The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-03-04
DAILY sHoRT sroaY
THE GENERAL
IMPROVISES
BY Stuart b. Stone.

The General of Imaginary Ora
lgoons sprawled face downward
upon the Administer carpet, deep
in the dark defiles of a west coun-
try canyon with Resolute Richard
and a few hundred screaming Co
manches. In the little redwood
Roman chair by the table, the
i Generals older sister sat; and her
golden fancy roamed in pretty
English country town, with a
monocled aristocrat of a lover and
with heroine having the same
wistful, blue eyes and long, sunny
hair as herself.
The general Of Imaginations
shifted from his right, dimpled
elbow to his left, dimpled elbow,
and read the forbidden pamphlet
aloud, with much laborious SPELL
ing:
Long Knife, the renegade,
skunk with glittering eyes into the
foliage that lined the darkening
trail. He had not long to wait.
A shot sounded in the distance,
followed by the piercing cries of
the redskins. The clatter of a
galloping horse was heard at the
mouth of the ravine. With an
evil look upon his face, Long Knife
the renegade, raised his murder
|Ous rifle"--
The General whistled softly,
Hooked behind him for lurking
foes, then re-entered the dark,
dangerous defile. The girl In the
Roman chair, imbued with the
tender romance of the lord and
lady, read in soft. dreamy
voice:
"The girl wandered into the
lred-blooming garden and seated
herself by the ancient sun dial.
THE scent Of honeysuckles filled
} the air, and"-
j The girl paused, blushed,
smiled the least bit, substituted
her own name of Winifred for the
printed Evelyn in the book, and
continued:
- Winifred fell to the
.|dreaming of beautiful. rose-tinged
dreams. And every dream was
lfilled with the manly form Of
| Another pause, smile and ex-
Iqufsite blushing; then substitu-
! Ition:
| - the manly form of
Richard Barrett" The book said
in the plainest long primer, Lord
Reginald.
The girl ceased to read and sat
looking into the fire. The Gen.
eral, having seen the Resolute
One hurrying safely away from
the canyon of renegades, had CIV
en- his precious attention to the
lgirps reading. He had observed
the interchange of names, and,
ibeing brimful of ideas as Gener-
ials of Fancy invariably are. he
had conceived new one.
| The front bell pealed and the
lgirl aroused. A flip or so of her
lmoistened finger across her pretty
face, a pat or SO at her shiny-gold
hair and she hurried out. When
lshe returned tall, earnest youth
accompanied her. The general,
after one searching look. dismiss
led the youth as too tame for
fighting possibilities and went
back to the plain beyond the ra-
4 vine, where renegade gentlemen
and redskins now screamed in
lbaffled fury.
| The young man was in serious
lmood. "Winifred," he announced,
live come for your answer"
Il The girl colored wildly, but did
not speak. Their last meeting had
been stormy one, with the
lcharge and recrimination Of love
tangled and misunderstanding.
Nov she did not relish the idea
lof easy surrender.
81 thought I answered you
"wednesday" she said, avoiding
his eye.
He arose and strobe to the
, door; then, before taking the final
, plunge. hesitated. The girl, stand
ing too, breathed fast and clench.
ed her delicate hands. The Gen
eral, oblivious of the wrath oil
love, took the forum.
II "Then." he read, in breathless
'labsorption, Napoleon Bonaparte
rushed upon the broad plain and
shooting wildly at John L. Sulli-
Ivan, William Tell and Admiral
!, AO CdiiGu " HIS uSty
scouts: Caesar, Buffalo Bill,
Geo. Washington-come ON, boys
there are the red devils-here
lare Goliath and Bluebeard and
,,tFour-Fingered Mike! On, boys,
'Ion!"
j The young man smiled; and
the girl, coming down from the
heights of passion, giggled hys-
/ terically.
Harold" she asked, what in
the world are you talking about?''
III "Huh!" snorted Harold. in
chubby defiance. "I guess can
Rput in the names of my soldiers, II
you can put your name and Mr..
Richards name into a book where
everybody is kissing and marry
ling!"
Harold. You imp!" faltered the
Igirl.
Harold, you ANGEL" said the
young man. And he came over and
kissed the blushing, happy girl
again and again.
NArS Naro Too 6~-Lzxx