Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-13

catraz, still moving at less than half speed, the flagship was greeted by the thunder of the parting salute, and the commanding general, stand ing with his staff upon the bridge, doffed his cap and barred his hand some head in acknowledgment.
 ''The next guns we're apt to hear will be the Spaniards' at Manila, and shotted guns instead of blanks" said staff officer to the tall, fair-haired aide-de-camp. What's the matter, Stuyvesant? Beginning to feel wab- ply already? There's no sea here to speak of."
 "I was watching that boat" was the quiet reply, as the young officer pointed to small white steamer carefully picking way through the host of harbor craft still screeching and steaming along as escort to the fleet.
 There was an eager light in the bright blue eyes, but the high color had fled. Stuyvesant looked as though he had not slept as much or as we'll of laGe as perfect health required, and his questioner gazed keenly into his face,- then turned away with smile.
 Only three days before on the regis ter of the Occidental appeared among the arrivals the entry: Mrs. Will liam P. Ray, Miss Ray, Fort Leaven- worth," and that evening at least a dozen officers called and sent up their cards, and Lieut.. Ray came in from the Presidio and was with his mother and sister an hour or more.
 The ladies held quite little 1evee fin the parlor of the familiar old army hoste1ry, and MT. Stuyvesanf, after a long and fatiguing day's duty at camp, accompanied his general to their very handsome apartments at the Palace, and then falteringly asked if he might be excused awhile --he had a call or two to make.
 The evening papers had announced the arrival of the wife and daugh- ter of "the gallant officer so we'll known for a quarter of century gone by to many of our citizens Capt. Billy Ray, now colonel of the tn Kentucky" and Stuyvesant had determined to make an effort to meet them. But he was a stranger to the officers who called and sent up their cards-all old regulars.
 Lieut.. Ray was with the party in the parlor, and Stuyvesant felt strange shyness when striving to per- suade himself to send his card to that young officer and boldly ask to be presented. Surely it was the proper thing to seek and meet her and thank her for her delft ministra- tions the night of the fire. Surely man of his distinguished family and connections need not shrink from ask ing to be introduced to any house. hold in all our broad domain, and yet Stuyvesant found himself nervous and hesitant, wandering about the crowd ed office, making pretense of interest garding the jovial knots of regulars who seemed so thoroughly at home. k Over at the Palace, where so many of the general officers and their staffs were quartered, he, had dozens of friends. Here at this favorite old resort of the regular service he stood alone, and to his proud and sensitive spirit it seemed as though there were barrier between him and these pro- fessional soldiers.
 There was the whole secret of his trouble. Absurd and trivial as it may seem, Stuyvesant shranlz from the enterprise, even at the very threshold --shrank even from sending his card and asking for Lieut.. Ray, for no other or better reason than that he did not know how volunteer would be welcomed.
 And so for nearly half an hour he hovered irresolut about the office, unconscious of many glances of in- terest and admiration from the keen eyes of the officers gathered in laugh ing groups about the marble floor. Not one of their number was his superior in form and feature, and his uniform was the handiwork of Goth- am's best military tailor. They saw that the instant he threw of his cape.
 One of their number whispered that it was MT. Stuyvesant, Gen. Vinton's aide, for everybody knew Vinton, and more than one would have been glad to take the aide-de-camp by the hand and bid him welcome to their coterie, but<for that same odd shyness that. once away from camp cc garrison and in the atmosphere of matropoi- ;tau life, seems to clog and hamper the kindlier impulses of the. soldier.
 Presently, asaStuyyesant stood at the desk looking over the register, he heard himself accosted by name. and turning quickly, hopefully, found to his disappointment only stockv little man in civilian dress. 4et the face was familiar, and the trouble in the honest brown eyes looking up to him, as though for help and sym pathy, went right to his heart. Even before the man could give his name or tell his need, Stuyvesant knew him and held out a, cordial hand: Why, you're our brakeman! I'm glad to see you. Whats wrong?" Eve lost me job, sir,' was the an- swer, with little choke. They let me out two days ago-for sayin' their rotten old car caught fire from the boxes, I reckon"
 You don't tell mel" exclaimed Stuyvesant in honest indignation.