Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-08-03

of the occasion, she had assumed
guardianship, SO to speak, over that
sessive in form, so passively was 1t
tolerated.
She had piled the girl with ques-
tons as to the friends who were to
meet her on arrival in San Francisco,
and Miss Ray had s1nilingly given
evasive answers.
When, therefore, they neared Sac
ramento and the vice president an
nounced her intention of sallying
forth to see to it that proper victuals
were provided for her soldier boys,
Miss Ray had few minutes in which
to make her preparations, and the
next thing the vice president saw of
her supposed ward and dependent.
that young lady was in the embrace
of richly dressed and most distin-
guished-looking woman, whose gray
hair only served to heighten the re-
fnement of her features. Just be-
hind the elder lady stood silk
hated dignitary IN the prime of life,
and behind him a footman or valet,
to whom the porter was handing
Miss Rays belongings.
And what the vice president so
much resented was that Miss Ray
had not only never mentioned her
purpose of leaving the train at Sacra-
mento, but never so much as intro
duced her friends, at whom the vice
president smiled invitingly while ac-
cepting Miss Rays courteous but
brief thanks for $50 much attention
during the afternoon" but who mere
ly bowed in acknowledgment when
she would have addressed them on
the subject of Miss Rays being of SO
much help to her when help was so
much needed, and who spirited the
young lady away to the handsome
carriage awaiting her.
The vice president was distinctly
of the opinion that folks didn't need
to stink off in that way unless they
were ashamed of where they were
going or afraid of being found out,
gritting his teeth with wrath, and so
whirled about and left her.
1t was after midnight when they
reached the pier at Oakland. There,
under the great train-shed, track aft
er track was covered with troop cars
and full regiment lay sleeping.
An alert young officer of the guard
raised his hand in salute as Stuyve-
sent addressed him. No, there were
no ambulances, no soldiers from the
Preside. They might be waiting
across the ferry.
But how was he to get the injured
men across the ferry, thought Stuy-
vesant. Two of them would have to
be carried.
The long train, except that recruit
car, was now emptied. The throng
of passengers had gone on through
the waiting-rooms and up the stair
way to the saloon deck of the huge
ferry-boat. If he purposed going, no
time was to be lost, and the porter
bearing his hand-luggage ventured a
word to that effect.
Stuyvesant looked back. There
were protruding heads at many of
obedient to the instructions given by
Connolly, no man, apparently, had
left his place, and Connolly, though
suffering, had evidently resumed con-
troll, much benefited by the services
OF another physician who had board
ed the train in the late afternoon and
renewed the bandages and dressings
of the injured men. Then Stuyvesant
suddenly became aware of a messen-
ger-boy with a telegram. 1t was ad-
dressed to 'Lieut. Stuyvesant, A. d.
c., Train No. 2, Oakland" Tearing it
open, he read as follows:
Report by wire condition of Re-
cruit Foster. If serious, have him
conveyed to st. Paul's hospital. Com
mission as lieutenant and signal Of
ficer awaits him here"
1t was signed by the adjutant gen.
eral at department headquarters,
San Francisco.
But she boy had still another. This
too he held forth to Stuyvesant, and
the latter, not noticing that it was
addressed commanding Officer U. S.
Troops, Train No. g" mechanically
opened and read and made a spring
for the car.
The message was from Port Costa,
barely 80 miles away, and briefly
said: ''Any your men missing? Sol
der left car here believed jumped
overheard return trip ferry-boat."
One man was missing. Recruit
Foster for whom q commission nc
lieutenant and signal officer was
waiting at department headquarters,
could not be found.