Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-05-24

It's members to serve as nurses to
the sick and wounded, it scored tri-
umph over rival organizations, nota-
bly, the Patriotic Daughters of Amer
lea, whose vice president, the austere
Miss Perkins, first bombarded the
papers in vain protest and denuncia-
ton, the Red Cross being her main
objective, and with abuse of the COM
manding officers in camp; then called
in person on the same officers to de-
mand transportation to Manila with
the next expedition.
The Red Cross held it's head very
high, and with reason. 1t ruffled its
feathers and resented any slight. It
sometimes mistook courteous protest
against its lavish gifts to such SOL
diers as were in no wise needy as Vi
cious and unhallowed criticism. and
occasionally = only occasionally ii 1t
grievously enlarged and exaggerated
alleged Sights received at the hands
of luckless officials. And then even
those soft and shapely hands could
develop catlike claws and the sooth-
ing voices take on an acid and scath-
ing intonation, and the eyes, SO ready
to moisten with pity and sympathy
at the sight Of suffering, could shoot
spiteful little fires at the objects of
such divine displeasure, and poor Stuy-
vesant's petulant words, wrung from
him in a moment of evaporation and
never intended to reach the fair
band of sisters of the cross, were
piled high with additions, impolitic.
impolite, discourteous, impudent, in
tolerable-yes, even profane and bias.
phemous.
Eleven of the twelve Red Cross
nurses, packed three In a room
aboard the Sacramento, swore they
would not have anything to do with
Mr.. Stuyvesant. The twelfth, the one
soldiers daughter in the band, said
nothing at all.
"Well, now, Miss Ray, don't you
think it was most discourteous, most
ungentlemanly, in him to send such
messenger" demanded flushed and
indignant young woman, one of the
most energetic of the sisterhood, as
they stood together on the prom
enade deck in the shade of the canvas
awnings, stunning the glare of the
August sun.
Are you sure such message was
sent?" was the serious reply.
TV61y oar<o;rl1, 10 ds1i o~S
by his own servant, too," was the
wrathful answer. Didn't he, Miss
Porter?"
And Miss Porter, the damsel ap-
pealed to, and one of the two nurses
who sent in their message from the
office, promptly assented. Miss Ray
looked unconvinced.
Servants, you know, sometimes de-
liver messages that were never sent, :"
she answered, with quiet decision.
I'VE have seen quite little of that
in the army, and it is my fathers
rule to get all the facts before pass
ing judgment. My brother thought
Mr.. Stuyvesant's attendant garrulous
and meddlesome."
"But I asked him if he was sure
that was what Mr.. Stuyvesant said,"
persisted Miss Porter, bridling, land
he answered they We're just the very
Words
"And still doubt his having sent
them as message" said Miss Ray,
with slight access of color, and that
evening she walked the deck long
with happy subaltern and added to
her unpopularity.
There were several well-informed
and unpleasant women, maids and
matrons both, in the little sisterhood,
but somehow "the boys" did not show
such avidity to walk or chat with
them as they did with Miss Ray. She
sorely wanted a talk with Sandy that
evening, but the Belgic had come in
from Frisco only six hours before
they sailed and huge bags of letters
and papers were transferred from
her to the Sacramento.
There were letters for Maidie and
Sandy both-several-bu there was
one bulky missive for him that she
knew to be from her father, from
far-away Tampa, and the boy had
come down late to dinner. They had
| seats at the table of the commanding
officer, thing Maidie had really
tried to avoid, as she felt that it dis
eliminated, somehow, against the
other nurses, who, except Mrs. DR..
Wells, their official head, were dis
tributed about the other tables, but
the major had long known and loved
her father, and would have it so.
This night, their first out from Homo.
lulu, he had ordered wine-glasses on
the long table and champagne served,
and when dinner was well-nigh over
noticed for the first time that Ray
had turned his glass down.
"Why, Sandy" he cried, impulsive-
", ut is just 90 years ago this sum-
mer that your father made the ride
of his life through the Indian lines
to save Wayne's command on the
Cheyenne. Now, there are just % Of
US here at table, and wanted to pro-
pose his health and promotion.
Won't you join us?"
The boy colored to the roots of his
dark hair. His eyes half filed. He
choked and stammered moment and
then-back went the head with the
old, familiar toss that was so like his
father, and through his set lips San
dy bravely spoke:
"can't, major. swore off--to.
day!"
"All right. my boy, that ends it'll"
answered the major, heartily, while
Marion, her eyes Drumming, barely