Rock Island Argus., 1902-06-10
.THE75ATIF
SHORT STORY.
A WAY TO GET
A HUSBAND

ingdale, why don't YOU marry?"
Because no one is so stupid as to
propose TO me-"
Nonsense It's because you have no
mother to engineer the matter for you.
You are fairly pretty. have a good dis
position and plenty of common sense,
but you are not practical, or, rather.
too proud TO angle for n man. Now,
it's mistake TO suppose the men want
a girl to stand off and let them do all
the courting"
II thought they turned against wom-
en- who show that they are fishing for
u husband
They should not know that girl
is fishing"
Il don't want fool"
Fool! The brightest men are the
easiest caught, for their knowledge is
all of Il different kind. There's Cap
tain Griffith of the engineers. gradu-
ated head of his class at West Point,
fine character, some fortune. every
thing to make him desirable Come
aud visit me at the fort. do exactly as
l order you, and I'll engage that both
of you will be the happier for the re-
suit
Gertrude Soyne laughed outright.
''Will you comeT'
"Yes."
And obey me?"
~"Yes."
Very well; pack your things. We
go tomorrow
When the two women reached the
fort, Mrs. Morningdale invited Captain
Griffith to dinner He talked most of
the time about n widow who had APP
peared as the guest of Mrs. Major Eos
dick and had taken the garrison by
storm. After dinner Mrs. Morningdale
was Intentionally called away TO Wis
it II sick neighbor and left the captain
and Gertrude together.
What shall l do?" whispered Ger
trude to her instructor before her de-
parture.
Nothing. 1 will give you your or
ders at the proper time"
Captain Griffith called several times
a week. 1t was said that he divided
his evenings between the widow and
Colonel MorninSdale's quarters, giving
the Morningdalcs all he had left from
the widow. Gertrude chafTed her host
ess good naturedly ard asked when
she was to get her instructions.
1--WE don't ask for instructions in the
army" said Mrs. Morningdale. We
wait till we get them. Then we obey
them implicitly
griffith Is going to leave u.s. said
Colonel MorninCdale TO his wife one
day when he returned from his office.
Ordered away"
Yes; Pacific coast. Orders came from
Washington this morning"
HIM
When Mrs. Morningdale said "H'm"'
in that tone of voice, the colonel knew
that it meant something.
He told me that he would see us to
say goOdby between 8 and 8 this even
ing
HE means TO say gOodby to the wild
ow between o and midnight?'
After dinner Mrs. MorninGdale took
Gertrude aside and said to her:
Your orders are ready for YOU
Every well; l am ready for my or
ders," replied Gertrude, smiling.
Captain Griffith will call this even
ing at o'clock TO say goodby, for he
is going away. l shall be in the room
till Il quarter to o, when l will excuse
myself. w uCll lie lihCS lSaNG Ol you,
you will begin to cry"
Cry laughed Gertrude. How can
1 cry at willI'
IF you can't Cry, put your handker-
chief TO your face and Sob"
The conversation which began in
this pleasant tone ended seriously.
Gertrude mutinied, and Mrs. Morning
dale was Obliged TO use drastic meas
ures. She reminded her charge of
their contract and told her plainly that
unless she Obeyed orders their friend
ship would be ended. Then Gertrude
fell in with the spirit of the joke, as
she regarded it, and assented.
At S:45 that evening Captain Grif
fifth and Gertrude We're left alone.
When the clock on the barracks tower
struck .. the captain arose to go. Ger
trude thought of the part she was to
play and found it impossible to repress
a smile, which she hid behind her hand
kerchief When the captain put out
his hand for the farewell. she, like q
good soldier. remembered her orders
and obeyed them. She raised the hand
kerchief to her eyes. Griffith was
thunderstruck.
AllSS SSOg hGs
The orders were to sob, and Ger
trude sobbed.
"Gertrude!"
Another sob.
MY dear girl, can it be-
Another sob. Griffith advanced, put
one hand to Gertrude's waist, the 9th
er to the handkerchief; but she held it
firmly over her eyes, though it was
sufficiently displaced from her mouth
to show that she was laughing
Great hcavens-hysterics"
Miss observation-disclosures,
you distress me beyond measure"
The door opened, and Mrs. Morning
dale stood on the threshold.
Pardon me-" she said. "I"-
Griffith blushrd to the roots of his
hair.