The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-05-14

not help it, all the same. 1t must rule"
| Better is dinner of herbs where love
is, than stalled OK and hatred Herewith"
said the Deacon.
Precisely; digestion goes on more inter-
ruptedly."
But, Major Mrs. Brookes started to
say.
| Stop. Hear me out. prize peace and
good digestion so highly that if I hear
another slightest syllable of contention,
| shall be compelled to divide this asso-
citation of valued assistants, and send my
young associate, whom 1 have brought
from Savannah, to his regiment at the
front"
Why. Doctor. you wouldn't think of
dividing my husband and me. and we only
so recently married?' exploded Mrs.
Brookes.
I'm not saying anything OF the kind
continued the imperturbable Surgeon. Il
was merely saying that 1 saw one way
OF efectually securing peace by sending
one member of my staff to his regiment
at the front. Where his wife goes is in
cidental. but not MATERIAL
But thought You were so anxious for
him to come on here and relieve you"
| Probably L expressed some such
thought before you arrived" answered the
Surgeon, little equivocally.
| And we We're to stay here till the end
OF the war, where we could be together,
and not have to tramp around after the
army, calculated the dismayed Mrs.
Brookes, to whom a settled habitation and
abundance to eat and wear were considera-
TONS Tor which she sorely hungered, after
four years of the Southern Confederacy.
! hat is attainable at the price of alb
Soiute peace and the most perfect respect
and politeness to all members of my staff
replied the Surgeon with urbane decision,
MY friend here from Indiana, Mrs.
Meg, IS on my staff, in charge of the
diet and nursing, Us DR.. Brookes is of the
medical treatment. She must be obeyed
ana respected accordingly. Now that we
thoroughly understand one another, let's
10 breakfast. and may good digestion wait
| on appetite"
Mrs. Brookes was too fearful of letting
her husband get out of her reach not to
accept the terms, and there was surface
peace at least that day
| At noon Maria went in with Shorty's
dinner Her heart gave a little bound
| as she saw the letter Tying unopened
where she had left it.
why don't you open your letter and
read 1t, Wiil? she asked, with a nod tow
ard it.
I've been so busy thinking about you,
Nara, that L forgot all about it. Where
Is 1t! Who can it be from? Open if,
please, and see"
She took our hairpin and slit it open.
NY Lear Il rlehu, she read, Il write
you to express again my warmest thanks
Tor all that You and your comrade. Serg-
cant klegg, did for me, in helping me and
my children out of that awful place. and
to reach home. 1 can never be sufficiently
grateful for your unselfsh kindness, and
l pray every day that you and he and all
| the rest may pass through the perils of
battle unscathed. You came to me at Che.
| raw as de!iverers. and 1 never could have
brought my children safely through bus
for you"
Why, that must be from that Mrs.
WImple. that Indiana woman that we
found at Cheraw, and brought through in
orr wagons to Fayetteville" said Shorty.
THAT was the Adjutant's and Sis do
ings. moren mine"
What L wanted to write you,'' Maria
continued reading, was to make you an
apology. You remember that you gave
me an address on parting. to write to a
young lady in Indiana. You will pardon
much older and more experienced wom-
an speaking plainly to you. / feel that
all you have done for me gives me rights
OF friendship in you, in what concerns
your life happiness. l could see that you
were deeply in love with that young lady,
and, like most great, bg-hearted young
men, you were terribly afraid of your d.
vlnity. and in danger of wrecking her and
your lfes happiness, through your ex-
cessiye bashfulness. Now, let woman
WIN seen ulucu Oh HE ana mas Your
happiness deeply at heart, urge you in the
strongest terms to-
Maria flushed redly, glanced rapidly
down the rest of the sheet and laying the
letter over on the window sill as if of
little consequence, said:
20, the rest is not important. At least
not now"
$50 on and finish it." said Shorty.
"Oh, no; not now. Her children have
been sick, and she tells you about them.
Women think everybody is interested in
their .children's aches and pains. It's
time for your dinner. You must be very
regular in your meals, don't you know?
Come, let me spread this nice clean towel
here in front of you, and give you your
dinner. 1 cooked every bit of this for
you with my. own hands. You've got to
say it's nice"
'.Nice?" calculated Shorty as he at
tackled the soup. 'Nice amt the word.
It's the best ever ct o, Maria, if you
could only she stopped his mouth by
pressing another dish upon him. and while
he was eating. turned and picked up the
letter and finished it more carefully.
Her children have been very sick, or
she would have written BEFORE" she said
casually, laying the letter down, but care
fully placing it where Shorty could reach
it. ''She seems 4 very nice sort of
woman"
'She was a real lady" said Shorty.
warm water to wash your face and hands.
Then I'll take the things out, and you
must lie down and go to sleep again. Get
all the sleep you can. I'll see you again
in the evening"
Shorty's eyes admiringly followed her
tall, graceful figure out of the door, and
for some minutes he lay wrapped in
thoughts of her. Then, not feeling sleepy,
he bethought himself of Mrs. Wimple's
letter. reached over and got it, and read
slowly and laboredly over the portion
which Maria had read. Then he came to
that brought the red blood into
his face The letter continued:
''Now. let woman who has seen much
of life, and has your happiness deeply at
heart, urge you in the strongest terms to
lose no time in speaking plainly and
to the young lady, and begging
her to be your wife. We women like to
be worshiped as divinities, but we also
like still better to be pursued as women,
and taken with a strong hand. 1t is our
nature. While we want to be worshiped
we want to be conquered too, by a man
strong enough to compel us to do what we
may want to do. Do not, beg you, daily
with her happiness and yours, by modest
lifIidence, which she is likely to interpret
Is lack of love and longing.