The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-01-22
Wedding Of.
Sergt. McManus
PHILIP MANILA

II ATE FINNEY leaned on the win
n dow sill and looked out at the
white tropical moonlight and softly
wept. She was going home the next
day. Going back to "the states,' and
far away from hot, dirty Manila. Yet
she was crying.
She heard her mistress calling her,
and hastily drying her eyes, went back
into the front room of the house,
where the colonel's lady was sitting in
state.
"You were crying, Katie" said the
colonel's lady in voice pitched sew
eral tones above C.
"Yes, ma'am,' said Katie with an i'll
disguised shuttle.
aKatie," asked the colonefs lady,
are you crazy?"
Katie meekly said she thought not.
"Then, Katie" went on the coloners
lady, "don't you see that there is moth
ing for you to do but stop crying and
quit acting the fool? You can't stay
behind in Manila. There is no place
for you here You have no excuse for
staying. l cannot pay your wages un-
til we get back to the states, and what
would you live on? Katie, could l tell
your good old mother that you were
hanging around Manila waiting for a
man to come around some day when
he got good and ready and marry
you?"
"Boo-hoo," mourned Katie in indig-
nant sobs.
"Of course not, Katie. You are a
good, honest girl, and such news would
kill your father and mother. You
must go home with us, and if that ras-
cally soldier thinks as much of you
as he says he does he will come back
as soon as he gets his discharge and
marry you in a church in proper
manner. Now let me hear no more OF
your crying"
The colonel's lady, convinced that
she had settled things, returned again
to her book, and Katie retired to her
old place at the window and resumed
weeping.
She was going away without even
saying goodby to the one person in the
entire group of the Philippine islands
for whom she cared most. But it was
his fault after all. Why did he not
find time to come in from the line an6
see her for a few minutes at leasti
Then suddenly she stopped crying, fol
she heard her name called softly from
below.
"Yes, yes," she answered, while he1
heart beat wildly. us it you, M4. Nc
Manus?"
"'Tis the same," answered Sergt
McManus in hoarse whisper. can
will We come down into TIL garden fol
a mint, Kitty? I want to talk will
you"
In almost no time Katie was down il
the garden and standing in the sheltel
of the deepest shade that Sergt. Nc
Manus had been able to find.
"And why didn't you come before? 2
she said, reproachfully, as he took he
hand "an' me grieving for you all tn
time and going home tomorrow"
"Phwy didn't 1 coom?" asked Sergt
McManus. 'Phwy? An thot old divi
of kernel awatchin' me loike a ca
would watch mouse an akapin' M
on outhpost duthy all th''toime an
niver chance to come for desertin' m
post in tn presince of tn inimy, an be
ing bobtailed, er drawn en- quartered
er shot at sunrise, er something loik
thot."
"O," gasped Katie. "No, of cours
you couldn't come in that case. Blu
why did he do that?''
"Becuss, Kitty" said the sergeant
che knew we'll enough if got jist wal
moore chance / would make We MARI
me, an then he wouldn't have an
noice lady slavey loike you to take car
of his wheedlin' old wolfe an git he
safe back to tn states"
co." gasped Katie, "that's it, is ?"
"Yis," went on the sergeant, "bu'
Katy, we can beat them all. You sha
not 60 home tomorrow"
IT must" gasped Katie. "There
no way; the colonel's wife said ther
was none. A good girl could not sta
here just waiting for man"
"Gwan wild yer idle talk" Serg
( McManus drew Katie to him an
kissed her ever so gently. "It's ma,
ried we're agoin' to be this night"
Visions of justice of the peace Q
some obliging chaplain in the fror
room of a Filipino shack foate
through Katie's head. mo, no." sh
said. Il could not"
"Ah, now, have no fear" said til
sergeant tenderly. "'Twill be in th
church and by a priest, no matther
he is as black as me old saddle. Al
sure an the banns have been publishe
in that same church, an It's my parisl
an everything is proper, an ye nee
not he afraid fo truSt Tn me An Tsx