The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-05-29
Her Patriotism
By ELIZABETH WEED

eXcitable nature for noble impulses.
When the Spanish-American war broke
out she was nineteen years old and
had been every day reading of the
tyranny of General Weyler and the
sufferings Of the Cubans.
Louise had lover, Gus Saunders, a
plodding, methodical chap, entirely
different from her. Since she could
not go and fight the dons herself she
determined that Saunders should go.
Impelled by the rafting of drums and
the gathering Of the clans" she went
over to where he was saving wood
and said to him:
"Why, Gus, I'm surprised at you
Everybody but you Is rallying round
the flag, while you are STOPPING over
log with bucksaw. Aren't you go
ing to enlist?"
enlist? What for?"
"Why, to right the Cubans' wrongs
81 don't see why 1 should right theiI
wrongs"
Haven't you any patriotism?"
81 don't see any occasion for patriot
ISM"
81 do. Our young men are aockins
to the standard by thousands, while
you are content to bend your back
saving wood oh. that I should have
accepted a.
The young man was deeply in love
The expression on his face changed tt
one of such pain that Louise was de
TERED from speaking the word thai
was on her tongue. Throwing dowr
his saw, he said:
Louise, | love you SO we'll that
will try my best to live up to your
standard. After all, it Is no more the
duty of others than mine to respond te
the call for volunteers. l shall enlist
at once"
Spoken like a man, was the en-
thusiastic response. and she impulsive
ly threw her arms about his neck. y
am sure you will return a hero"
ga what?" asked Gus.
"a hero Some Of Napoleon's mar
shals rose from the ranks, and maybe
you will"
"Just so-that is, if have time.
'eTime? What do you mean by that z
why, how long do you think
would take big cat to kill very
little mouse?
"Oh, you're always looking on thu
wrong side of things. It's going to b
a great war. Goodby. When you re
turn with a generals shoulder strap
just think how proud I'll be of you. -
you'll be true to mel"
'.True to my soldier lover! Why
yes!'
A yelley of kisses and he was gone.
A few months later troopship un
loaded a cargo of skin and bone OF
| Montauk Point. Most of them Wer.
transferred to hospitals, the balance
put in camps. One who had sufferet
| from every disease known in Cuba wa
retained in hospital as long as thef.
was a hospital at the point, then trans
ferred to q more permanent home e
the sick. He fingered between life an
death till spring, when his doctors con
cluded that he would have q bette
chance fer recovery IL he could
change. He was eager t. go, assuring
them that a sweetheart was waiting
for him and his separation from ne
was keeping him back. Being dis
charged, he sought the location OF n1
enlistment and, lettering along e.
road, met enc whe had known him as
hearty MAN, but who failed to recOG
nize him
SIS Louise Archer alive and Wellf
asked the sx-soldier.
"Oh, yes, she's alive and well, onl'
her name isn't Archer any more; 1T
Gugliamsnts."
"Wh-a-a-t?" faltsred the strange
aghast.
"Gugliamente, a dago fruit maj
came along here just after you Teller
went away selling California grape
for Malagas and such like. He ha
big black eyes and long black mustach
| and curly hair. He sold Louise som
fruit and got to talking with her. H
told her that the Cubans were all mig
gers, while the Spaniards were brav
men who had owned the island eve
since Columbus discovered it 400 year
ago. She asked him to come in an
tell her about 1t.
"Well, the Teller twisted her RICH
around She had been one OF the mos
patriotic girls of these parts; sent
lover down to tight these same dagos-
more fool he. And after the fruit ma
went away she began to howl abou
the iniluity Of the Spanish war Th
Teller kept comm round every fe,
weeks, and about month ago sh
walked off with him."
The stranger stood looking at his II
formant out of his hollow eyes wit
pain and horror.
Louise married spsnsrdw h
Easped. "Why. She
ooh, yes, she was full of fight on tn
other side when the thing commenced
But, stranger, you seem awfully take
back at hearing about her. If 20
have any interest in her you needn
worry about the Spaniard She cam
back week ago without him. The
say he dug out and left her to shift flo
herself"
The veteran turned and staggere
away in the direction from whence h
| came.
But this Is not all of the story. .
day came when Signora Gugliament
secured divorce from the fruit selle
and, repentant, married the man sh
had sent to the war. If she was fickl,
she paid for her fault by lifetime Q
| Aavofiop RI har soldier husband