Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-07-20

yanced to condescenSion, but when
the steward presently appeared with
siphon of iced settler, and, bowling
deferentially, said he hoped every
thing was to Miss Rays liking, and
added that it seemed a long time
since they had seen the captain and
supposed he must be a colonel now,
the thin eyebrows of the tall maiden
were uplifted into little arches that
paral1eled the burrows of her brow
as she inquired:
''Niss Ray?-from Fort Leaven.
WORTH"
The answer was a smiling nod of
assent as the younger lady buried
her lovely, dark face in the flowers
set before her by assiduous waiter,
and Stuyvesant felt sure she was
trying to control an inclination to
laugh.
''WeI, you must excuse me if l
have been a little-slow," said the
elder in evident perturbation. "You
see-we meet such queer people tray
cling sometimes. Don't you find
it sop
The dark face was dimpling now
with suppressed merriment.
'Yes-occasionally," was the smil-
ing answer.
''But then, being the daughter OF
an army officer" pursued the other,
hurriedly, you have to travel
great deal. I suppose you really
have no home?" she essayed in the
half-hopeful tone to be expected of
one who considered that being SO
endowed by nature must suffer some
compensatory discomforts.
eyes and-no," answered Miss Ray,
urbanely. 'In one sense we army
girls have no home. In another, we
have homes everywhere"
1t is reproach in the eyes of GER
tain severe moralists that fellow
being should be so obviously content
with his or her lot. The e'der wom-
an seemed to feel it duty to ac-
quaint this beaming creature with
the manifest deficiency in her moral
makeup.
Eyes, but I should think most any
one would rather have real home,
a place where they weren't bounden
to anybody, no matter if it was hum
bly," (She called it ''humbly,' and
associated it in mind with the words
of Payne's immortal song) "Now,
when [ went to see Col Ray about
our society, he told me he had to
break up everything, going to Cuba,
but he didn't mention about your
going west"
Father was little low in his
mind that day." said Miss Ray, a
shade of sadness passing over her
face. Both my brothers are in the
service, and one is barely IT,"
"Out at service!" interrupted the
other. ''You don't mean"
NO." was the laughing answer,
and in Miss Rays enjoyment of the
situation her eyes came perilously
near seeking those of Mr.. Stuyye-
SAINT, which she well knew were fixed
upon her. Il mean that both are in
the army"
''Well Il thought not = still Il
didn't know. It's all rather new to
me, this dealin' with soldiers, but I
suppose I'll get to know all about it
after a spell. Our society's getting
much encouraged"
RED Crosse" queried Miss Ray,
with uplifted brows and evident ia
terest, yet suspicion of incredIlity.
"Well, same thing, only we don't
propose to levy contributions right
and left like they do. I am vice
president of the Society of Patriotic
Daughters of America, you know. ]
thought perhaps your father might
have told you. And our association
is self-sustaining, at least it will be
as soon as we are formally recog-
nized by the government. You know
the Red Cross hasn't any real stand
ing, whereas our folks expect the
president to issue the order right
away, making us part of the regular
hospital brigade. Now, your father
was very encouraging, though some
officers we talked to were too stuck
up to be decent. When [ called on
Gen. Drayton he just as much as up
and told me we'd only be in the
way"
just here, it must be owned, Miss
Ray found it necessary to dive under
the table for a handkerchief which
she had not dropped.
Mr.. Stuyvesant, ignoring the teach
ings of his childhood and gazing
over the rim of his coffee cup, OBJ
served that she was with difficulty
concealing her merriment. Then, ell
of a sudden, her face, that had been
so full of radiance, became suddenly
clouded by concern and distress. The
door at the head of the car had
swung open and remained so, despite
the roar and racket of the wheels
and the sweep of dust and cinders
down the aisle. The steward glanced
up from his cupboard opposite the
kitchen window at the rear, and
quickly motioned to some one to
shut that door. A waiter sprang
forward, and then came the steward
himself The look in the girls face
was enough for Stuyvesant. He
whirled about to see what had
caused it, and became instantly
aware of a stout-built soldier sway
ing uneasily at the entrance and in
thick tones arguing with the waiter.
He saw at glance the man had been
drinking, and OWNED he was there
to get more liquor. He was on the
point of warning the steward to sell
him none, but was saved the trouble.
The steward bent down and whis-
pered:
''This makes the second time he's
come in since six o'clock. / refused
to let him have a drop. Can't some
thing be done to keep him out? We
can't lock the door, you know. SIR
Stuyvesant quickly arose and
stepped up the aisle. BY this time
everybody was gazing towards the
front entrance in concern and curl
osity. The colored waiter was still