Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-06-04

make the other women take her, Dlt
soldierin' /; heap different from any
other profession, and the army has so
its own traditions. The plan wouldn't
woY.:.
by and by the captain got tired OF
tryin' and gave up tie attempt-Just
devoted himself to her-and then we
was transferred. al but him. We shift
cd 10 better post, but Captain Jeher'
son was changed to another company
and had TO stay at Supply. Gee, Ii
was rotten hoe, Influence had been
used, and there he stuck, while the
new officers cut him out completely,
lust like the others had done. so l was
told. and il drifted On that way fer 4
long time. him forever maxim an IT,
hill fight to get his wife reco'niZed GI@
always Quittin' loser. His folks bat .;
east was scandaliZed and free hi.
cold, calm him q s1uaw man, ard the
story went all through the army. III.
his brother officers had to treat him
r0ld Ia order to keep enough warmth
at home to live by, one thing leadin'
to another till he finally. resented 1t
openly. After that he didn't last long.
They made it SO unpleasant that lie
quit the service-crowded him cut,
that's all. He was Il born soldier, too,
and didn't know nothin' else nor care
for nothin' else; as fine q man as ]
ever served under, but it soured him
so that q rattleSnake couldn't have
lived with him. He tried to go into
some kind of business after he quit the
army, but lie wasn't cut out for it and
never made good as long as | knew Of
him. The last time 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 I'm like that wo-
man." said Necia in a queer, strained
voice. She had listened intently to the
corporal's story, but he had purposely
avoided her eyes and could not tell
how she was taking it.
mo! You're different, but the army
is Just the same. l told you thi to
show you how it is out in the States.
1t don't apply to you, Of course
"Of coursew agreed Necia again.
But what would happen to Lieuten-
ant Burrell if-if-well, if he should do
something like that? There are many
half breed girls, l dare say, like this
other girl, or-like me-"
She did not flush now as before. IN
stead her cheeks were pale.
at would go heap worse with him
than 1t 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"
81 never thought Of myself as an In
dian," said Necia duly. "In this coun-
try it's PERSONS heart that counts"
That's how it ought to be-" said the
corporal heartily, land I'm mighty sor-
ry If I've hurt you, little girl. I'm a
rough old rooster, and never thought
but what you understood all this. Up
here folks look at it right, but outside
it's mighty different. Even yet you
don't half understand"
"Tm glad I'm what am" cried the
girl. There's nothing in my blood to
be ashamed CT, and I'm white in here"
She struck her bosom fiercely. IF q
man loves me he'll take me, no matter
what it means to him."
The corporal slid down from the
counter where he had been sitting.
I'm goin' to hunt up the lieutenant
and get him to let me off. Mebbe
can stake a claim and sell it."
The moment he was gone the girls
composure vanished. and she gave vent
to her feelings.
Its lie! It's lie" she cried
aloud, and with her fists she beat the
boards in front of her. "He loves me!
know he doesw Then she began to
tremble and sobbed, "I'm just like
other girls"
She was still wrestling with herself
when Gale returned, and ne started at
the look in her face as she approached
him.
"Why did you marry my mother"
she asked. why? Why did you do
it|
He saw that she was in a rage and
answered bIuntly, 81 didn't"
She shrank at this. "Then why
didn't you? Shame! Shame! That
makes me worse than thought was.
Oh, why did you ever turn squaW man?
Why did you make me breed?
Look here! What ails your said
the trader.
give Just begun to realize what l
am. I'm not respectable. Pm not like
other women and never can De. Pm
sQuaw-a squaw"
You're notv' he cried.
"No honest man can marry me. I'm
a vagabondl The best l can get is my
bed and board, like my mother"
by heaven! Who offered you that"
Gales face was whittier than hers now,
but she disregarded him.
"He can play with me. but nothing
more, and when he is gone another
one can have me, and then another and
another and another"
That's all internal rot" he said.
There's fifty good men in this camp
would marry you tomorrow"
bah! | mean real men, not miners.
| want to be a lady. don't want to
pull q hand sled and wear moccasins
all my life and raise children for men
with whiskers. | want to be loved
want to be loved! | want to marry
gentleman"
"BurTellw said Gale.
"No," she fiared up-"not him nor
l