seemed incapable of further
struggle. Floyd was twice permitted
to visit his mother during the two days
that elapsed before Geographic orders
came in his case. She knew him, cIurg
to him, yet seemed unable to realize
that he was going from her. She once
or twice asked if Judge Summers had
been heard from. for Cousin Bart had
written full details of Floyd's trouble,
and the family united in urging him to
make an appeal to certain influential
friends of the ante bellum days, who
had scandalized the Waltons by their
loyalty to the old flag. Then Lambert
wrote a letter which Close signed and
sent to the department headquarters,
and the boy, remembering some kind
words said to him by his fathers old
friend, ventured OIL personal letter
to the general himself, pleading Wal
toms case and portraying the family's
distress. It was this letter that over
came Esther's objection to the advice
of Mr.. Potts to the effect that they take
Mr.. Lambert in as day boarder. And
within 48 hours of his initial appearance
at their table Mrs. Scroggs, as he was
the first to address his blushing hostess,
was more than reconciled to the step.
But if she was, Miss Kate was not.
The wrath and indignation of that
young lady can hardly be described. It
was, one thing, she declared, for her to
sell eggs and butter to gentleman who
was a friend of Floyd's, who told her he
despised his captain as much as she did,
who had enlisted only because he had
been promised immediate promotion to
a captaincy, and who never would have
done SO even then, had he known that
soldiers could be used to persecute the
people of the south. He was only wait
ing for his commission to come-or his
discharSe-to tell Capt. Close what he
thought of his conduct. It was all very
we'll to make friends with a gentleman
like Mr.. Riggs, who had been dear
brother Floyd's friend at Quitman be-
fore he fell in love with that horrid
designing Yankee girl who had led him
on to 'cohtin'" her when she was all
the time engaged to that rich ragpicker
Or whuteveh he might be. Mr.. Riggs
had behaved like puhfect gentleman.
{She had forgotten the little bill he had
been running up and was so long vainly
importuDed to pay. She also attached
slight Importance to Barton's state
mcnt that Brother Floyd said Riggs
,mrch-though not all-of his trouble.")
AS between Mr.. Riggs and this new
Yankee lieutenant, who had dared to
disguise himself and seek to make her
acquaintance, she had but one opinion;
Riggs was driven to drink and desertion
by having had to serve under such
brutes. She declared she would starve
rather than eat under the same roof
with Lieut.. Lambert, insisted on stay
ing in her mothers room and being
served there, and was conspicuous by
her absence from the table for the first
As hours since Lambert's admittance,
despite Esther's pleading and Barton's
Sid:cule. "You may think it fine to take
snoney from such people, Mrs. Scroggs,'
she declared, with high dis
dain; ''but you never would if mob
was we'll enough to know whit was go
s1x on" (Moh is the only alpha betical
combination that can think of which
even approximately represents Miss
tAate's pronunciation of the term by
which she was accustomed to refer to
her mother). But if Miss Kate were in
dignant before, she was simply furious
wien her married sister responded,
with exaspcrating calm: -: >..[. :.
- And yet you took Mr.. Lambert's
money in payment for your butter,
Katesie." .ss g 80, r.: :, e,
:.'Ah didn't How day-ah you say So.
Esthnh :? It was Mr., Riggs IL :. #%.a /
s Floyd says it wasn't. Floyd says
that man had not had cent for three
weeks You kuuw yourself it was Mr..
Lambert there at the fence both nights,
and you know why that wretch couldn't
nave been there
ss I'll wuhk every inguh to the bone,
then, till it's paid back, /" cried Miss Wax
! ton. IAN &c was mean an contempt
ibIe an cowuhdly il him to faWce It on
y me as he did listen to Whut wasn't
y can't ~ uha q 81. his
or,