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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1893)
THE HESPERIAN and said, "Corporal, you will report tit my tent at 7 p. m. to blnck my boots." The Corporal's faco grow white, he sot his teeth, and saluting, without a word turned and rejoined Miss DeSmytho. Once outside the gross insult of the com mandant was forgotten. The Corporal skillfully raised the littlo red parasol and carefully modified his strides to suit the mincing step of those dainty red shoes. On the way they talked of many things: of the Corporal's college career, the cruelty of the commandant, talked of young ladies in gen eral and in particular. When they reached the bridge the young lady said pleasantly, "I should like to meet ever so many of the cadets." The Corporal frowned a little and said coldly, "I can introduce you to as many as you like." "Thank you, 1 am sure they must be pleasant if they are friends of yours." The Corporal warmed and said earnestly, "It is slrango this business of meeting new people, isn't it? How we meet and like people and they become a part of us so much that it seems impossible that their names meant nothing tons only yesterday." "Ye-es, it is, isn't it? she said helplessly. A long silence followed in which the Cor poral gazed intently into the tranquil depths of the Missouri. At last he spoke slowly, "I wonder what makes us so silent, so content with merely being in each other's company, bo strangely light hearted ?" "I don't know, unless its the soda water we drank." "Ah! I know," he said, leaning near her, so near that his beloved moustache almost touched her cheek, "it is the approximation of the ego to its ideal." III. "Our lives, Our for times and Our sacred honor." The Corporal strode to the tent of his friend Richardson, glancing nervously at his watch. Ho had made an engagement with -Miss DeSmytho for eight that evening and it was growing late. "Richardson, have you any of those blank applications for permis sion to leave camp?" he said. 1 'There aro some on the table there; but why do you want to leave?" uOh, I've got to get a new necktie." "A now necktie! why I thought you al ready had as many as Dr. Lees." The Corporal did not reply but took up an application which read as follows: Headquarters Military Department, University of Neb. Camp Crounse, Nebraska City, Neb. To his Most Gracious Excellency and High No bility the Commandant : Your humble servant has the delightful pleasure and gracious honor of abjectly and supinely beg ging the favor of hoping that he may be allowed to supplicate your Most Gracious Majesty and High Nobility for permission to leave camp between the hours of M. and M. for the purpose of Cherishing the hope of being allowed the honor of subscribing myself your obedient and adoring servant, I am, The Corporal crushed the paper in his hand and threw it angrily to the ground. "What," he cried furiously, "is a man of self-respect and honor expected to sign this?" "That's what," said his friend. Richardson," he cried, passionately, "I have been insulted once; I will not sue for another insult. That man, the Commandant, in the presence of a young lady, ordered me, ordered I, a Corporal of company B to black his boots!! Here he makes me his 'obedi ent and adoring servant,' here he asks me to sue as an abject slave, here he demands that I confess the affairs of my heart, here he thrusts upon me this inquisitorial application. It is tyranny, it is despotism. I will resign at once." lie sat down and began to write. To the entreaties and remonstrances of his friend he said simply: "It is honor." When he had finished he went straight to the tent of the commandant and presented the resignation. That officer read it slowly, carelessly took his cigar from his mouth, stepped to the door and called out, "Officer of the day, call out the guard." The Corporal's face grew white. Turning to the guard the command-