Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-10-28
A SOLDIERS WIFE.

A more desolats site for fort could
not have been selected by the govern.
ment However. the United States gov.
ornment was not looking for beautiful
scenery when 10 had the post built, but
for location close to the treaoherous
Indian and where tho soldiers could
quickly move to the front.
Around the fort stretched the monot.
onous plains, rising and falling--the
earth's wavos-in every direction until
In the distance they seemed to meet the
sky. 1t was dreary, desolate place,
the only sign Of vegetation being the
sagebrush, the grease weed and punches
Of cactus everywhere There were acres
Of alkali. ali burning beneath the sun
during the day and freezing beneath the
moon at night. There was no animal
life upon all the expanse of country
either except the prairie dogs and now
and then loan and hungry coyote.
So dismally calm was the landscape
that even the buzzard hesitated In his
stately flight. and the little gray hawk
sailed OH and on, doubtless with his
Dyes closed to the earth.
Az general thing there was amuso-
ment enough at the fort Men assigned
to the post made up their minds that
they depended upon each other for
amusements, and their wives shared the
came belief, and then were they not sol
diers, and were not the women soldiers
wives2 But Of course the little petty
jealousios and little petty quarrels orspt
into that particular post just tho same az
they had orept into every other post and
would continue to creep in az long as
the government supported forts and az
long ms men and women lived and
breathed, for that matter. It was very
lonely around the post now, for the
men had gone to the front. The war had
been declared. That awful specter.
dreaded by every wife of soldier and
longed for by the mon, had come There
was considerable speculation us TO its
probable length and much fear that they
would not DO called out, they were 10
far removed from the railroad. Perhaps
the war department would not even re-
member the fort was In existence.
The women wero not anxious for tho
war They knew what IL meant. Their
faces were very sad when the orders
came calling out the four troops Of cav
airy that made up tho 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 o
captain, II not "a major. and in flights
Of fancy even "a lieutenant colonel They
did not stop to think that they might
be made only first lieutenants.
1t was all excitement to tho women,
too, for n few days, for they were 10
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 II would all be
over within few weeks and then John
ME would como marching home, and
they would have something else to talk
about beside tho commonplace things
Of life But one woman Thought about
IL. She WAC tho vito Of the second lieu.
tenant Of Troop ID. They had married
the very next day after his graduation
from tho Point, and his first station had
been at this lonely fort. Ho told hor TO
he brave.
"You are u soldiers wife," no said
10 her, AZ sho burst into tears and
buried her face on his shoulder.
Eyes am u soldiers wife, but that
does not prevent mo from having u
heart, aho answered.
no" no replied, land, having q
brave heart, true heart and u know
ledge that yOu are u soldiers wife, you
must face all SORROWS and trials with
out hinching."
Tho words appealed to her. Tho half
a dozen other women In tho post thought
40 much Of her, a mere girl and pitied
her 30 that her husband should DO order
ed to tho front that they asked the
major 10 assign him ~ the officer In
charge Of the fort during tho absence Of
the troops, but he begged NO hard to go
that he was allowed TO do 10. Tho wom-
en spoke to his wife about II; told them
what they had done.
Robert wants to go, she said. ut
II tho chance Of lifetime with him,
and does not his country cally'
"But your" answered ono Of the
women.
She looked her questioner straight In
the eyes.
II am u soldiers wife, sho replied
proudly
The rush was soon over. and tho men
were now mounted and ready 10 go
The officers babe their wives goodby,
and they, too, sprang into tho saddle.
The bugle sounded, and tho troops took
up the march over to tho railroad. Tho
women stood and looked ACROSS tho sun
cursed plain until every particle OF dust
raised by tho horses had settled, until
all tho world appeared just AZ before,
and then encb went into her own houso.
That night they gathered ut the majors
house and rat gazing out over the dark
ened plain und spoke Of the absent ones.
The long weary waiting had begun.
Tho loneliness was more intense than
ever at the fort. Five troopers and o
lieutenant had boon left to guard the
property and tho women. and they were
the only signs Of life down around the
quarters and the stables Tho lieutenant
was morose and gloomy that he should
have been selected as the one 10 remain
behind and was not accounted much
company TO the women the first few
days, but gradually no became recon.
ciled 10 his fate and sat with them ev.
cry evening and talked Of the probable
length Of absence Of the men and dis
cussed the improbability of action.
They sent once week for the mail
The first letters and papers brought
word that the four troops had Joined