Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-07-30

EOIlB WuGu hUb Is gone lu6u ne W6ub
on writing, and when the letter was
finished he forgot and signed his own
name instead of the colonel's, and then
laughed as he saw his mistake. He had
to write the letter all over again then.
This time he signed the colonel's name
and called the orderly and sent him to
Miss Lacey with the letter And when
it was done he walked up and down the
room, and all that evening he felt like
a Gagged lion. What would her answer
be? Had the colonel received it,, Once
or twice he took up his cap TO walk
down past the captains quarters, then
he threw it down again. OF course she
would accept. Yes, but after all, would
she?
The stage left in the early morning.
Lieutenant Clover noted the stir of de-
parture about the captains quarters.
Then he saw the captain and Mrs. Les
ter appear, and he ran out to speak to
them. He half expected to find the colo
mel with them, but he was not there. A
flush dashed up to his face. Had she
really refused the offer? If 50, why?
There was no time for explanations.
She came out ready for her journey.
She gave him her hand, and her eyes
looked level into his.
81 shall never forget how much you
did to make my stay pleasant, she
said. II hope I shall meet you again,
Lieutenant Clover. "
The drivers whip circled out over
the heads of the forward mules, she
waved her hand to him, and Lieutenant
Caldwell Clover was standing alone
with an aching heart with nothing in
the world to do but listen to 81 bugle
calls day and follow the dreary routine
of an adjutant's life.
Then there came a time when the
country called for troops. Boots and
Saddles" quickly followed, and Troop
x started for the south.
Army headquarters at Tampa was
thronged with officers. Orderlies were
speeding everywhere Spurs jingled
across the floors, and the few army
wives who followed their husbands
walked up and down the rose trellis
paths in the evening and talked of what
the morrow might bring. Lieutenant
Caldwell Glover was still adjutant to
the colonel. A telegram was handed the
latter. The colonel frowned, pulled his
mustache, then said: Lieutenant, /
have telegram from friend now at
Chickamauga. His sister arrives at this
hotel tonight to join the Red Cross
forces at Key West. Please meet her
and see that she gets her train for Port
Tampa in the morning"
The lieutenant saluted. When the
Pullman car backed into the spacious
hotel ground that night, few officers,
a newspaper man or two and one wom-
an alighted. AS she stepped forward the
waiting adjutant was startled at first,
then hurried toward her.
Miss Lacey! You here?"
"Ah, Lieutenant Clover How glad
am to see you againl 1t is good to see a
face one knows l felt rather lonely,
for there wasn't another woman on the
car all day"
81 was to look out for nurse, said
the lieutenant, glancing around, "but
it seems she didn't come"
The girl stepped into the broader
light. "Oh, then you didn't know, ;"
she said and pointed to her sleeve. An
insignia honored the world over was
sewed there-the Red Cross.
"Is it possible?' 1t seemed to him
that nothing but Intersections came into
his mouth. "You are really going to
the front?"
"Going to the front, " she repeated,
with a smile in his face. II shall prob
ably meet you there" She said it as
though it would be a pleasure. They
were crossing the wide veranda. Vladi-
mir Purisshoff's orchestra was playing
''The Serenade. " "You will come for
me by and by and bring me to hear the
music, " she said. "It will seem like
old times when we danced to the music
of the regimental band"
"Were you lonely after 1 left the
post?" she asked No one but woman
could have asked such a question.
Il never before knew what loneliness
was, he said 81 wonder if you would
forgive me if told you just how lonely
I was-but, no" For q moment he
thought only of his love for her. Then
he remembered that she had refused the
flower of the army, that she had a mis-
sion in life.
Tell me, " she said softly.
A man may spend the best of his life
in the dreary confines of an army post
two days journey from a railway sta
ton He may listen to 81 bugle calls a
day and attend to an adjutant's thou
sand and one duties for years, but the
blossoms Of his heart may remain eter-
nally fresh and fragrant.
There were tears in the girls eyes
when he finished his story. 81 am
glad" she said as she put her hand in
his. 81 thought you would tell me be-
fore l left the post. l should have
staid. "
"And now, Agnes-now?"
"After the war, - she said.
So you, who pray for the safety Of
those who go into battle and for bless
ings upon those who wea~ The Rod