The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-06-30
The MASTER
OF THE HOUSE
Why the Red Headed Girl
Married a Soldier.

chit of fifteen, came tripping along
and. without asking permission. was
proceeding to pass the picket.
Halt, there!" cried Alvan
I'm goin' down the road thar, Mr..
Sojerman, an I'd like to see you uns
stop me. l tole Mag I'd see her this
mornin an help her trim her hat"
You can't pass here" said Alvan.
"Why not?"
"Gainst orders"
"I'm goin' anyway" And she step
ped forward. Alvan planted himself
in the road before her. The girl, see
ing that he was determined, turned
and disappeared among the trees.
About o'clock in the afternoon AL
van saw a figure coming up the road.
and when it drew near who should it
be but the rebelious girl Of the morn
ing.
"How did you get through" he ask
ed, surprised.
The girl puckered up her mouth at
him, the only reply she deigned to
make.
you can go in" he told her.
"Who axed you to 60 in?" she snap
ped, making a face at him as she
tripped by. Then he noticed how
homely she was. She was freckled;
her hair was the same color as the
freckles and was worn in a pigtail
down her back; her nose was a pug;
her teeth were her only attractive fea-
tre, being white and regular; her eyes
were a steel blue and might have been
well enough had 1t not been for the
spitefulness in them.
Alvan Hart marched southwark as
far as the Tennessee river, then march
ed back to Louisville. After that he
marched to the sea and when the war
was ended marched home. Ten years
later he was business man whose in
terests lay largely in the south. Hav-
ing decided to open branch in Allan
ia, he went there to establish it him
self During his stay he made the ac-
quaintance of very attractive young
woman with Titan hair and expressive
blue eyes. He fell desperately in love
with her and married her. The day aft
er the wedding Mrs. Hart was telling
of wartime incidents and recounted the
very scene between the red headed chit
of fifteen and the young soldier who
had stopped her while he was on picket
duty. the red headed chit being herself.
Hart was astonished. Could it be that
m ui n
concluded to conceal his own identity.
"How did you go out through the
lines" he asked.
''There was q shallow gully near by.
| got down on my hands and knees and
crawled through it."
"What made you treat the soldier so
scornfully?"
Natural depravity, I reckon. l re-
solved that if l should ever meet him
| would punish him for standing in my
way in the road with his musket point
ed at me. He ought to have been
ashamed of himself" Her eyes flashed,
and her color rose at the remembrance.
Mrs. Hart gradually took command
of her husband. He struggled to be
master of the house; but, do what he
would, his wife always came out
ahead There was certain persistence
about her that wore him out. How
ever, she made him very good wi&e,
and he felt disposed to grin and bear 1t.
He feared to let her know that he was
the soldier who had stopped her in the
road lest she should reduce him still
further to subjection. However, one
evening when they were both feeling
happy the husband went up
to the garret, got his soldier boy uni
form out Of trunk, put it on, fixed his
belt and cartridge box about his waist.
not forgetting his canteen. took up his
musket and. going downstairs, stood
in the door of the sitting room with a
determined look on his face and his
musket pointed at his wife.
"H'm"
Mrs. Hart looked up. There was no
surprise on her face. She seemed
merely amused.
Don't you recognize me, my dear?"
Recognize you? Yes; you are my
own dear husband"
Nothing more?"
"a very obedient husband"
Hart began to vince. He almost re-
GREETED that he had determined to at
tempt to surprise her However, he
was in for 1t and must go on.
"Do l look anything like the fellow
who stopped you in the road when you
were girlT'
"Not much. You're ten years older"
"My dear" he said, lowering his
I'm the very man."
Mrs. Hart went on sewing without
reply.
Don't you believe meT"
Believe you? OF course / do. / rec
ognized you the moment I met you"
"And married me?"
Mrs. Hart rose from her chair and.
going to her husband, put her arms
around his neck "How could l pun
sh you better than by marrying your"
my love-" replied the subdued hus-
band, 81 have learned by bitter expert
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