Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-01

his wife and "Witchie"-and what a bad
thing for Frank Garrison!" was the echo.
His intimates knew that he had put by"
through economy and self-denal about
$4,000, the extent OF his fortune outside of
his pay. She'll make ducks and brakes of
it in the six weeks honeymoon" was the
confident prophecy, and she probably did,
for, despite the fact that he had so recently
rejoined the regiment, "Witchie" insisted
on midwinter run to New Orleans. Sa-
vannah and Washington and bore her lord
but not her MASTER over the course in
triumph. To student of human nature
and frailty-that union of a faded and some
what shopworn maid OF 27 to an ardent
and vigorous young soldier many moons her
junior was easy to account for. One after
another Witchie Terriss had had desperate
affairs with half dozen fellows, older or
younger, in the army, and was known to
have been engaged to five different men at
different times, and believed to have been
engaged to two different meA at one time.
Asked as to this by one Of her chums, she
was reported to have replied: "Do you
know, believe 1t true; 1 had totally for
gotten about Ned Colston before Mr.. Forman
had been at the post week. or course the
only thing to do was to break with both and
let them start fresh" But this Mr.. Colston
whose head had been somewhat cleared by
month Of breezy, healthful scouting, accepted
only in part-that part which included the
break. Forman had the fresh start and a
walk-over and held the trophy Just two
months, when 1t dawned upon him that Mar
garet loved dancing far more than she did
him-a clumsy performer-and that she
would dance night after night the lightest,
daintiest creature In the hop room, and
never have word or look for him who
Lon in, oln I'd
the wall and never took his eyes off
her. He became Jealous, moody, ugly-tem-
pered and finally had the good luck to get
his congo as the result of an attempt to as
sert himself and limit her dances. She was
blithe and radiant and fancy-free when
Frank Garrison reached the post. wee bit
hipped, 1t was whispered. because of the
failure of a somewhat half hearted suit of
his In the far east, and the fairy bounded
into the darkness of his life and fairly daz-
zled him. Somebody had said Frank Garri-
son had money.
There is no need to tell OF the disillusion
that gradually came. Frank found his debts
mounting up and his cares increasing. She
was all sympathy and regret when he men
toned 1t, but-there were certain COM
forts, luxuries and things she had
always been accustomed to and
couldn't live without. Surely he
would not have her apply to papa. No,
but-could she not manage with little
less? He was willing to give up his cigars
Indeed he had long since done sol and to
make his uniforms last year longer-he
who was in his day the most carefully
dressed man at the Point. Well she
thought perhaps he ought to do that-be-
sides-men's fashions changed but slowly,
whereas womens-"Well, I'd rather be dead
than out of style, Frank"
And so 1t went.
But II she did not love her husband there
was one being in whom her frivolous heart
was really bound up-Nita-her "baby sis
ter" as she called her, and when Terriss,
the colonel, went the way OF all flesh, pre-
ceded only few months by the wife OF his
bosom, the few thousands in life insurance
he had managed to maintain went to the
two daughters. Not one penny was ever laid
out in payment OF the debts OF either the
father or husband. Nita was sent to an ex-
travagant finishing school in Gotham, and
along In May OF the young girls graduating
year bllthe little Mrs. Garrison arrived
fresh from the far west and after few
weeks OF sightseeing and shopping the sis
ters appeared at the Point even half mourn
ing by this time discarded Thirteen years