Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-05-12


down on her, and she didn't mix with !
short. the captain married her. Seem
cd like he got disregaruful of every |
thing, and the hunger to have wom-
an just overpowered him. She'd been
courted by every single man for 400 |
miles around She was pretty and full |
of fire, and they was both of an age to
love hard. so Jefferson swore he'd
make the other women take her, but
sofdierin' is heap different from any
other profession, and the army has got
its own traditions. The plan wouldn't
work.
BY and by the captain got tired Of
tryin' and gave up the attempt-justl
devoted himself to her-and then we
was transferred, all but him. We shift
cd to a better post, but Captain Jeffer-
son was changed to another company
and had to stay at Supply. Gee, 1T
was q rotten hole! Influence had been
used, and there lie stuck, while the
new officers cut him out completely,
just like the others had done, so was
told, and 1t driftcd on that way for Il
long time, him forever maxim an up
hill fight to get his wife reco'nized and
always quittin' loser. His folks back
east was scandalized and froZe him
cold, CALM him squaw man, and the
story went all through the army, till
his brother officers had to treat him.
,old In order to keep enough warmth
Ut home to live by, one thing leadin'
TO another till lie finally resented 1t
openly. After that he didn't last long.
4 They made 1t SO unpleasant that he
quit the service-crowded him out,
that's all. He was Il born soldier, too,
and didn't know nothin' else nor care
for nothin' else; us fine man as
ever served under, but 1t soured him
SO that rattlesnake couldn't have
lived with him. He tried to go into
some kind of business after he quit the
army, but he wasn't cut out for it and
never made good as long as knew of
him. The last time 1 seen him was
down on the border, and he had sure
grown cultus. He had quit the squaw,
who was livin' with greaser in Tue
SOM
"And do you think Pm like that wo
MANI" said Necia in a queer, strained
voice. She had listened intently to the
corporai's story, but he had purposely
avoided her eyes and could not tel
how she was taking it.
mo! You're different, but the army
is just the same. l told you this t.
show you how 1t is out in the States
1t don't apply to you, of course
"Of course" agreed Necia again
But what would happen to Lieuten
ant Burrell if-if-well, if he should d.
something like that? There are man!
half breed girls, dare say, like th,,
other girl, or-like me-"
) She did not flush now as before. III
: stead her cheeks We're pale.
at would 60 heap worse with hin
than it did with Captain Jefferson,
said the corporal, "for he's got more
ahead of him, and he comes from bet
ter stock. Why. his family is way up
{ ~ never thought of myself as an In
dian," said Necia duly. "In this coun
try it's persons heart that counts"
) "That's how 1T ought to be-" said tn,
l NoL pok0A AtliS anu l III AulEhtS SOk
! ry if I've hurt you, little girl. I'm .
: rough old rooster, and never though
. but what you understood all this. u
here folks look at it right, but outsid
j. it's mighty different. Even yet 70,
: don't half understand"
; I'm glad Pm what am" cried tn
girl. There's nothing in my blood t
5 be ashamed of. and I'm white in here.
: She struck her bosom fercely. IF
man loves me He'll take me, no matte
, what it means to him."
: The corporal slid down from til,
counter where he had been sitting
, I'm goin' to hunt up the lieutenan
and get him to let me off. Mebbe
can stake II claim and sell it,"
, The moment he was gone the girl
; composure vanished, and she gave ven
to her feelings.
Its a lie! It's IL lie!" she erie,
aloud, and with her fists she beat TIL
, boards in front of her. He loves me
know lie does!' Then she began t
tremble and sobbed. I'm just Xix
other girls
She was still wrestling with hersel
when Gale returned, and he started n
the look in her face as she approache,
, him.
why did you marry my mother?
, she asked. why? Why did you d.
it:"
/ He saw that she was i'll a rage AM
/ answered bluntly. II didn't..'
, She shrank at this. "Then VIII,
, didn't you? Shame! Shame!, Tha
t makes me worse than thought, was
3 oh, why did you ever turn squaw man
! Why did you make me Il breed?''
Look here! What ails you?" salt
the trader.
2 ..I've just begun to realize what
I: am. I'm not respectable. I'm not Xix
t other women and never can De. I'm
squaw-a squaw!"
You're mott" he cried
mo honest man can marry ME. Tn
!. n vagabond! The best cansget is m.
bed and board, like my mother"
e "By heaven! Who offered you that?
!. Gales face was whittier than hers now
i but she disregarded him.
e "He can play with me- but nothin
, more, and when he is gone anothe
i one can have me, and then anotheran
+ another and another"
d "That's all Internal rot" he sait
!, There's fifty good men in this cam
G would marry you tomorrow"
$ bah! mean real men. not miners
Q want to be Il lady. don't want t
II pull hand sled and wear moccasin
n all my life and raise children for me
/ with whislers. l want to be loved
b want to be loved! / want to marry
t. gentleman"
g "BurrellI' said Gale.
t NO" she farcd up-"not him nc
anybody in particular. but somebod
i like him, some man with clean finge
}, nails"
s He found nothing humorous or gre
:, tcsque in her measure of gentleman
A for he realized that she was stung
t | ~ piFrh nf ,,nrnosnn and f,nnr t1,ro1 ~