The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-06-20
Copyright, 1899. by F. 1ennyson Neely.l

y
always did like boys" explained Mrs.
Garrison. Some rather gay old boys
used to run up Saturday afternoons
on the Mary Powell and spend Sunday
DIT the Point-Wall street men of so
years and much lucre. Dear old
friends of fathers" Mrs. Frank used
to say, land I've simply got to enter
tain them" Entertained they GER
tainly were, for her wit and vivacity
were acknowledged on every side, and
entertained not only collectively, but
seyerally, for she always managed to
| give each his hours confidential chat,
and on the Sundays of their coming
had no time to spare for cadet friends.
Moreover, she always drove down in
the big bus with them Monday morn
ing when the Powell was sighted COM
ing along that glorious reach from
Polopels island and stood at the edge
of the wharf waving her tiny kerchief
even blowing fairy kisses to them
as they steamed away. No wonder
I Nita Terriss was frivolous and firta
tious with such an example, said So
ciety, and its frowns grew blacker
when the White Sisters, the Fairy
Sisters-the "Sylphites," came in view.
Dut frowns and Nominations both fell
harmless from the armor of Mrs.
J Franks gay insouciance. Nita WINGED
ut first, but soon rallied and bore the
sights of the permanent and semi
permanent residents as laughingly as
did her more experienced sister. Nita,
it was explained, was only just out of
school, and Mrs. Frank was giving her
this summer at the Point as great
treat before taking her to the far west,
where the elder sister must soon go
to join her husband. Every body knew
Frank Garrison. He had long been
stationed at the academy and was a
man universally liked and respected
even very highly regarded. All of
sudden the news came back to the
Point few months after his return
to his regiment that he was actually
engaged to ''Witchie" Terriss. Hot on
the heels of the rumor came the we'd
ding cards-Lieut. Col. and Mrs. Terriss
requested the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter Mar
garet to Lieut. Francis Key Garrison,
-th U. S. Cavalry, at the Post Chapel
| Fort Riley, Kansas, November ~, 1894
all in Titfany's best style, as We're
the cards which accompanied the invi-
tation. What a good thing for old
Bill Terriss." said erybody who knew
that his impecuniosity was due to the
exactions and extravagancies OF his
wife and "Witchie''-" what bad
thing for Frank Garrison" was the
echo. His intimates knew that he had
put by" through economy and self
denial about $4,000, the extent of his
fortune outside of his pay. She'll
make ducks and brakes of it in the six
weeks honeymoon was the confident
prophecy, and she probably did, for,
despite the fact that he had so recently
rejoined the regiment "Witchie" in
sisted on midwnter run to New Or
leans. Savannah and Washington, and
bore her lord, but not her master, over
the course in triumph. 70 studentofhu
man nature-and frailty, that union of
faded and somewhat shopworn maid of
% to an ardent and vigorous young sol
der many moons the junior was easy 70
account Tor. One after another Witchie
Ierriss had had desperate affairs with
half dozen fellows. older or younger,
in the army and was known to have
been engaged to five different men at
different times, and believed to have
been engaged to two different men at
one time. Asked as to this by one of
her chums, she was reported to have
replied: DO you know, | believe it
true; l had totally forgotten about
Ned Colston before Mr.. Forman had
been at the post a week. Of course the
only thing to do was to break with
both and let them start fresh" But
this Mr.. Coiston, whose head had been
somewhat cleared by month of
breezy, healthful scouting, accepted
only IN part-that part which included
the break. Forman had the fresh start
and the walk over and held the trophy
Just two months, when it dawned upon
him that Margaret loved dancing far
more than she did him--a clumsy per-
former, and that she would dance
night after night, the lightest, dain-
test creature in the hop room, and
never have a word or look for him
who leaned in gloomy admiration
against the wall and never took his
eyes off her. He became Jealous,
moody, ugly-tempered and finally had
the good luck to get his congo as the
result of an attempt to assert himself
and limit her dances. She was blithe
and radiant and fancy free when Frank
harrison reached the post, a wee bit
hipped, 1T was whispered, because of
the failure of somewhat half hearted |
suit Of his in the far east, and the Fairy
hounded into the darkness of his life |
and fairly dazzled him. Somebody
had said that Frank Garrison had
money.
There is no need to tell of the disillu-
sion that gradually came. Frank found
his debts mounting up and his cares in
creasing. She was all sympathy and re-
gret when he mentioned it. but-there
were certain comforts. Injuries and
things she had always been accustomed
TO, and couldn't live without. Surely he
would not have her apnl,- IN ,,ano No