The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-09-28
SELECTED STORY.
Montana Bill.

San francisco. Throughout the large
attending crowd the spirit of expec-
fancy moved uneasily, but with muffl ed
wings, its energy stirred not only by
divers vsgrant rumors on the street,
but also many flowers and foliage
plants which hampered the stage.
After some preliminary religious ex-
ercses conducted by the brigadier,
man with clean face, clear eye and
a voice, that gentleman made the fol-
lowing speech:
O" You doubtless all read at the time
of its publication telegram from
Butte, Mon, announcing the distress
ing experience of our brave little sis-
ter. Cadet Annie Smith, who was 80
great favorite with us here before she
was assigned to duty at Butte"
There was an amused twinkle in the
brigadier's eyes, but in the audience
there was q spreading litter.
"Well," resumed the brigadier, "our
noble little sister, with the help of God,
passed through the ordeal, as most of
you are aware, but as it is part of our
plan to publicly confess our errors and
shortcomings, l will ask Cadet Smith
to give you the true and full account OF
what happened to her at Butte"
A faint clapping of hands, a vocifer-
GUS "God bless Cadet SMITH" here and
there a removal of some of the re-
straints which muffled the wings of the
spirit of expectancy greeted the ascent
to the platform of small, 1.-THE young
figure arrayed in the sombre blue and
quaint poke bonnet of the army. Her
face was a glowing crimson as she
faced the audience, but her eyes were
bright and her glance was firm, and the
vigor of strong and sturdy soul lent
certain grace of freedom to her pose.
"After | had served several months
selling War Crys in San Francisco"
she began with steady voice, which
had acquired that plaintive quality so
common among the hard workers in
the cause, 81 was sent to Butte, where
there was a small corps of workers.
They had become discouraged, and it
was thought my experience might help
them little. | didn't know Butte was
so different from San Francisco, and
the members of the corps there didn't
know it either, because they had never
worked anywhere else. That is why
they didn't tell me more things that
wish had known more about.
81 started out the first day with
about two hundred War Cries. They
looked surprised at the corps headquar-
tiers when l asked for 30 many, but
thought could sell them.
"Of course l went into the hardest
part of the town, and after had visit
ed one or two saloons and failed to sell
q copy, went into another one. A
good many men were gambling. l had
never seen anything but card playing
in San Francisco, but they had wheels
of fortune and a great many other
things to gamble with. Several men
were drinking at the bar. l went
among them all and asked them to buy
paper, but they simply stared at me
in wonder. The games began to stop,
and then big, fine.looking man with
a broad-brimmed hat came up to me
and said-and he said-he said, Hello,
little Parson Sally, what do you want?'
He said it just like that. He was 30
big and his voice was 80 deep-and-
and-he was so."-
"Out with it, Cadet" cried half a
dozen voices in the audience, as the
girl broke down, stammering and blush
ing"
"Handsome!" che added desperately,
as though the saying of the word was a
cross between martyrdom and the con-
fession of mortal Sin. Great applause
and laughter followed this declaration,
with an occasional "God bless Cadet
Anniel" This 30 overwhelmed the girl
that her lips trembled and tears sprang
to her eyes, and she cast a despairing,
appealing glance toward one particular
spot before her in the audience where
IL no. hol 10 lnnH ha-
fore. That single look was sufficient
to rive the bonds Of decorum which had
held giant in restraint, and the up
rising of a towering frame sent the
brigadier's programme and discipline
tumbling into chaos. The tall man ap-
preached and mounted the platform
with the stride of grenadier, while
Cadet Annie gazed at him with dis
may which was still inefficient to
quench the light of the stars that shone
all the brighter in her eyes now that
her cheeks had paled. simultaneously
a startled hush fell upon the audience,
for, although, the familiar uniform of
the Salvation Army sat upon the mans
splendid frame, he was stranger to
all, and there was commanding air
about him that stilled all sounds.
He stalked to the girls side and
stood there, facing the big crowd like
a lion at bay in defence of his liar.
An uncommonly handsome man he
was, with swarthy face, jet black,
wavy, hair worn long, and formidable
black mustache and imperial. The
two made a strange picture as they
stood side by side, she 30 small and
seemingly 30 frail, he 30 tall and mus
cular and competent; she looking al
him, he ignoring her and sweeping the
hall with glance half of definance
half of benignancy, and wholly OF
strength and mastery. When the man
spoke, his voice rolled forth in those
rounded pillows that a rich diapason
sing the mysteries Of the deep.
my friends" he said, "with Gods
help and the brigadier's CONSENT
which we never took the trouble to Sc
cure-'it seems too hard for this poor
child to tell what happened to her in
the gambling house at Butte that day
/ was there when it happened and saw