The National tribune., 1902-12-11


| We'll. who calls her Lady," persisted
the Sergeant. ."
Why. evers#dy." responded Marie
wOrderingly. eMister Shorty and Mister
Sir Tf"
A great shout went up then, for Serg't
klegg and Shorty were pretty well known,
| even in that crowd and 80 voices snarled
and tangled up. with each other as tie
surging crowd about the Captain and his
little straggler. 1t was just at this mo-
ment that Mrs. Wimple appeared on the
scene. white and breathless.
Mamma; m-a-m-ma" screamed the
happy little girl as she reached out her
hands. 900 mamma. This is the
boofulist tholdier man. l was losted in
the twoud, an he found me-"
Il knowed she'd be all right" remarked
Calhoun, in his most dignified tones. as
Mrs. Wimplc took her baby in her arms
| and cried over and kissed her as mothers
have habit of doing. Girls is an awful
noosancc, though
Mrs. Wimple's slender form fairly
bowed under the weight of Marie who.
now that the excitement was over, was
| crying dismally, and clinging TO her mother
| in perfect abandon of fright. Quite a
diversion was created by the episode Of
the children, and 80 blue-coated boys Of
in carrying the child back to the camp.
Mrs. Wimple sank to the ground, com
pletely exhausted. and undOing the child's
| tight-clasped hands from about her neck.
said gently. "Mamma'S little daughter
must stop crying now. The danger is over,
but Mamma is too weak to carry her.
The little woman Strengthened up her
dimpied face and. smiling through her
| tears. kissed her mother. and sliding her
V,nv ~, fh- In~f t.raxy xyf.Ix
'M'ree will walk" Just then her "thol-
dier-man" stepped up to speak to Mrs.
Wimple, and Marie Immediately held nm
her arms. please take M'ree." she asked
winningiy. and had not to ask again.
Mrs. Wimple thanked the big fellow in
Il few earnest words for the great kind
ness he had done her. and then the march
back to the wagons began. Marie coniid-
ingly ciinging to her new-found friend.
Shorty could not throw himself vita
his usual vim into the work of making Il
permanent camp. to which 81 was urging
the squad, in his usual practical man
ner.
Shorty had craned over the crowd press
ing around the door of the store-room in
which the mails was being sorted. and
seen any number of white envelopes.
supcrscribed in feminine hands. Word
was given out that there was such a great
quantity of mail that it could not be sorted
and ready for distribution unit! morning.
and he went back with this gloomy in
formation to the slioys.
"All right said 81, with his customary
cheerful acceptance of the inevitable.
We've had tofsioo without mail for about
two months. j guess VIC can manage 70
stand it for Il fawGhours longer. Let's at
tend to the mafHE business now. which is
getting this damp in order for stay.
Boys, you must put up your tents right.
and ditch them. No slack work now. 1t
must be done sooher or later. and had het
ter be done nov. Go get those spades
while you caiii and make your bitches.
Make them right. or you'll have it ali to
do over again, hnd you'd better do it now
than after Whit when you'll be wanting
TO read your letters"
Shorty worked q little while half-heart-
edly.; and them dtiwn By invisible cords.
dropped the ak With which he was driv-
ing pegs, and wandered back to where the
mail was being sorted. He might per-
chance catch glimpse of a. letter from
Maria, in some way that he could recog-
nize it. and so manage to exist in toler-
able comfort till morning. 1t would lie
so much To know that there was really
letter from her there for him. The
crowd about the door WAS even bigger
than before. There We're others whose
eyes were hungry to furnishing for !;
glimpse of something which Il beloved
hand had touched. With difficulty Shorty
shouldcred his way IN through the out
skirts of the crowd. but he was soon
brought to a halt by Il compact array of
those as eager and as strong as he.
Here. you slabsided brick-top, stop your
crowding." exclaimed n stalwart infantry
Sergeant. go back into the public
square there, where you'll have more
rOom."
''Scuse me. partner" Shorty answered
placatiyely. II was just trying to get
IL little closer to see if maybe there WAS Il
letter there for me from II young lady"
Looking for letter from young
lady," yelled all the rest. who OF US
aint? Put him out
Give the gentleman more Air. He's
suffering from plantation of the heart
Just wait, Redhead. until l get the let
ters from my girl. You can have all the
rest. then
The idea of any young lady writing
to a strawberry -thatched Corporal OF in
fantry." said goOd-IDoking cavalry Com
missary Sergeant And when they ali
know I'm in the army. and what my post
Office address is
''Go off, you bmttcrmilk ranger" said
youngster in Il jacket trimmed with Grim
son braid Chicken thieves aint in il
with the girls al home. They want fight
ing men-men who handle the cannon
'Just hear that batieryman blow
laughed big infantry Sergeant. But
that's all the artillery ever does. Cavalry
for show. artillery for blow. but infantry
to do the fighting. You critter-back fell
low stand back till the mud-waders are
served. Then. if there's any letters left
you can have some.
This seemed to Shorty the most ag-
gravating trhing. They were all really
acting as if their letters were CT as much
actual Importance as Marias. Men were
such fools. But he kept his temper, and
said appealingly:
See here, boys. | only want 10 get mp
Il minute or two just close enough to make |
out if any of the letters they're handling |
is for me-
This only provoked a fresh chorus of de.
risive yells. ,,ai
''He only wanis to get close enough to
feast his eyes OF his girls handwriting. !
None of the rest of us do! O. no.
Wouldn't / Giye my boots, and throw /,
in my hat, and some of the rest Of my
clothes. for n single glimpse of letter
from my best girli o, nor
Rather see letter from home than all |
the orders Riliyq Sherman III issue from
now till next Christmas"
won't somebody in there hand out this |
Corporals lettefSa so that the rest of us |
can have sOme paaceW
ShOrty's first impulse was to sail in and |
whip the whole scrowd-a considerable |
contract, as itGwas made up of as much |
doughty young manhood as could be found |
in the world. mis-
Then came the abashing thought that |