Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-06-04


spread an unobstructed view of the
parade ground even to the edge of
the distant glacis, and here it was the
household sat to watch the military
ceremonies, to receive their guests,
and to read or doze throughout the
brewster hours of the day. Campo
de Bagumgayan" was what the natives
called that martial fiat in the strange
barbaric tongue that delights in "igs'
and "ags," in "ings" and "angs," even
to repetition and repletion.
And here one soft, sensuous Oc-
tober afternoon, with light breeze
from the bay tempering the heat of
the slanting sunshine, reclining in a
broad bamboo easy-chair, sat Maidie
Ray, now quite convalescent, yet not
yet restored to her old-time vigorous
health.
Her hostess, the colonels amiable
wife, was busy on the back gallery
leading to the kitchen, deep in coun-
sci with her Filipino majordomo and
her Chinese cook, servitors who had
been we'll trained and really needed
no instruction. and for that matter
got but little, for Mrs. Brent's knowl-
edge of the Spanish tongue was even
less than her command Of "Pidein"
English. Nevertheless, neither Ignacio
nor Sing Suey would fail to nod in
the one case or smile broadly in the
other in assent to her every PROPOSE
tion-it being one of the articles of
their domestic faith that peace and
happiness, truth and justice, religion
and piety, could best be promoted
throughout the establishment by
never seeming to differ with the lady
of the house. To all outward ap-
pearances, therefore, and for the
first few weeks, at least, housekeep-
ing in the Philippines seemed some
thing almost idyllic, and Mrs. Brent
was in ecstasies over the remarkable
virtues of Spanish-trained servants.
There had been anxious days dur
ing Maidie's illness. The Sacrament
to had been ordered away, and the
| little patient had to be brought
ashore. But the chief quartermaster
sent his especial steam-launch for
BILLY Rays daughter" the chief sur
geon, the best ambulance and team
to meet her at the landing; a squad
| of Sandy's troopers bore her reclin-
| ing-chair over the side into the
| launch, out of the launch to the wait
| ing ambulance, and out of the am
bulance upstairs into the airy rooms
set apart for her, and, with Mrs.
Brent and Miss Porter. Sandy and the
most devoted of army doctors to bear
her company and keep the fans 60
ing, Maidie's progress had been
rather in the nature of triumph.
So at least it had seemed to the
austere vice president of the Patriot
ic Daughters of America, who, as IL
| happened, looked on in severe disap-
| proval. She had asked for that very
ambulance that very day to enable
her to make the rounds Of regimental
hospitals in the outlying suburbs,
and had been politely but positively
refused.
By that time, it seems, this most
energetic woman had succeeded in
alternating all othars in authority at
corps headquarters, to the end that
the commanding general declined to
grant her further audience, the sur
geon general had given orders that
she be not admitted to his inner of
flee, the deputy surgeon general had
asked for a sentry to keep her off
his premises, the sentries at the first
and second reserve hospital had in
structions to tell her, also politely
but positively. that she could not be
admitted except in visiting hours,
when the surgeon, a steward, or
and here was "the most unkindest
cut of all"-some of the triumphant
Red Cross could receive and attend
to her, for at last the symbol of Ge-
neva had gained full recognition. At
last DIR. Wells and the sisterhood
were on duty, comfortably housed,
cordially welcomed, and presumably
happy
The officials remained in blissful ig-
norance of the tremendous nature of
the charges laid at their door by Miss
Perkins, and Maidie Ray, while duly
informed of the frequent calls and
kind inquiries of many an officer, and
permitted of late to welcome Sandy
for little talks, had been mercifully
spared the infection of the personal
visitation thrice attempted by her
fellow-traveler on the train.
81 don't believe you were ever in
innate friends" said Mrs. Brent, "and
that she nursed and cared for you
in the cars when you were suffering
from shock and fright because of
fire. That's what she says, though.
What was it, Maidie? Was it there
Mr.. Stuyvesant got that burn on his
face ?-and lost his eyebrows?"
And then 1t transpired that Mr..
Stuyvesant had been frequent and
assiduous caller for whole fort
night, driving thither almost every
evening.
But Maidie was oddly silent as to
the episode of Sthe fire on the train.
She laughed little about Miss Per-
kins and her pretensions, but to the
disappointment of her hostess could
not be drawn into talk about that
tall, handsome New Yorker.
And what seemed strange to Mrs.
Brent was that now, when NIadie
could sit up few hours each day
and see certain among the officers
wives, arriving by almost every
steamer from the states, and have
happy chats with Sandy every time
he could come galloping in from
Paco, and was taking delight In
watching the narades and reyiews ON