Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-07
SERVANT CUES ION
Army Officers Wife Tells of
Her Experiences.
CAUSED GRAY HAIRS
A SERGEANT AND MATRIMoNY
CARRIED OFF BRIDGET.
Yennie Couldn't Stand for the Apaches
Troubles with Ysabel and Mamie
-Tung, the Faithful.

The conversation at the women's lunch
con finally veered around-as simple mat
/ ter of course-to the inevitable subject of
| servants. All of the matrons present at
| the luncheon had. or thought they had.
hard luck stories bearing on ard apper-
| tanning to the servant question. When the
army officers cheerful little wife had fin
! ished her narrative. however. they thought
| differently.
when you hear your quarters servant
am speaking of one of the off-the-earth
| posts, of course-crooning over the dishes
| in the Kitchen said the pleasant little
wife of the army officer. 1.-THE more or less
! musical demonstration conyinces you that
she is still there. and you are happy. But
when the grooming ceases
WELL Fort Apache was fair sample.
| I had only nine gray hairs when we were
ordered to 'Pache, and when / left there
l had this whole gray lock. / never catch
| sight of this lock in the glass that don't
think of Bridget, and Yennie, and Ysabel.
| and Mamie. and Tung-"
| "Au servants?' inquired some of the
| matrons present.
| Just my Fort Apache collectton-yes."
! replied the army officers wife. But III
| have to commence at the beginning to
properly unrayel the skein of sorrow.
! My husband was on special War Depart
] ment duty when he was ordered to join
his troop at Fort Apache. When he came
| home to me and said 'Pache,' the picture
| of desolauon and monotony conveyed by
the word was not half grievous that
other first thought about what we should
! do for a servant. or course, l fe.t that
| Bridget would not go along with us to
/ 'Pache. Bridget had been sent to us by
| the wife of an artillery officer at the WASH
| ingtOn arsenal whose husband had been
ordered to the coast. Bridget was gem
| of the purest ray serene. A lump came
| into throat the thought of leaving
| her behind. But 1 felt sure she wouldn't
go to 'Pache. 1 must have looked what
felt when l went into the kitchen.
Bridget l said to her mournfully, I
| am sorry. but it's all over. Marching
orders. Next week we proceed a million
miles by the air line to the southwest.
| You've been a good girl. and well, posi-
! lively, 1 couldn't help but choke right at
that point. l couldn't see Bridget at all
voice as from great distance.
An what for do yeeZ be cryin about.
| Oh don't know? Bridget was saying. Sure
an Dim going along wild yeez.
Talk about the tumultuous joy of re-
prieved criminals?
IAN why not?' inquired. Bridget. Sure,
don't Oh SCOT yeez?
'.It was too much. simply couldn't be-
| lieve it true. So l went to my room and
| tried to collect myself. When / returned
! to the kitchen, half an hour later, there
| was Bridget, still serene and determined
| locking
" Bridget, do you mean it?' asked her,
| to make sure.
Sure. an OF do. she replied. Wan place
| is as good as another t me-
We'll when 1 told my husband that
Bridget was going along with us he grinned.
't'Bully.' he said Wen probably be at
| 'Pache for a hull month before she mar
| ries one of the sergeants and takes her
place in Soapsuds Row. Still a months
| month"; and
Began to Libel the Men.
| 81 told my husband that such an idea was
absurd In the first place Bridget was a
great deal homelier than mud fence. In
the second place Bridget had even looked
| askance at the policeman on our Washing
ton beat when he'd manifested friendly ten
/ derces. Yet my husbands idea worried me
! a bit, and l began to libel the enlisted men
| of the army for Bridgets benefit. She had
| only served alongside of them at the arse
| nal but 1 told her that soldiers in the east
and soldiers In the west were different hui
man beings entirely 1t surely was shame
] full the aspersons l cast upon the brave
| boys, solely to warn Bridget, and my con-
science pricked me terribly over 1t. But 1t
couldn't be helped. The thought Of losing
| Bridget, once we got her to 'Pache, was too
| dreadful to contemplate.
My husband was right. l wouldn't tell
| him so for worlds but he generally Is right
| He was bit wrong in his prediction in the
matter of time, for Bridget didn't marry
| till we had been at 'Pache for three months.
| From the very day that we reached the
post she was simply wonderful as a servant
| She had her full measure of that noble
Irish trait of adaptabiltty. and how the
other ladies of the post did envy US! For
| fully two months after we joined Bridget
| had but one word for the corporals and
| sergeants who poked around at the rear OF
| the quarters, and that word was G'wanr
"Then the sergeant came along that she
| didn't say 'G'wan' to. He was big Irish
man of my husbands own troop, which
| made it all the more exasperating. Bridget
| married the Irish sergeant after We had
| beer at 'Pache for three months and had
to attend the big splurge the men made
/ over the wedding. and my husband had to
/ give her away, and it was generally dread
| full.
| In and did the work myself. wrote be-
| seeching letters to my two married sisters.
| one In Washington and the other In lew
| York, imploring them to ship me, by first
/ train any old kind of a servant. l stated
| in these supplicating letters that l didn't
care anything whatever about nationality.
nor whether the girl could cook. wash Iron,
| make bed or anything else-Id teach her.
! MY Washington sister replied that she was
| having servant troubles of her own. and
| my New York sister wrote that she was
| camping at the barge Office day and night.
| endeavoring to kidnap any kind of an i'm
migrant girl for me. But she added that
when she informed the imm gran Mt girls upon
whom she pounced the number of miles that
! Separa ted Fort Pache from anywhere, the
girls all eyed her suspiciously and immedd-
/ ately put themselves under the protection
| of the barge office officials.
| but one day, when l WAS about worn to
! the bone I was standing on the steps of
| our quarters when the tri-weekly buck
/ board drove up. A snub-nosed, rosy-eheeked
/ Swedish girl shared the seat with the driver,
| and her box was behind with the mail
bags. had spasm of joy, but / wanted to
be certain.
/" John managed to gasp to the driver.
| she's not for me?'
That's what she Is ma am replied
| John. This is Yennie She's invoiced to
| you from New York. and your names on
| her box and she's got a letter for you. got
her at the train yistiddy.
Took Good Care of Yennie.
How did love my New York sister at
| that moment! 1 had all 1 could do to keep
| from taking Yennie in my arms and hug
| cling her Yennie was tired after her long
| journey from New York. and l waited
| upon her for three days as If our positions
were reversed. She had arrived in New
York from Sweden a year before, and she
had taken a place with some good people
4 ,,.,der maid Then they went to