The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-01-15
THE CAPTURE OF
THE COLONEL.
SSSSSCSCSSSSS SSSSSSSSSSS
A Story Of San Francisco.
SScScGcSSSSS
BY MARGUERITE STABLER.

ueuL Ol tue cOlOuel 10 llttle h1LLy
Flinders was the heaviest bomb that
had ever struck the camp. The Pre-
sidiO reVerberated from end to end with
the report, and every one, from the
general to the rawest recruit, looked
upon the pair with pity for the COL
onel and admiration for Kitty.
The colonel had been stalked time
out Of mind by ambitious daughters
and managing mammas, but had run
the gauntlet so successfully had be-
gun to think he was safe. And now
'Kitty-of all people in the world, lit
tie Kitty Flinders-had landed him Sc
cureiy, and the question on every
tongue was: "How did it happen?"
l had often watched the light skir-
mishing and ambushed attacks of the
charming girls San Francisco is so
full Of, and marveled at his power of
resistance, and as his old comrade-in-
arms I now felt a keen interest in his
capture.
He had the reputation among the
women of being an excellent listener
which endeared him to their hearts
as nothing else ccu1d-and owing to a
chance remark on his part that Mrs.
So-and-So was delightful talker, the
inference seemed to be that the way
to his heart must be through his
auricular endurance. Consequently,
one could ALWAYS tell whether he was
in a company by following up the CEN
ter of the din, for ne was sure to be
surrounded by bevy of lovely women,
making themselves hoarse in their ef-
forts to entertain him. And how Kit
ty, only passably pretty, and without
wit enough to talk always grammat-
ically, had brought this invulnerable
old mustache to her feet was a mys-
terry.
The colonels rawlings were still more
inexplicable. Not that any one ever
tries to explain the alterations, of a
man in love, but the tendency of his
wanderings suggested mental decay,
for, after going off in rhapsody over
what he was pleased to call her re-
markable prettiness-even he, fool as
he was, couldn't call her doll-baby
type beautiful-he topped off with,
'And above all, Miss>Flinders is so de-
H.. >tfully clever and entertaining"
I his last remark decided me there
had been some sort of black magic
practiced upon him, and that it was
the Office of a true friend to save him
If possible. But first I must hear the
story from kitty's own lips
AS She was woman, all that was
tseded, argued, to get her to talking
and tell all she knew, was chance;
SO, on the first occasion, decoyed her
out to the golf-linls where we might
talk uninterruptedly. As we sauntered
out on the downs the wind blew fresh
against us, whipping loose strands of
hair across her eyes and bringing a
dash Of wild-rose color to her cheeks.
'And so you are going to marry my
old friend, the colonel?" 1 began, au-
daciously.
EYES," she answered, with an as
sumption of dignity that sat awkward
ly on her tip-tilted countenance
"How did it happen?" asked, COM
ing to the point boldly, and wondering
If she would be discerning enough to
resent my Impotence
well, you see, it was this way"
she answered, falling unsuspectingly
into my trap. She took a long sight,
swung her brassy with all her strength
and struck the tee eve went down to
a dance at the Vendome, five of US,
just fancy! Nette's mother went with
US, OF course. We always get Nette's
mother to so with us whenever we can:
she's deaf as post, you know. We
used to take Aunt Mary because she's
SO near-sighted, but, on the whole, we
find that it's better to have a deaf
chaperon than blind one. Wouldn't
the combination be just too lovely for
anything?"
I thought of the fastidious colonel,
his ideals of what constituted womanly
dignity; but as she waited for an an
swer agreed that it would, so she
continued: San Jose is an awfully
hot place; ever been there? The gar
dens are all so COO! anu shady it
doesn't look 50. out If you eyer find