The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-03-02
GSS ArrT life In INC RhiPPines

ASopyIlRUf 1000 ny ' leN0NSOU Neclv,l
yet there are others!" laughed Mrs.
Garrison, waving dainty handkerchief
toward the troops now breaking into
column of twos and slowly climbing the
stage. "Who would want to go with
that blessed old undertaken Good
by-bon voyage, Geordie," she cried
blowing n kiss to the lieutenant at the
head of the second troop, youth who
blushed and looked confused at the at
teption thereby centered upon him and
who would fain have shaken his fist,
rather than waved the one unoccupied
hand in perfunctory reply. when
go I'll choose a ship with band and
broad decks, not any such cramped old
canal boat as the Portland"
"Ohl / thought perhaps your hus-
band" began the lady, obviously, but
with a significant glance ut the silent
faces about her.
who? Frank Carlson Heavens!
/ haven't known what it was to have
husband-since that poor dear boy
went on staff duty" promptly answered
the diminutive center of attraction, a
merry peal Of laughter ringing under
the dingy archway of the long, long
roof. "Why, the Portland has only one
stateroom in it big enough for band
box, and of course the general has to
have that, and there isn't deck where
one couple could turn n slow waltz. No,
indeed! wait for the next fotilla, when
our fellows go, bands and all. Then
we'll see."
but surely, Mrs. Garrison, we are
told the war department has positively
FORBIDDEN officers wives from going on
the transports"-again began her in
terrogator, wistful look in her tired
eyes. 81 know I'd give anything to join
Mr.. Dutton."
1.-The war department has to take or
ders quite as often as it gives them,
Mrs. Dutton. The thing Is to know how
to be of the order giving side. Oh, joy!"
she suddenly cried. Here are the
Primes and Amy Lawrence-then the
regiments must be coming! And there's
Stanley Armstrong;"
Far up the westward street the dis
tant roar of voices mingled with the
swing and rhythm and crash of martial
music. Dock policemen and soldiers on
guard began boring wide lane through
the throng of people on the pier. A huge
black transport ship lay moored along
the opposite side to that on which the
guns and troopers were embarked, and
for hours bales, boxes and barrels had
been swallowed up and stored in her
capacious depths until now, over
against the tables of the Red Cross,
there lay behind rope barrier, taut
stretched and guarded by line Of SEN
tries, an open space close under the
side OF the greater steamer and be-
tween the two landing stages, placed
fore and aft. BY this time the north
tide of the broad pier was Uttered with
the inevitable relies of open air lunch
ing, and though busy hands had been
at work and the tables had been
cleared, and fresh white cloths were
spread and everything on the tables
began again to look fair and inviting !
the good fairies themselves looked ask !
ance at their bestrewn surroundings. |
"Oh, If we could only move everything !
bodily over to the other side" walled |
Madam President, as from her perch !
on stack of Red Cross boxes she sur
veyed that coveted stretch Of clean, un- |
hampered flooring.
"And why not| chirruped Mrs. Gar |
rison, from a similar perch, tier or two |
higher. Here are men enough to move |
mountains. All we have to do is to say |
the word"
"Ah, but it isn't" replied the other,
gazing wistfully about over the throns .
of faces, as though in search of come .
one sufficient in rank and authority TO .
serve her purpose. 1--WE plead in vain /
with the otlicer-of-the-guard. He says
his orders are imperative-to allow no
one to intrude on that space" and
madam looked as though she would
rather look anywhere than at the ami
mated sprite above her.
What nonsense!" shrilled Mrs. Gar
rison. Here, Cherry" she called to
pretty girl, standing near the base of
the pile, give me my bag, I'm army
woman enough TO know that order re
ferred only to the street crowd that
sometimes works in on the pier and
steals" The bag was duly passed up to
her. She cast one swift glance over the
heads of the crowd TO where a hand
some carriage was slowly working its
way among the groups of prettily-
dressed women and children-friends
and relatives of members of the depart
ing commands, in whose behalf, as
though by special dispensation, the or
der excluding all but soldiers and the'
Red Cross had been modified Already
he lovely dark-eyed girl on the near
side had waved her hand in greeting,
to Mrs. Garrsons en-
signals, but her companion,
equally lovely, though of far different
type, seemed peoccupied, perhaps un.
Wiling to see, for her large, dark,
eyes were engaged with
'ome object on the opposite side-not