Daily camera., 1899-11-25
copyright. 1899. by F. 1enny son E.eIy.l

]
forms fitted 10 and fro between the of
fetal tent ard the lights bs ginning to
twinkle at brigade headquarters across
the wide roadway. An orderly
scratched nj the tent flap, but got nc an
swer. The lone occupant sat well back
in the gloomy interior and could barely
be distinguished. The waiting soldier
. hesltated moment. then entered and
stamped once upon the wooden floor,
then turned and noiselessly stepped
out, for. anticipating his question, the
general spoke:
No light just yet, orderly. I'll call
you-in moment. just close the tent"
AT his hand. he needed no light to find
ii, lay little packet that had been
passed in to him with the mail while
the council was still in session. 1t was
sioutly wrapped. tightly corded, and
profusely sealed. but with the sharp
! point of AN eraser the general slit the
fasteniEgs, tore of the wrapper. and
felt rather than saw that a bundle Of
letters. rolled in tissue paper and tied
with ribbon, ribbon long since faded
and wriukled, lay within This he care
fully placed in large-sized military
letter envelope, mois'eped and pressed
tight the gummed flap. slowed ii in the
inner pocket of the overcoat that hung
I al the rear tent pole, educed the wrap
per and its superscriprioI TO minute
fragments, and dropped them into the
"aste-baskei, all n carefully and meth
odically as though life knew neither
hurry nor worry; then bowed his lined
face in both hands moment in utter ST.
lence and in unmistakablc sadness.
I Presently his lips moved: Can you
! look down and see that have KEEP, my
word, Agnes?" he murmured. God
help me to find him and save him-yet."
Once again the laughter. the gay
young voices, rang from the other tent.
| All over camp, far and near from the
limits of the park 10 the very slope of
the height al the north. the evening
bugles were calling by thousands the
througing suldiery to mess or roll call.
Slowly the general rose. drew on his
overcoa', and in another moment, un-
| der the Soping visor OF his forage cap.
with eyes that twinklcd behind their
glasses. with genial smile softening
every feature, hls fine soldierly face
peered in on the scene of light. OF merri-
msnt and laughter under the canvas
| roof of the only home he knew in the
world-ihe soldier home OF one whose
| life had been spent following the flag
through biSouac, camp or garrison,
through many a march, battle and cam
paign all over the broad lands of the
| United States until now, at the hour
when most men turned for the placid
| joys OF the treside. the love of devoted
and faithful wife. the homage and AZ
fec'ion OF children. the pra,tle and play
ful sports of childrcn's children-home-
less. wifclcss, childlcss, he stood at the
border OF the boundlcss sea. soldier
duty pointing the way 10 far distant,
unknown and undesired regions, con-
tent TO follow that flag TO the end OF
the world II need be. and owning no
higher hope or ambition than to follow
and uphold i, TO the end of his life.
There was nothing in such face az
his TO put check to fun and merriment,
yet, all on sudden, the laughter died
away. Three young gallants in soldier
garb .prang TO their feet and faced him
with appeal and explanation in their
speaking eyes. although only one of
their number found his tongue in time
TO put the matter into words. There
were only two girls when the general
left that tent TO meet his officers at four
| O'Clock and now there were four, and
the four were having fiye-o'clock ten.
At least anyone would have said they
were four bli,he girls, innocent OF
graver responsibilities than social calls
| and dinner or dance engagements, for
never looked four young women so free
from the cares of this world than those
who were pic,uresquely grouped abou,
| the generals camp table and under the
| brilliant reflector OF the generals lamp,
| but the plain gold circlct on the slender
| finger OF the merriest 2rd noisiest and
| smallest of the four, and the fact thai
she had nothing to say to the senior of
the four attendant officers except in
| the brief. indifferent tones of assured
proprietorship, and very much to say
| to the other three. told n different story.
| The generals manner lest none of its
kindness, even though n close observer
would have seen that his face lost n lit
tie of Its light ms he recognized in the
evident leader of the rcvels and mistress
| of the situation the wife of his senior
aid-de-camp. An hour before he
thought her n thousand miles away
and so did her husband.
BLESS your dear old hearth" ex-
claimed the little LADY, springing to her
feet. facing him with indomitable
smiles and thrusting forward two slen-
der. white. bejeweled hands. mo
don't say you disnpproye! Don't scold!
| Don't do anything but sit right down
here and have cup Of your own de-
licious cn-(Frnnk, some boiling wa
ter)-that no one makes for you as
| do-you've owned II many time. And
L A.. Il. nj.