The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-12-01

tnltneT- 1Hty iuuuc iOi "'e ~
ter by lashing sapings together, hitched
on couple of pack-mules, roped Ran
dy inside the thing, and made four
day march of it. Luckily, Tremaine
had capital medical officer and Randy
a splendid constitution. The fever had
big start. but DR.. Wells and Ire
maine's people were utterly devoted
to him, and pulled him through, but
you never saw such living skeleton.
DR.. Wells says he will mend rapidly
now, as he eats about six square meals
day and is hungry between times.
Mrs. Tremaine nursed him like
mother. Heaven bless her! and now
Miss Florence reads to him by the
hour"
And at this point in Whittaker's in
nocent missive, Mrs. Hayne, who was
clinging to her husbands arm and
reading with him, suddenly looked up
in his face and said: "Oh, Lawrence!
wouldn't that be-almost ideal?"
"Floy" Tremainc. as she was called
in the regiment, was an only child, born
and reared in the Rifers. Two years
Of her life had been spent in the east at
school, but with that exception it had
known no companionship or association
outside the garrison that was the tenn
porary home of her fathers company.
An open-air, joyous, healthful life it
was, admirable for nerves, arteries and
digestion, yet destructive to complex
ion, for at Is Floy Tremainc was as
brown as a Navajo, when they took
her to ST. Anne's to school, where she
was promptly dubbed 1.-THE Squaw."
The first six months there, despite the
fact that her mother was near at
hand, took a good deal of heart out Of
Florence and some Of the prairie tan
from her face. Her big, soft brown eyes
grew even more eloquent and pathetic,
and her pretty mouth gained some visit
full lines about its sensitive corners.
She did not take to city girls, nor did
they to her, until her father came in
on leave, and, noting the change in
his precious child, took counsel with
an old Manhattan friend, ordered a
swell riding costume forthwith, and
bade her join the class at Dickers acad-
emy-not that she needed teaching to
ride, but the exercise and open air to
be had in the daily demure canter in
the park. One or two of the girls were
quite dashing horsewomen, and excited
the envy and admiration of their class
mates by the ease with which they took
the conventional leaps at the hurdles
and bars; and when ore of them,
flushed with triumph, after receiving
the compliments of the master, refined
up beside our silent Florence, on a
rainy afternoon when their ride had to
be had within doors, and rather patron
izingly queried: "Ah, don't you do
something OF this sort out on the plains,
Miss Tremaine?" Florence redeemed a
bit and said, "Tbe children do some
times" which led to prompt inquiry as
to her meaning, and the explanation
that the cavalry horses and even the
Indian ponies would take such obstacles
in their stride and hardly rise TO the
leap at all. Asked to illustrate, she
put her bay at the hurdles. clearing
them like bird; then. turning to Miss
DE Ruyter, she said: "You noticed
even this horse hardly had to spring.
bar foot higher 7 ran show you where
he has TO exert himself bits" and she
did, and no other one OF the girls dared
attempt it. Then she asked to have
her saddle removed and rode her horse
over the hurdles bareback, and when
he was going at an easy canter about
the ring amazed the class by leaping
lightly of and on again. her slim,
strong Young hands graspng the name,
yet never dragging upon the rein. This
made her envied. hnt hardly enviable
for the erstwhile champions of the
school gave ii ont that she had been
"child wonder" in some far-western
circus. Tt wasn't until Flo's second
year at ST. Anne's that she began tc
find either friends OF appreciation there
When she left at the close of that sec.
ond year. there was one set at least
among whose members she was well.
nigh worshiped. She had not finished
the course. She needed at least one
more year. said the teachers, but il
couldn't he. Tremaine had listened 10
the tempter. invested his scant savings
in a Colorado mine that for one year
gave dividends galore, and then-gavs
out There could be no separate es
Enlistment maintained on the pay OF
captain Of infantry, who was keeping
up heavy life insurance. Florence and
her mother were recalled to the Riners
and. to still further promote the econ
omy demanded by their misfortune
Capt. Trema:ne begged TO be allowct
TO go to the cantonment on the Gaia
mount, relieving with his company q
like force that had been there in exil,
over year. People at regimental head
quarters thought it absolutely heart
less in him to take Mrs. Tremaine and
dear Florence to such desert, so neal
the Navajos to the north, and so ex
posed to danger from predatory band,
of Apaches from across the Arizona line
But neither Mrs. Tremaine nor Florence
shared their views. Floy was to have
her books, her birds. her horse; bel
mother could direct her reading, and
as for companionship, there was Mrs
Lee, the wife of their first lieutenant;
she was barely 25, and charming young
matron; and Jimmy Crofton, theii
junior sub. was engaged and would
soon bring his bride out to join. Sh,
didn't doubt that they would have &
perfectly lovely time. hunting. fishing
exploring in the mountains, and rid
ing races down the Catamount. Flor
ence's face would glow with enthusi
asm; it would become TRANSPORTED
radiant-yes. almost pretty. said som,