The Lamar register., 1911-05-10
A CRITICAL
POSITION
By VERNON ARNOLD
Copyrisnt by American Press Asso-
citation. 1871.
By VERNON ARNOLD

-
was encamped in pleasant valley in
which there were scattered dwellings
Officers wives were not allowed to
accompany the army. and General Puff
fenheim WAS great stickler for the
enforcement OF this order. He.was AN
old bachelor. and II crusty one al that
Women aroused In MIN II satanic, ire.
Half mile down the road from the
generals headquarters WIS II house
which had been abandoned by the
French family who occupied IL ON the
approach OF the Germans. One day
Captain Schwnb and Captain Henner
two young officers of the stan who had
left brides in Germany. passed this
house.
what scheme Il would he. Scbwab
II We could bring our wives here and
put them In that house"
'.Old Pun would rout them out be
fore they had been there six hours and
we would b- court martiaIed.'
Later the two officers decided to
make the experiment When their
wives appeared they brought with
them Franiein Leua Borngeisser.
sister of Mrs. Henner. FrauleiD horn
geisser was very beautiful and other
wise attractive woman. Indeed she
was the belle OF Stuttgart. where she
lived, half tn. men there being In love
with her
One day General i'uffrnheim rode past
the house Just as Frau Schwab was
calling in excellent German to Frau
Henner. who was leaning oft Of an
upper window The general refined In
hia horse.
Captain" he said to schwab who
was attending him AT the time. there
are German women 10 that house. The
people abort here are all French That
house was deserted by Its occupants
when we came here. I know that. for
I thought Of making II my headauar-
tiers That womaD-or lady speaks
German should not he surprised II
some Of our officers hav. been bringing
their wives here
Now. the two ladies' had seen the
general rein IN his horse and sur
yey them ike thundercioud Mrs
6chwab went into the house. and Mrs
Henner disappeared from the window
gate. dismounfed and. directing bis aid
to follow him. -talked up to the house
The two wives sent Fraulein Borngeis-
ser to receive him. Captain Schwab
stood back and put his 6nger to bis
No. looking knowingly a. the young
isdy as a signal that she must Civ.
away nothing and not recognize him
She received the general with most
engaging smile
"Ah. mel Herr Generslr' she ex
claimed enthusia stically How glad
we are TO see troops from the father
land. . hope you have come 10 redeem
our fair AIsatia and bring II under the
rule from which II was originally
torn
The general had approached the
house like y lion: he entered II like
lamb The frauiein made up plau'
sible story accounting for the house
being occupied by Germans. invited
him and his aid to he seated and chat
tered like magpie Indeed. she
talked 40 volubiy that the general had
but little opportunity TO ask questions
which would have shown the veal
spot ip her story When he rose t.
depart she pressed him TO come again
and would not consent to his going
until he had promised ia do so
The result Of this reception was that
the next DAY the general set on at
tended only by a single orderly and
made u cal on Fraulein Borngeisser
The same evening the two captains OF
his stan stole away and called upon
their wives The party discussed the
matter of the generals visits anxious
". for n he should discover what was
going on the officers commissions
would not be worth the parchment
they were printed on. All agreed that
their safety depended on the skill with
which the frauleip kept the general
from getting the facts
The young lady was equal TO the DC
casion She threw a spell around the
elderly bariIelor going so far as to
elicit a proposal This she held In
allegiance until she could consult her
heart aud ber parents The general
was forced tn wait
A climax anne at last. Une morning
the officer { the day announced TO
the general that the wives Of two OF
his officers were living In close prox