The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-01
Col. Mi11ard's
Surrender.
The Widow Triumphed Where All
Other weapons Fniled.
BY STANLEY EDWARDS JOHNSON

BY STANLEY EDWARDS JOHNSON.
Col Milard sat in his tent, reading the
mail, which had just been brought by the
post boy The sun. which scorches Texas
during August afternoons, had no effect
on him He was cool on all occasions, as
far as had been tested, for he had been
fortunate man under Uncle Sans bene-
ficent care, and had never smeit gunpow-
der in earnest. Still, there was no doubt
that he was a soldier, and he now had
one of the best posts in the country, that
fancy garrison, at San Anton, Tex.
About a stones throw from his tent a
young man was introducing young wo-
man to her first game of tennis. The
ground was shaded by the colonePs resi-
dence; but the game was languid, and an
expert would have known that the inter-
est was not there. Finally the game was
given up and a waiter came with some
iced lemonade, which was placed on ta-
BILE in an arbor adjoining the tennis court.
When the refreshments had been tasted
the pair walked to the garden, still furth-
er from the coloners tent their racquets
The soldierly dignity of the young man.
and the natural and easy grace of the
young woman, would have paused the
glance of any one who CHANGED to see
them The man was military, even while
at leisure; and as he walked his arms
and fingers remained at rest, with that
ease and naturalness which the novice
can not initiate without looking awkward
The girl held her head stylishly erect, and
when she looked downward she moved her
eyes and not her head. She was doing
so now with her chin turned little away
from her companion.
Il am sorry for the way papa feels"
she said. "But it really makes no diff
ference in the main case-the fact that
| love you and you love me. My mother
was a Haworth, the Albany Haworths
and we have never been known to
show the white feather. My great
grandfather-I was never ashamed to tell
twas a loyalist in the time of the revo-
luton, and, strangely enough, he was al
lowed to live and die so, and his death did
not take place until after Washington s
second term as President. My father, the
colonel. and you, my Harold, will proba bly,
talk no more than military usage demands
after last night. 1t gives the garrison
something to talk about, / suppose can
imagine them saying: The colonel has
at last met foe. and in his own house
hold-his daughter But l shall do just a 5
my Grandfather Haworth would. l shall
bear myself in time so that he will be
convinced that no amount of petty irrita-
ton will move me. You do not know Col
onel Willard as well as I do. But now we
are betrothed, | am certain we are to
tread on no pathway strewn with flowers.
Only one thing, l know, you will find me
staunch to the last moment"
She spoke her words with a fine de-
liberation and in a manner almost I'M
feeling 1t might seem to the listener, I'M
less he could see the fash of her beauti-
full auctuating gray eyes. For the eyes
tell the story of the soul better than the
words the mouth ulters. Miss Millard was
known in the garrison for what she real
lv was. There may have been some doubts
about many members of the choice society
which gathered about the cosy piaZzas
Of the garrison residences or walked and
prouDed themselves about its trim lawns
or promenaded about the parade ground.
The garrison was the upper crust of San
Anton. hut 1t was an imDenerable crust,
and the people of the city itself never sue
ceeded in entering the charmed circle.
rhev smoke of the officers in the drive
r,hist oarties in San Anton as a lot OF
snobs whose sole task in life was to wear
,niforrns and feed on the government.
1-ha,, Hanged for a war, for they felt 1t
,rould soon sweep these annoying persons
o,,t NJ existence. But no one ever made
s,,cb comments OF Miss Millard. They saw
har riding almost daily about the streets
and her fine seat and queenly manner was
the,r sole bass Of Judgment II was sur
ecie,, however and they wfre right, Tor
49, elements OF noble character rang true
In Miss Millard. - =,
81 love to hear you talk so, Bessie; al
,ho,eb should be the last one to en-
onvrsee rebellion against my superior
: Iaut Harris said II want no greater
hanniness than TO know that have your
love ana your promise. We will trust our
S,ars and wait. The coloners objections
os ne gives them, you say, are that you
arc two Young to know your own mind
srhot might be true Of some, but you were
rine IN Judgment, III venture to>say, at
Ne age of ten But there's something
hack Of this, which know, and he knows
h,,t honor forblds either of us telling.
,rbat ~ the real reason, Bessie. While IL
l. not A question Of honor between your
father and myself. It goes back to the
49, when was an attache In the war
dsnartnnent at Washington. Soon after
a. happened Col Mi1erd's influence sent
nc en- exile to the Dakotas In return. l
had had your fathers pleasant and peace