Smyrna times., 1904-07-27
The Girl
From the East
By Marjorie A. Barkley
Copyright, 1901, by TIC. Mcclure

young officers at Fort Wayne when
Hicks, the little corporal who wore his
cap ON the side of his head, spread the
report that the girl from the east had
come and had been escorted to Colonel
Klein's house.
During that first day there was an
unusual amount of promenading in
Officers row. LieutenantS, sergeants
and even cOrpOrals found time to walk.
in approved military style. past the
colonels quarters, and there was one
who showed signs neither of excite
ment nor interest. 1t was Captain
Roberts. He told his friend. a first
lieutenant, that he wouldn't go around
the corner to see twenty girls. Where
at the lieutenant grunted and said
something about behavior in the Phil
ippines, adding, with frank sarcasm:
You're peach, you are, to pose as q
woman hater after cutting me out
with the little senorita so clean that
every fellow in the regiment was afraid
to have you see his girl l know you
all right, old pal, and I'll bet with the
rest that you take your little stroll in
the row on the heels of some big head
ed corporal | passed the house my
self" he owned boldly, land | saw her
too. Shes a regular beaut, Dick"
But even his best friend failed TO
awaken the interest of the captain. He
went so far as to get into citizens
clothes that same afternoon and leave
the fort for a walk in the river road.
This, by the critical corporals. was con-
sidered stuck up.
When the captain reached a sandy
strip of beach a mile or more from the
fort he stretched out at full length
and gazed at the water where freight
and passenger steamers passed on their
routes to the great lakes.
His thoughts. whether they were
upon commerce or navigation, were
profound indeed, for he started when
he heard the rush of a wOmans skirts
and saw from the corner of his eve
that gil was approaching. He mov-
ed a little. but did not look in her di-
rection until the girl stopped and said
softly: Il beg your pardon, but isn't
this-it is! Dick, knew it was your
Captain Roberts sprang to his feet
and looked into the girls flushed face.
It's Margaret, Dick" she said.
Peggy"
Roberts took the hand she offered.
Peggy" he said wonderingly Peg
gy, you take my breath away. Where
did you come fromY
I'm staying at Colonel Klein's, but
where did you come from?"
You, at the fOrt?" he asked in
credulously. That's where l live. Sit
down here on this rock. Peggy, Peg
gy Adams, do you realize how you
have surprised me? When did you
strike these parts?"
This morning"
"NO! Then you're the girl from the
east? They've been talking about you
for weeks"
How lovely of them-and your"
''Why, I'm up there too"
"ThOse clOthes" she said doubtful
ly.
"Are cts" he finished, smiling. 81
wear a uniform up there"
ooh! And what are you-what
rank?"
Captain" he said briefly. peggy.
how you have grown up"
"Have Il" she laughed "And so
have you, about two feet higher and
you went to West Point after all?'
yes, father insisted"
"Do you like the army?"
"Oh, yes. when we see active serv-
icew
'Then you have seen active > rvice.
In the Spanish-American war? Oh,
tell me about it,
Roberts laughed. 81 will some time"
he said Il will tell you anything you
ask, but let's talk about you now.
Where have you been all these years."
School and college and around at
places"
THAT means travelling, suppose, yet
you never visited West Point?'
Never didn't know that you were
there. that you had gone back. You
know you said
Yes, said several things about that
time. You haven't forgotten then?"
Forgotten? Oh, Dick, couldn't
forget! Never. Wasn't it dreadful"
1T was rather a bad mess, but We
at least showed remarkably good
taste, though you weren't as beautiful
then as you are now"
Il can't snub you for that" the girl
said, with carefully lowered lashes.
1T sounds genuine. You always were
thoroughly genuine, Dick"
eyes, l was in earnest then" he
said, smiling. You were my first
sweetheart" He laughed aloud. "My,
how you cried when the minister re-
fused to marry us! 1 fattered myself
that you were disappointed, but it real
ly was your pride, you poor little girl" I"
He regarded the poor little girls
blushing face with tender affection.
81 think that the old minister was
the sweetest man l ever met He knew
that we were clipping. How gentle he
was and tactful have alWaVS