Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-04-11

tAuJ OAoAueS Will IISut OAue eyes, VIII
lighter, fluffy hair, with exquisite lit
tie hands and feet, with oval, prettily
shaped faces, and the younger, the
maiden sister, had bewitching mouth
and regular, snowy dots of teeth OF
which she was justly proud. Yet, as
has been previously said of Mrs. Frank,
while the general effect was in the case
of each that of an extremely pretty
young girl, the elder had no really good
features, the younger only that one.
They generally dressed very much
alike in light, flimsy gowns and hats,
gloves and summer shoes all of daz-
zling white-sometimes verging for
change to a creamy hue-but colors,
except for sashes and summer shawls,
seemed banished from their wardrobes.
They danced divinely, said the corps,
and preferred cadet partners, to the
JOY of the battalion. They rode fear
lessly and well, and had stunning hats
and habits, but few opportunities for
display thereof. They came tripping
down the path from the hotel every
morning, fresh and fair as daisies, in
time for guard mounting, and at any
hour after that could be found chat
ting with cadet friends at the visitors
tent, strolling arm in arm about the
shaded walks with some of their many
admirers until time to dress for the
evening hop, where they never missed
dance, and on rainy days, or on those
evenings, when there was neither hop
nor band practice, they could be found,
each in some dimly lighted, secluded
nook about the north or west piazza
or on the steps leading down to the
"Chain Battery Walk" sometimes sur
rounded by squad of cadet friends,
but more frequently in murmured
tete-a-tete with only one cavalier. In
the case of Mrs. Frank no member of
the corps seemed especially favored.
She was just the same to every one.
In the case of her younger sister-Miss
Terriss-there presently developed a
dashing young cadet captain who so
scientifically conducted his campaign
that he headed off almost all Compel
itors and was presently accorded the
lead under the universally accepted
theory that he had won the little lady's
heart. Observant wonderland what
women are not observant-of each
ther?-declared both sisters to be des-
perate hirts. Society at the Point
frowned upon them and, after the first
formal call or two, dropped them en-
tirely-a thing they never seemed to
resent in the least, or even to notice.
They were never invited out to tea or
dinner on the post-solemn functions
nowhere near so palatable as the whis-
pered homage of stalwart young man.
hood. ''Nita is yet such a child she
infinitely prefers cadet society, and l
always did like boys,' explained Mrs.
Garrison. Some rather gay old boys
used to run up Saturday afternoons
on the Mary Powell and spend Sunday
years and much lucre. "Dear old
friends of fathers" Mrs. Frank used
to say, land I've simply got to enter
tain them" Entertained they GER
tainly were, for her wit and vivacity
were acknowledged on every side, and
entertained not only collectively, but
severally, for she always managed to
give each his hours confidential chat,
and on the Sundays of their coming
had no time to spare for cadet friends.
Moreover, she always drove down in
the big bus with them Monday morn
ing when the Powell was sighted COM
ing along that glorious reach from
Polopers island and stood at the edge
of the wharf waving her tiny kerchief
even blowing fairy kisses to them
as they steamed away. No wonder
Nita Terriss was frivolous and tiirta-
tious with such an example, said So
ciety, and it's frowns grew blacker
when the White Sisters, the Fairy
Sisters-the ''Sylphites," came in view.
But frowns and fulminations both fell
harmless from the armor of Mrs.
Franks gay insouciance. Nita WINGED
at first, but soon rallied and bore the
Sights of the permanent and semi
permanent residents as laughingly as
did her more experienced sister. Mia,
it was explained, was only just out OF
school, and Mrs. Frank was giving her
this summer at the Point as a great
treat before taking her to the far west,
where the elder sister must soon go
to join her husband. Everybody knew
Frank Garrison. He had long been
stationed at the academy and was a
man universally liked and respected
even very highly regarded. All of
sudden the news came back to the
Point a few months after his return
to his regiment that he was actually
engaged to "Witchie' Terriss. Hot on
the heels of the rumor came the we'd
ding cards-Lieut. Col. and Mrs. Terriss
requested the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter Mar
garet to Lieut.. Francis Key Garrison,
til US. Cavalry, at the Post Chapel,
Fort Riley, Kansas, November -, 1894
all in Tiffany's best style, as were
the cards which accompanied the invi-
tation. ''What good thing for old
Bill Terriss," said every body who knew
that his impecuniosity was due to the
exactions and extravagancies of his
wife and "Witchie'-"And what bad
thing for Frank Garrison!" was the
echo. His intimates knew that he had
put by" through economy and self
denial about $4,000, the extent of his
fortune outside of his pay. Shell
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" in
sisted on a midwinter run to New Or