The Press., 1898-12-29
A SOLDIERS WIFE.

4 more desolate site for a fort could
np1 have been selected by the govern
n.ent. However, the United States gov
ernment was not looking for beautiful
scenery when it had the post built, but
for location close TO the treacherous
Indian and where the soldiers could
quickly move 10 the front.
Around the fort stretched the monot-
onous plains. rising and falling-the
earth g vaves-in every direction until
in the distance they seemed to meet the
sky. 1t was dreary, desolate place,
the ouly sign of vegetation being the
sagebrush, the grease weed and punches
of cactus everywhere. There were acres
of alkali, all burning beneath the sun
during the day and freezing beneath the
moon ut night. There was no animal
life upon all the expanse of country
either except the Prairie dogs and now
and then lean aud hungry coyote.
So dismally calm was the landscape
that even the huzzard hesitated in Lis
stately flight, aud the little gray hav k
sailed on and on, doubtless with his
eyes closed to the earth.
AS general thing there was amuse-
ment enough at the fort. Men assigned
to the post made up their minds that
they depended upon each other for
amuse nents, ard their wives shared the
same belief, and then were they not SOL
diers, and W ere not the women soldiers
| wives? BEt Gf course the little petty
| iealousies and little ETY. quarrels crept
| into that particular POST jest the same as
they Lad crcl into every other pest and
would continue to creep in as long al
| the govcrnne nt supported forts an | as
long as E.cn "nd women lived and
breTthed, for that matter 1t was very
lonely arouG-d the post now, for the
men had gone to the front. The War had
been declared. That awful spevter
dreaded by every wife of soldier and
longed Ter l.y the men, had come There
was considerable speculation as to its
probable length and much fear that they
would not be called out, they were SO
far removed from the railroad. Perhaps
the war department. would not even re-
member the fort was in existence.
The women were not anxious for the
war. They knew what it meant Their
faces were very sad when the orders
came calling out the four troops of cav
airy that made mp the post. There was
wild cheering among the enlisted men
down around the stables and among the
youngsters, for each one looked forward
and saw himself returning at least q
captain, il not q major, and in flights
of fancy even lieutenant colonel. They
did not stop to think that they might
be made only first lieutenants.
| 1t was all excitement to the women,
too, for few days, for they were Sc
busy assisting the men that they did
not think of the long, weary days. Be
sides, they really did not believe that
their husbands would see any actual
warfare. They thought it would all be
over within few weeks and then John
ME would come marching home, and
they would have something else to talk
| about beside the commonplace things
of life. But one woman thought about
It. She was the wife of the second lieu
tenant of Troop D. They had married
the very next day after his graduation
from the Point, and his first station had
been at this lonely fort. He told her tt
be brave.
"You are soldiers wife, he said
to her, as she burst into tears and
buried her face on his shoulder.
eyes, | am soldiers wife, but that
does not prevent me from having q
heart, she answered.
"No," he replied, "and, having q
brave heart true heart and know
ledge that you are a soldiers wife. you
must face all sorrows and trials with
ont finching.
The words appealed to her. The hall
a dozen other women in the post thought
SO much of her, a mere girl and pitied
her SC that her husband should be order.
ed to the front that they asked the
major to assign him as the officer il
charge of the fort during the absence Of
the troops, but he begged SO hard to gG
that he was allowed to do so The WON.
en- spoke to his wife about it; told then
what they had done.
"Robert wants to go, she said. IT
is the chance of lifetime with him,
and does not his country call?'
"But your answered one of the
women.
She looked her questioner straight il
the eyes.
Il am soldiers wife, Z" she replied
proudly.
The rusk Was soon over, and the mer
were now mounted and ready to go
The officers ta'le their wives goodby
and they, to. 81 rang into the saddle
The bugle suUn,:ed, and the troops TOOK
up the march over to the railroad. The
women siccd apd lacked across the sur