Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-22


 iRexcusable.
 "Fudgel" said Miss Porter. "If it were you instead of Miss Ray he was in love with, how long would you let your badge keep him at distance?' ?''
 The sun went, down on their unap- peased wrath that second night in Manila bay, and with the morrow came added cause for disapprobation. Before the noon hour 8 snow-whfte launch with .colors flying fore and aft steamed alongside, and up the stairs. resplendent, came Stuyvesant's gen. eral with a brace of staff officers, all three precipitating themselves on the invalid and, after brief converse with him, all three sending their cards to Miss Ray, who had taken refuge on the other deck.
 And even while she sat rehecting what would be the wiser course, the general himself followed the card- bearer, and that distinguished war; rior, with all the honors of his yic- torious entry fresh upon him, in- clined his handsome head and begged that he might present himself to the daughter of an old and cherished friend of cadet days, and seated him. self by her side with hardly 8 glance at the array of surrounding feminin- ity, and launched into reminiscence of Billy Ray" as he was always called, and it was some little time before she could say:
 ''Will you let me present you to Dr. Wells, who is practically my com manding officer?" request the gen. eral was too much of a gentleman not to accede to at once, yet looked not too much pleased when he was led before that commanding dame, and then distinctly displeased as, talk ing advantage of her opportunity, the indignant lady burst forth with her grievance:
 "Oh! This is Gen. Vintonl We'll, I must say that think you generals have treated the ladies of the Red Cross with precious little courtesy. Here we've been waiting 36 hours, and not soul has come near us or shown us where to go or told us what to do, while everybody else aboard is looked after at once"
 Ut is matter entirely out of my jurisdiction, madame" answered the general with grave and distant dig nity. "In fact, knew nothing of the arrival of any such party until, at the commanding generals this morn ing, your vice president-is it?-was endeavoring to-"
 "Our vice president. sir" interposed the lady, promptly, lis in San Fran cisco, attending to her proper func- tions. The person you saw is not recognized by the Red Cross at all, nor by anyone in authority that know off
 Gen. Vinton reddened. A soldier, accustomed to the "courtesies indis- pensable among military men," i'll brooks it that stranger and wom- an should take him to task for mat ters beyond his knowledge or con trol.
 "You will pardon me if in my ig- norance of the matter fancied the lady in question to be a representa- tive of your order, and for suggest ing that the chief surgeon Is the off, cial to whom you should address your complaint-and rebukes. Good morning. madame Miss Ray" he continued, as he quickly turned and led that young lady away, two of my staff desire to be presented. May have the pleasure?"
 There was no mistaking the gener- aPs disapprobation of the official head of the sisterhood as represented on the Sacramento. Though he and his officers remained aboard an hour, not once again would he look to- wards Dr. Wells or seem to see any of the party but Miss Ray-this, too, despite the fact that she tried to ex- plain matters and pour oil on such troubled waters.
 Capt. Butt sent up champagne to the distinguished party, and Miss Ray begged to be excused and slipped away to her stateroom, only to be in stantly recalled by other cards Col. and Mrs. Brent, other old friends of her father and mother. She re- membered them well, and remem- bered having heard how Mrs. Brent had brayed all opposition and had started for Hong-Kong the day after the colonel steamed for Manila; and their coming with most hospitable intent only added to the poor girls perplexities, for they showered wei comes upon her and bade her get her luggage up at once. They had come to take her to their own roof. They had secured such quaint, roomy house in Ermita right near the bay shore, and looking right out on the Luneta and the parade grounds.
 They stormed at her plea that she must not leave her companions. They bade her send for Miss Porter, and included her in their warm-hearted invitation; but by the. time Maidie was able to get a word in edgewise on her own account, and begged them to come and meet Mrs. Dr. Wells and the Red Cross sisterhood, they de- 
 The general, in Marion's brief ab- sence, had expressed his opinion of that official head, and the Brents had evidently accepted his views. Then Vinton and his officers loudly begged Mrs. Brent to play chaperon and per suade Miss Ray and Miss Porter to accompany them in their fine white launch in visit to the admiral on the flag ship, and said nothing about oth- FITS of the order