The National tribune., 1902-11-13

"Si, do you remember that there's lady
thing, when the Bhgles in the neighboring
camps awakened them in the morning.
"Indeed 1 do. and more'n that. she is
in our charge" answered 81, sitting up
right and rubbing his eyes as if he would
wipe away a mental perplexity.
THAT she is; returned Shorty, select
ing straw to put between his teeth, to
help him excogitate a weighty problem. .,
'.And she is the real article of lady, too.
continued ST, resting his chin upon his
hand, and gazing, fxedly at the wagon.
BET you. None of the Oreide, four
carat-fne limitations that We saw so mucn
of in Savanny," echoed Shorty, biting on
the straw and gazing sternly at it, as ii
it represented the inferior class of women
| he had previously met in the South. .
'AI old schoolmate OF the Coloners,
mused 81.
"IAind of q woman your mother and
and-and-sisters would take to, ST."
| "And she called US gentlemen, and said
she was SO glad to see us, and how good
| it was to be with us," meditated 81, think
| ing how rarely Ire had heard anything like
| that from wOman's lips south of the Ohio
River.
"Wel, 81, what've we got to do?"
"TO do whatT'
Great Jehosephat, you know what l
mean. To do the proper thing while she's
with u.s.
I'D give my stripes to know. Dumb
it, can't you see I'm thinking"
"JehOsephat! Is that the way you
think? / thought you had to stand up,
and open your. mouth, and scratch your
head to think"
"Shorty, this is no time for dumbed nom
sense. This is too important matter.
"YOu bet it is, and this is no time for
you to be setting OH your hunkers, like
bulnb on n log. You're the chief fugleman
of this outfit, and must do the honors
It's your ante Get move on you, mighty
sudden"
Suppose that the first thing ought to
be to clean up as for inspection and re-
view," unused 81.
Eyes, let's start in and get few acres
of this South Carolina clay off us. We
don't need it any longer. We're now in
North Carolina, they say. l feel as if l
could spare quarter section more off'n
these boots alone" Shorty continued, pick
| ing up those articles and banging them
| against a stump to remove the superhuous
clay.
Lets first take the boys down to the
branch, and have good wash, and brush
our clothes as well as we can. Then
we'll come back and red up the camp.
| I'll so over now and start Otterbein Kram-
er into doing Hsypurtiest for something
for her and the CHILDREN to eat"
"And we've Eot ito have the right kind
of man to Dive that wagon" said 81,
betlnking himself, las he moved off. mo
cuss,words whsfss: fiat lady and children
Don't know sa9ah 9xahere he's going to get
any mules he a Can drive without cussing." :"
said Shorty .,iaa44qbtfuly.::. But Gen.
Howard may have some"
81 had a rigid Inspection at the branch.
He saw that eXsIY ones hair was neat
ly combed. his, goat buttoned to the chin.
and all of thestsna cious South Carolina
clay brushed out Of his clothes that could
be- There. was little need of his com
mands, thought for. they were all as
thoroughly excited; oyer the presence of
a lady as he, and, as eager to do every,
thing possible, in, her honor. The perplex-
ing question was what to do. They march
ed back to the wagons with as much stiff
| formality as if escorting the colors on
parade, and proceeded to painstakingly,
spruce up the ground on which they had
camped.- Blankets were neatly rolled up,
overcoats folded and piled, the fire set to
blazing cheerily, and every scrap picked
| up and thrown upon it. Mrs. klegg
front yard could not have been neater.
| They went to attend to their horses
carefully washing their hands and faces
again after stable duty, and hurried back
| to be in readiness whenever her ladyship
| might rise.
81 wonder what's been her habit!' 81
communcd with Shorty. after a visit to
where Otterbein Kramer was preparing
| the daintiest breakfast he knew how.
taking her breakfast in her room or CON-
| ing down to eat with the family! I've
heard that most of the swell folks take
breakfast in their rooms"
ssCha 1oos if onyhndy dNac " raSuOpdad
Shorty. ANY how, we ought to play that
she does it, because if we don't it might
| seem q reflection on her present poverty.
You go and rap on the wagon, and ask
when she wants breakfast, and that We'll
bring it to her, whenever she's ready"
"YOu go, Shorty. You've a heap more
cheek than l have"
'IIl do nothing of the kind. It's your
place. You're married man. 1t IS a
mighty delicate thing to be rapping at
widows sleeping rooms. / don't think it's
at all nice for single men to do"
Probably that's so. l hadn't thought
of it."
81 stepped up, and raped diffidently on
the tailbOard Of the wagon, while all the
others stood off and listened with breath
less attention.
| Good morning. gentlemen" brightly re-
sponded the widows voice. "How do you
do"'
every well, ma'am; thank you. We
hope You slept we'll"
| "Never better in life, l believe,
thank you"
.What time would you like your break
fast? We will bring it to you whenever
you say"
30. / don't want to put you to that
trouble" she answered brightly. "You are
too good"
'.No trouble at all, ma'am," 81 heartily
assured her.
"We'll be only too glad to carry every
thing right up to yOu,' echoed the rest,
glad of being able to say something. "In-
deed we WILL"
| ''Just say what you'd like, ma 'am," re-
iterated ST, "and we'll bring it to YOU
"No, no." she. pleaded vivaciousIy. "All
we want this minute is basin of warm
water. We're almost dressed, and as soon
as we can take little of the Crime of,
We want to come ont and see you"
They fell over one another in rushing
back to Otterbein Kramer, to communi-
cate her wish. Kramer looked around in
perpleXity for something to send the wa
ter in.
She's been used to China" he mur-
INJURED, "and we eaha*en't even tinware In
the Lords service it is not the outside but
the interior which counts, though. Here,
take this. with my humble apologies"
| He took a large gourd, which he filled
with lukewarm water and handed to
Monty, who at Gnce became the envied of
all the others. 9-Tfey followed him with
their eyes as he approached the tailboard
of the wagon carrying the gourd, like a