Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-04-19

CHATTER NI.-Preparations are made
| for sending part of command to Philippines
For some reasons Red Cross officials wish
! their tables, where they have been lunch
! ing departing soldiers, moved across plat
form directly under the side of the trans
! port, but the officer of the guard has orders
! 70 allow no one to intrude on that space.
! However Mrs. Garrison oVerhearing wish
| OF Red Cross official accomplishes the end
| by scraWllng a note to the officer. the
| colonel OF the regiment about to leave ar
| rlVes and Is surprised to see his reserved
! space occupied Joining Armstrong at this
| moment he shows him Mrs. GarriSons note.
| Armstrong turns sharply to where Mrs.
| Garrison had been, but she had vanished.
! Armstrong now learns an important pack
| age has been taken from Gen. Drayton' s
| tent. The night before an important pris-
| oner, Morton, had escaped, and Billy
| Gray, officer Of the guard, placed under ar
rast
willing TO see, for her large, dark,
thoughtful eyes were engaged with
some object on the opposite side-not
even with the distinguished looking
soldier who sat facing her and talking
quietly at the moment with Mr.. Prime
| There was CLEAN Of triumph in Mrs.
Garrison's dancing eyes as She took out
a flat notebook and pencil and dashed
off few lines in bold and vigorous
strokes. Tearing out the page, she rap
! idly read it over, folded it and glanced
imperiously about her. A cavalry ser
geant, one of the home troop destined
to remain at the Preside, was leaning
over the edge of the pier, hanging on to
an iron ring and shouting some part
ing words to comrades on the upper
deck, but her shrill soprano cut through
the dull roar of deep, masculine voices
and the tramp Of feet on resounding
woodwork
Sergeant" she cried, with quick de-
cision. Take this over to the officer
in command of that guard. Then bring
a dozen men and move these two tables
across the pier" The cavalryman
glanced at the saucy little woman in
the stunning costume, took in" the
gold crossed sabres, topped by a regi-
mental number in brilliants that
pinned her martial collar at the round
white throat, noted the ribbon and
pin and badge Of the Red Cross, and
the symbol of the Eighth corps in red
enamel and gold upon the breast Of her
! jacket, and above all the ring of ac-
customed authority in her tone, and
never hcsitated second. Springing
TO the pile of boxes he grasped the pa
per, respectfully raised his cap and
bored his stalwart way across the pier
In three minutes he was back half a
dozen soldiers at his heels.
"Where'l you have EN-, maam-
miss?" he asked, as the men grasped
the supports and raised the nearmost
table.
straight across and well over to the
edge" She answered, in the same crisE
tones of command. Then, with total
and instant change of manner, Il sup
pose your tables should 90 first
Madam President" she smilingly said.
1T shall be as you wish about the
others"
And the Red Cross was yanquished.
Il declare said an energetic official,
a moment later, leaning> back on her
throne Of lemon boxes and tanning her.
self vigorously, for whole hour I've
been trying to move that officers
heart and convince him the order
didn't apply to us. Now how did-she
do it?''
"The officer must be some old-some
personal friend" hazardfd the secre-
tary, with a quick feminine compre-
hensiye glance at the little lady now
being lifted up to shake hands with
the carriage folk, after being loaded
with compliments and congratulations
by the ladies of the two favored tables.
"Not at all" was the prompt reply.
lie is volunteer officer She never
set eyes on before to-day | would
! like to know what was on that paper"
But now the roar of cheering and the
blare of martial music had reached the
very gateway. The broad portals were
thrown open and in blue and brown,
crushed and squeezed by the attend
ant throng, the head Of the column Of
infantry came striding on to the pier.
The band, wheeling to one side, stood
at the entrance, playing them in, the
rafters ringing TO the stirring strains
of The Liberty Bell" They were
still far down the long pier, the slop-
ing rifles Just visible, dancing over the
heads Of the crowd. No time was to
be lost. More tables were to be car
ried, but-who but that-"that little
army woman" could give the order so
that it would be obeyed. Not one bit
did the president like TO do it, but
something had to be done to obtain
the necessary order, for the soldiers
who so willingly and promptly obeYed
her beck and call were now edging
away for look at the newcomers, and
Mrs. Frank Garrison, perched on the
carriage step and chatting most vi
vaciously with its occupants and no
longer concerning herself, apparently,
about the Red Cross or its tables, had
the qualification of finding herself APP
preached quite as she had planned, by
two most prominent and distinguished
women of San Francisco society, and
requested to issue instructions as to
the moving Of the other tables. Ger
tainly. ladies'" she responded, with
charming smiles. just one minute,
Mildred. Don't drive far; a2r yet" and
within that minute half a dozen boys
in blue were Juggling at the first Of
the tables still left on the crowded side
Of the dock. and others still were bear
ing oil stoves. urns ana trays. In less
time than it takes TO tell il the entire
Red Cross equipage was on its way
across the pier, and when the com
handing officer Of the arriving reg
iment reached the spot which he had
planned to occupy with his band, his
staff and all his officers. there in state
and ceremony to receive the citizens
who came in swarms to bid them fare
well. he found it occupied by as many
as eight snowy, goody-laden tables.
presided over by as many As 50 charm
inc maids and matrons. all ready and
eager to comfort and revive the inner
man of his mighty regiment with cof-
fee and good cheer illimitable. and the
colonel swore mighty oath and