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

pretty?" she asked demureIy. 81 thought
it'd please you to know they did"
"Yes; yes; want 'em to think you're
pretty, and all that, the snooZers-but not
too blamed pretty. Not so handsome as
| think you are, or I'll 90 over there and
bust some of their heads. They mustn't
get so blamed fresh"
Il wouldn't till l was able to walk" she
teased him. doctor says that you must
bringing on a relapse. l want you to get
| well just as fast as you can"
For WHAT? he asked eagerly, remem-
bering what she had formerly said.
"Why, just to get WELL" she answered,
with well-feigned artlessness. isn't it
quite enough to get well again?'
"Yes, l 'spose So" he answered gloom
| lily, with his eyes travelling over to where
Annabel was futtering affectionately
around Sis cot They're married." he
added with a sigh.
Don't sigh about it." she said gaily.
you'll be married yourself, some day.
"Never-never-never, unless I'm married
Maria, will you
80. Miss Maria, won't you please tie up
my finger?" burst in Pete, with a bleed
ing hand. 81 went to throw q bottle at
that Oshkosh boy, and it broke in my
hand"
Il shall have to take you out, and wash
off your hand. you poor little fellow" she
said sympathetically, as she examined the
wound. Maybe you've got some of the
glass in it.. | shall be back as soon as
I'm through" she continued, to Shorty,
and went off. leaving Shorty more in the
humor for thrashing Pete than ever.
AS she finished attending to the boy,
and came back to the door, the mail car
rier arrived.
'Hcre's some letters and papers for the
men inside. Miss Klegg," he said. will
you please hand 'em around? You know
'em all by this time. think"
"Wilingly," answered Maria, taking the
letters and running them over. She came
across a feminine envelope, addressed in
the unmistakable handwriting OF re-
fined educated woman, to
Corporal VIM. Elliott, Co. Q. 200th Ind.
Volunteer Infantry.
Fourteenth Corps, Sherman's Army.
ITO follow the regiment"
A fierce little clutch of jealousy mo-
mentarily gripped at her heart. Could
Shorty be corresponding with another
woman? Was there another as much in
terested in him as she was? Was he.
after all. as true to her as she imagined?
For minute her face was pale and rigid.
Then she dismissed the Whole thing as ut
terly impossible. She was too true and
sincere herself to believe that the man she
honored with her love could be capable
of double dealing. She would not belittle
him and herself so far as to suspect him.
She walked around to the other cots, and
delivered the letters: coming last to
Shorty's. She dropped the note near his
hand, saying simply and naturally:
There's Il letter for you. too, Will"
"a letter for me?" he asked, looking at
it curously. who in the world can it
be from?'
Come out at once. Maria and Anna
BEL" called Mrs. Klegg. You've over
stayed your time already. March right
out"
Yes, Ma" answered Maria. "Good-by, |
Will, till noon."
They all gathered at the breakfast |
table, the, Surgeon. as before. placing Mrs. |
Klegg on his right. Mrs. Brookes came |
stalking in last, with her nose in the air, |
and it went still higher at seeing Mrs.
Klegg's place. She had intended to stay |
away altogether, until she had had the
fight out, but her appetite was too much |
for her dignity. and. then, she thought
that she might as well fight the thing out
at the breakfast table as any where else.
The Deacon asked a blessing, as Gus
and then the Surgeon said, with
that bland suavity which was his most eff
fective method:
you have heard this good mans invo-
cation to peace. l heartily join in it.
like peace above all things. because diges-
ton is almost impossible without it
want good digestion for myself, because
it is necessary to my work. L want it for
my patients. because they can not get
well without it. Therefore, l will have
peace in every hospital under my
control. l was witness to n scene a little
while ago which must not be repeated"
Mrs. Brookes swellcd up for vehement
,utburst of her story, but the Surgeon re-
pressed her with gesture, and continued:
"Now, am not going to mention any
names or indulge in any personalities,
or that would provoke replies. which
would be prcjudicial to peace and diges-
ion. Social claims and family pretensiOns
Ire of no value to me in comparison with
,cace and good digestion. know this is