The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-11
A ROMANCE OF THE WAR.
1t Was Only the Sequel That Spoiled
Pretty Story.

Pretty Story.
Il don't want any more of your war
| romances in mine, with the hero and
the pretty girl and all that sort of rot, y
said fine looking young lieutenant of
volunteers to Washington Star
| man.
Asked to explain, he did so, as fol-
| lows:
i was one of those lucky fellows
down at Camp Thomas who drew a
prize box of good things sent to us from
a town in Ohio about 800 miles from
my home and on the way to it. My
prize package consisted of a very nice
Iy Worded note to the effect that the
writer was 20 years old and wanted a
soldier beau, and that the recipient of
the pie which carried the note pinned
on top of it, the whole thing tied up in
many wrappers, would please think of
the maker and sender if he ate it, and
answer her little missive if he didn't
have a wife or sweetheart at home, 1t
was such pleasant, innocent kind of
verdant maiden note that l answered
it seeing that l hadn't any wife and
was having scrap with my best girl,
which made me all the reader to seek
solace elsewhere. Well, we got out of
Thomas and down to Tampa and / got
over to Cuba on special call and all
the time kept up a kind of hop-step-
package.
After the battle, mother, I came
back, and, after batting around awhile
In and out of the hospital, I got a
chance to go home and on the way I
concluded to stop and see the unknown
She hadn't told me much about her
family but said she was living at a
hotel in the town, which I found on ar
rival at the place was the best there. |
didn't know anybody and I didn't know
the girl, and l had sense enough to go
little slow, but when I reached the
hotel and asked the clerk if Miss - lived
there and he said she did, j thought 1
wasn't altogether fooled. anyhow. He
looked at me in a queer kind of ia shion
and said that Miss - lived with Mrs
Blank. who occupied the third floor
suite, but she could tell me about her.
L supposed she was a niece Of the wo-
man or something like that and as
soon as l had sicked up bit I sent
up my card. Mrs. Blank came down to
the parlor to see me. When she did see
me she looked at me funnier than the
clerk did.
I beg your pardon she said awk-
wardly; did you want to see Kitty -?'
Yes, told her Isn't she here?'
No: she left yesterday
'lndeed?' said I. and hesitated. for
Miss - had not told me anything about
SohiS away anu SHOulu nave known L
was coming, for l had written that I
would be there.
Yes, you see,' she went on rather
hurriedly, and as if I might think she
intended to reflect upon the young wo-
man in some way, Kitty was a very
nice girl and the children were very
fond of her, but somehow I never could
get along with colored help and Kitty
was so bright and smart and was so
fond of books that she was a little ne
glectful l am afraid, and l had to let
her CO. I shall be very glad to recon-
mend her if you want to know anything
about her character
Il didn't need to ask any more ques-
tons after that and / 1idn't. But to let
myself down gracefully I took a letter
of recommend from the woman and
then took the next train out of town. 1t
was not going my way, but I took it
just the same and doubled back That
was my little war romance, and now
when l read stories and hear tales
about heroes and lovely damsels and
those I think about Prize Package
Kitty and never say word"