Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-05-19
LIBERTY OR WHAT?


o~o~o~o-o~o~oo o"o"o"o
The day was drawing to its close.
Already the sun had begun to tint the
western sky with a soft crimson glow.
The windows in the weather beaten
barracks caught and held the rosy light
as though loath to let the brightness
under the hill was bathcd in the glory.
Within the little cottage under the
hill preparations for the evening meal
We're being made. Back ana forth
across the room a tall. straight figure
moved. full of that supple grace of the
southern woman.
''Zoritsa, have you heard what de-
cision has been made?"
mo, mother" answered the girl
Captain NcwcOmbe told me today
that they We're all on the tiptoc of cX-
pectation. but determined to fight it
out and win no mattcr what happens"
'The captain is very gallant If all
the men were rs brave as he. there
would be no doubt about an American
victory"
Il am afraid YOUR criticism is unjust,
mother. You are letting ten come un-
der the ban of your displeasure be-
cause you chance to know the merits
of one. Captain Newcombe thinks all
his men brave"
'Wcll, we need not complain of Lieu
tenant Hopes courage, for he certainly
displayed perseverance. at least. before
he won you, after many rcbutfS."
''Oh, yes. Lieutenant Hope is exceed
ingly brave. if you call persistence in a
love affair bravery | wonder if in
war a beSiegcd army is ever worried
into being captured. Really, feel like
Il prisoner of war since
flush, ZoritSa.". came softly from
the corner You are hasty. 1t is no
less than treachcry to-
"rreachery!" interrupted the girl i'm,
petuously. Il think your definition and
mine differ. But forgive me, dear"
suddenly softcning and laying her
flushed cheek against her mothers soft
hair. Il am tired tonight. And. moth.
er, do not ask me why. have cravcd
my liberty as no one ever did before,
and tonight I'm free. mother free. DO
you understand what that means to
me, dear? | have broken my engage.
ment with Lieutenant Hope"
at may be at the risk of your happi-
ness, dear"
81 have gladly taken that risk and re-
ininn n lhnrtv Nh liInp-
ty! | wonder not that mems lives are
lost for liberty
The widow JuaniqueZ and her daugh-
ter were In the little cottage making
bandages and otherwise busying them
selves with work for the army.
''lt Is strange. mother, that Captain
Newcombe did not come in as usual
this evening"
''Yes. He said yesterday he would
come up as soon as his duties were
performed. | do not understand his
absence"
Zoritsa glanced quickly at the still
grllsh figure bending over her work,
Was that n flush softly creeping over
the fair. youthful face? She caught
her breath. Did her mother care? She
had not thought of that. But, then,
why not? Was not the "scnorita" the
belle Of the village? And yet the
thought had never come to her that it
was still possible for man like the
captain to win her mothers love. Why.
even the idea was absurd. Did she
really care for Captain Newcombe?
Surely his interest at least was no
more than friendship. When he hears
that she is not bound to Lieutenant
Hope. will he not show her 1t is she
whom he loves?
Great excitement seemed to prevail
in the village next morning. At every
other door groups of people were stand,
ing, the men angrily gesticulating, the
women crying. In front of the cot,
tage were two or three villagers talk
ing to "lrish." as he was familiarly
known in camp.
"Yis." he was saying. thin sphal-
poems up there" jerking his thumb
toward the barracks. "were too busy
enjOyin av thimsilveS to be bothered
wild the thrublcS nv n handful av poor
divils. But yen niver he afthcr catch
In Captain Newcombe a-nappn. and
ez soon eZ he heard the fuss he offered
hlmsllf and his men to 30 and help
thin.
'Yis, we wint. but how many hev
come back ag'ln? The dirty sphalpcens
made a ragged edge of our company
the finest ven see anywhcres-and the
captain himsilf has been killed entoir-
ly. All, twas a sorry day that brought
Paddy Malorc to this God fo!saken
country"
The two women within. so dear to
each other and yet each seeming to