Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-04-14
MISS STELLA'S CHOICE RIDES IN

MISS STELLA'S CHOICE RIDES IN
TO VIEW.
The chances of war, the unruly ele-
ments in the mining districts, the or
der Of the war department combined
to send a detachment of Federal caval-
ry to Minersvale.
The acting adjutant of this detach-
ment was a beardless STRIPPING who
was commissioned a Second Lieuten-
ant because he had made good use of
an opportunity to do something daring
at the front where he served as a pri-
vate, and because Governor Curtin
learned of the little fellows pluck.
Minersvale was not actually in arm
ed and hostile array against the gov
ernment; but troops were needed there
to enforce the draft, to protect the pro-
vost marshal and his officers and to
arrest deserters who fed to the con-
venient concealement of the mines to
which they were welcomed by the ma
jority Of the imported citizens who
constitute the bulk of the population
Of those districts. Among them dis
loyalty was honorable; deserters were
popular, provost marshals unpopular
and the draft curse. They were op-
posed to lottery from which the only
prize they had chance to draw was
suit of blue clothes in which they
would be stood up as targets for their
friends the rebel sharpshooters. They
generally had the provost marshal on
their list and he reciprocated and had
them on his list
In Archibald, Carbondale, Miners
vale, Honesdale, Scranton, Pittston,
Pottsville and all the anthracite re-
gions, the majority of the mining pop.
ulation is of transatlantic nativity.
At Minersvale the Welsh preponderate.
To them the draft was exceptionally
obnoxious. Miss Stella's aunt Sue was
of this disloyal class. In speaking to
the adjutant she said:
''Ho, these nasty Republicansl Hi
could tramp them into the HEARTH
And she snapped her gold trimmed teeth
viciously, shook her clenched fists
heavenward revengefully and stamped
her booted foot violently
Notwithstanding the popula aver.
sion to the draft and the popular an
tipathy to those engaged In enforcing
the draft, the adjutant easily captured
the good will Of society at Minersvale
and he was from the start lionized by
the ladies. Here and there undeclared
efforts were made to prevent it, but
they failed. An antagonistic duenna
said to a deposed local lion:
Il imagine thatyou gentlemen would
be quite as pleased if the little wander
ing warrior of tender years had been
detained at home under maternal pro-
tection?"
It's a deuced unpleasant thing to
be Tilted, you know; but a fellah
caWnt resent it, you know and an
nounce that he takes umbwage, you
know. He can only pwetend that he
doesn't know it, you know"
1t was some days after his arrival
that the Misses Zenith first saw the ad-
Jutant, and it was the elder sisters who
then saw him. He was on active duty,
the detachment being on dress parade.
Ihey reported their impressions at |
dinner and Miss Stella silently decided |
to see him upon an early occasion and !!
cast him into the scales against her |
ideal.
Pressing her friend Bell Morton into I
her service she went one evening and
the soldiers on parade. AS F.
hey walked homeward Miss Stella said
IN her peculiar positive way:
III do it. That is settled"
What is settled? What will you J
lo?"