Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-07-05

him mo Inc coolest cOIItI u lIC
Lanai with the plash of fountain close
at hand. and the sweet music of Ber-
| gers famous band floating softly on the
evening air, and told him how her
father had loved to talk of his, the gem
erals, dash and daring in the great
days Of the great war, and led him on
to tell Of his campaigns in the Shenan-
doah and the west, listening with d.
lated eyes and parted lips, the cam
paigner himself was captivated, and
she had her will. A great senator had
told him how she had come thither to
nurse a gallant young officer in her
husbands regiment, how she had
pulled the boy through the perils OF
brain fever until he was now conval-
escent and going on 10 reJoln his com
rades in Manila, and she, she was plnEng
to reach her hus band now serving on
Gen. Drayton's staff. Other women
| were aboard the Queen; could not Gen.
| Crabb find room for her? 1t is hard
for a soldier TO refuse pretty woman
| or a prominent member OF the commit
| tee on military affairs There was not
| vacant stateroom on the ship. Officers
were sleeping three or four in room,
so were the Red Cross nurses; and the
two army wives already aboard had
| been assigned a little cubbyhole of
cabin in which only one could dress at
| time. There were only two apart
ments on the big craft that were not
| filled to their capacity-the room occu-
/ pied by that sea monarch, the captain,
and that which. from having been the
"ladies boudoir," had been fitted up
for the accommodation of the general.
| The piano had been wheeled out on
deck, the writing table slowed away,
| and fine new wide brass bedstead,
! with dainty white curtains and mos
| quito bar, large bureau and wash
| stand had been moved in, and these,
| with easy-chairs, electric fans. electric
| lights and abundant air. made it the
most desirable room on the ship. Even
! Armstrong, colonel commanding the
| troops aboard, was compelled 10 share
his little cabin with his adjutant, and
| the generals aides were bundled into
a skinny" box between decks. There
really seemed no place for Mrs. Gar
rison aboard. especially when it was
found that the passenger list was TO be
| increased by three, a surgeon and two
officers going forward from Honolulu;
| and one of these was our old friend and
once light-hearted Billy Gray, now
| nearly conyalcscent. but weak and. as
All could see, feverishly eager to get on
| to Manila.
All this was explained to the senator.
II was even suggested that there was
room for Mrs. Garrison on the Louis
/ lana. safe old tub, if She was slow:
| but Mrs. Frank looked so pat hetic and
| resigned when this arrangement was
| suggested that no one had the hard-
| hood to actually dwell upon it, and the
| senator said il was a shame TO think of
IT. With whom of her own sex could
| she associate on that long. hot voyage
ahead of them? Why not transfer some
| Of the Red Cross nurses to the Louis
lana? Mrs. Garrison had no objections,
but they had; and the surgeon in
charge made prompt and vigorous pro-
test. He knew Mrs. Frank. and she
| knew him and did not in the least de-
spair. She still had plan. There was
Il coy dinner one evening--just the
| evening before the departure of the
| Queen, and the gallant captain of the
| ship. the veteran general. the quarter
| master in charge of transportation, the
| member of the senate military commit
tee. some charming girls-but none so
charming as Mrs. Garrison-were OF
the party. There was some sentiment
and much champagne. as result of
| which. al one a. m the big hearte ed sea
monarch aforementioned swore by the
bones of his ancestors in the Shiny
grasp OF DaSN Jones that that sweet
little woman shouldn't have to &c
a-begging for accommodations on his
ship. If the general would condeSeend
To move into his room. 10y thunder. he'd
sleep up in his toul-wcathcr den next
the chart room, and Mrs. Garrison
Cos bless her, could take the gcuer-
ais room. aud be queen of che ship
queen OF the Quetn--que OF queens
by Jupiter and here's her health with
all honor, \ soldier, of course. could
be no less gallant than a sailor. eSpe-
cially a. the captains room was a bit
better than tile "BouGuir" and had an
ice chest and contents that the veieraH
campAiguer was hidden 10 consider his
own. he agreement was cllnched that
very night before the party broke up:
and little Mrs. Frank shed tears OF
gratitude upon the generals coat
sleeve and threw Kiss after Kiss 10 the
hands, s,lJlo as she hung ever the
baluSterS Of the broad veranda and
waved them away in their swft-run.
ming cabs, and then danced off - her
! room and threw herself on the bed aft
er = mad pirouette about the spacious
apartInenJ. and laughed and laughed
until resi- tears triCkled from her eyes.
ana then gave orders to be cuiled al
seven O'Clock. She meant 10 he up and
aboard that ship with all her luggage
before sense and repentance could
come With the morning sun before
either soldier or sailor could change
his mind.
TO the amaze Of the women s,rcady