m
IfcjFfj
THE HESPEKIAN
COMPETITIVE DRILL.
9
(f
iM
m
The day was the sort that Mary Fisko
called "a poem in tlio air." It was juBt
warm enough to make duck trousers and
blazers seasonable. The sky was properly
blue, with just clouds enough to make the
blue noticeable. Tho sun was in a good
humor, and gave the earth just as much of
his jovial self as he could contrive to'.
There were about a thousand people in the
amphitheatre of the M street ball park im
patiently awaiting the appearance of the
boys in blue. The governor and his staff
and their wives were there, and all tho fond
mammas and proud papas and adoring best
girls of the laddies in the field. There were
even a few of the more patriotic professors
in the assemblage. The students, as usual,
were minus quantity.
At about 3 o'clock the band began to
play, and the noble three hundred came
marching across the field, greeted by shouts
and cheers and waving handkerchiefs. It
was a time when college patriotism was 50
per cent above par. The men made a good
showing. They had been carefully inspected
in the armory, and for once all the Univer
sity cadets wore properly shaven, and en
joyed the fabled luxuries of clean collars and
blackened boots. After the dress parade
Company 0, commanded by Oadet Captain
Gerrard, was ordered into the field and tho
circus began in earnest. Tho company put
up a good drill. Their first manoeuvres
were smooth and even, and their firing lying
down was done with precision. The last
part of their drill counted heavily against
them, as their captain became badly rattled
and got his orders sadly confused. The
company showed excellent drill, and if their
commanding officer had done himself justice
would have undoubtedly won second rank.
Next Company A, commanded by Cadet
Captain Tucker, was called out to perspire
for its country.
Company A's drill was a pleasant sur
prise to the men themselves and their friends.
Everyone expected to see them get fourth
place, and everyone was glad to see them
get third. Their drill was not as smooth as
Company O's and their Captain, too, got
nervous. When they stacked amis the
order was given too rapidly, and consequent
ly some of the guns fell with a sickening
thud. They lost step badly once, but other
wise the drill was very creditable.
Commanded by Cadet Captain Clements
Company D filed out into die field, and
everyone who saw them whispered, "It will
take good drilling to beat that." It did
take good drilling, but that is what Company
B is in the habit of putting up. Company
D and its Captain did itself proud, as tho
saying goes, and the fact that they got sec
ond rank testifies to their work. It was a
good clean drill, without any fagging or slip
work. The clever manoeuvres won repeated
applause and cheors, and if Company D was
beaten the boys have this to solace them
selves, that it took Company B to do it.
All afternoon tho crowded grand stand
had been waiting, waiting for the crack
company that was to show what the military
department of the University of Nebraska
can do. At last Company B came up tho
field, moving like one man, and that man a
mighty soldier. What lungs were left in tho
stand vented themselves. Company B had
been down at the other end of tho field for
some time, working up tho tension or hold
ing a prayer meeting or something of tho
sort. That company's drill was a thing .to
be remembered; it had a precision and ex
actness that the others lacked. The lines
were perfect and the famous quickstep made
the old soldiers iu tho field beam with plea
sure. It was the quick, clean finish of their
movements that carrried things. As usual
the men were what their captain made them.
Captain Dixon came on tho field as though
he had that silver cup and nobody would
get it away from him, nor did they. His
confidence inspired his men, and his orders
ii
if
m
