Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 31, 1891)
THE OMAHA DAILY BJBB , SUNDAY MAY 31 , 1891 SIXTEEN PAGES. 13 BRACING UP. A titarii of Camji I.tfc In It'cir Times. By'John Hnbbcrton , Author of "Melon's Babies , " "AM Ho Know , " Etc. Written for TUB Dun. Copyright , 1801 , by the Author. CHAPTER IV. , Continued. Of course everybody wanted to try the cloves everybody ot once nnd tlio owner loft Torn to decide who should use them. The question was dinicult to uecldo , but Tom finally selected the most persistent users of clubs nnd trnpozo nnd nnnouncod that glove practice would bo restricted to the men wtio wcromost faithful at other exercises , so thcro wasnEuddcn increase of club swinging In the company street. But the glove experiment , oven at Its best , was ot doubtful bonollt to cutnp athletics. Nearly every man wanted to spar with the owner of the gloves. To bo knocked down by the conqueror of the Phlladolphy Hnntam was moro glorious , In the estimation of the crowd , than to bo victorious over the biggest man In the camp. The Mouse was nothing loth to display his skill , so ho worUcd so fitoadlly that on the third day no was com pletely exhausted and hud to resign himself to rest nnd tonics. Ho still had the Interest of the regiment at heart , however , so ho sug gested to Tom tlmtsovor.il "punching bags" bo mado. ills plan was adopted , greatly to the disgust of those men who preferred bruising to exorcise ; thcso founa their consolation lation in resolving to order gloves for them selves as soon as the paymaster would enable them to do so. The punching bags wore made by filling grain sacks about half full of hay , tightly twisted and packed , with n little dirt at the bottom to give weight. They were suspended from the ceilings of the highest huts , and thn earlier sottos with them niiuio a great deal of fun for spectators. In the largest huts there xvos aoiio too much room for a bag to swing after being struck , nnd the man with the gloves usually had to stand aside quickly to ovoid being hit by the bag on Its return swing. To obviate this diniculty the glove men took turns In stopping the bag ns It came back. Ono day , whllo Tom Mottray was Instructing mi awkward follow in the science of bag-punching , sonio ono behind him asked him a question. As ho turned his head , Just after an extremely vigorous punch , to answer , the bag cnmo back without hindrance ; Jim Fait , who should have caught it , explained -xftorwnrd that he had let it go Just to sco What it uould do. Ho saw , but Tom did not. neither did ho see anything else , except , per haps , a million or two ot stars , for ttio hag , which had been heavily weighted , struck him in the back of the head and knocked him with great force against the closed door , and the door , although It made as much noise as If. itcro badly hurt , did not yield n hair's TOM AND THE Mt'r.F. rVltTHIl COMPANY. breadth. Tom's nose did , and to such an ex tent that it him to bo earned m a cold water poultice for the remainder of the duy. clndccd , Tom might have gene Into mvalld- Ism on account of his wounded member nnd been excused fiom regular duty. Hut ho was too busy. Ho had stalled UVe dlllercnt varieties in the camp running , club swingIng - Ing , rope climbing , football mid boxing and some of his admirers classed the Kusslan bathing among the sports. Moro than half of bis own company indulged ru ularly In ono or moro of the these facilities for exercise , nnd in the other companies , In splto of some excluslveness , there were at least a hundred tnon who consulted him frequently on points of physical ciiltmo. In keeping with the spirit of his agreement with the colonel ho made hlmsolf entirely accessible and accommodat ing , helped all men and sots who attempted have gymnastics without going to the quarters of company C. After gaining his point by boasting until nil othnr companies Were exasperated to n high degree of emula tion , ho became as fair minded n Judge ox anyone ono could ask , deciding often , in Impromptu competitive struggles against his own com rades. Ho began to think that the lloutou- autcy would cost all It could bo worth. The colonel's ' football duly reached camp nnd the tlrst gnmo played witli it was n grand BUCCOSS. Tmo , the sides wore of only twenty men each , but as Iho whole regiment turned out ns spectators nnd loared incessantly dur ing each match ; there was no lack of excite ment. Hesldo , the players were as savage nnd reckless as any lot of collega boys , so it bocatna the custom for ono of the surgeons to bo on the ground during n game to give prompt attention to the wounded ; this indi cation of possible bloodshed enhanced , if pos- Bible , tno delights of players us well as spec tators. The Indian club prlzo was won by Prcuohor. put ! n great load was thus taken off Tom's mind , for the winner not only declined the canteen of whisky which was to supplement the money prize , but ho would not oven entertain the suggestion that ho should take it nnd pass It around among his friends. Kvou the mono } ho did not retain , But privately nskiul Tom to glvo it to the JUouso , in recognition of the splendidservico ho WHS doing to men who lived quiet , by Iceoping the "Terriers" pear-cable by surfelt- ini ? | ih m with stories of lighting. Meanwhile , the spirits ot the regiment were notably improving. The men were out of doors far more than before , inul many became - came UH playful as a lot of overgrown pup- plus. The spirit of mischief , ns manifested by practical Joking , became as common as In ttiojregimeut'9 early days , when the men in tbcir noxv found sense of freedom , seemed Ir repressible. All the ola tricks were resur- rOitcd , and now ones were Jovisod. To ono of thcsu the founder of the gym nasia owL'il the most exciting experience of 4ils life. Ono morning ho borrowed for u turn t tlia tenth time the mule , Daniel Web ster , with the mule's curt , to haul some wood for the bath house. Daniel was tbo prldo of the ri'glmont ; he had moro admirers tlmr. nil the \uigon horses and oftlcors chargers com bined. Line little Itutlcrcup ho "was a plump and pleasing creature , " for bosldo his regular rations ol corn , oats and bay , ho re ceived daily m the aggregate it largo quantity of bicnd , and not a little sugar from soldiers 1 who would feed him bit by bit , their super- tluous ration : ) , merely to sco bis coaxing antics. Ho was always full blooded enough II to enjoy a lively Hot , and the men sometimes slyly loosed him , to see tlio. blissful capering in which ho always succeeded in indulging , bcforo bolng caught and taken back to his btublo. Tom loft the animal and cart standing at the head of company C"s btroot while ho went to his hut for a hatchet. U occurred to some son of Heltal to so dispose the harness that when Tom started again the mule nnd cart would pai t company. The trick was entirely intlsfnctory to the man who played it , the lmft-s of the carl came Uown with n bang , the ruins slipped from Tom's lingers and then Daniel trotted oil and tried to nibble some dried plno noodles from a bough with which tame men had ornnmcatcd the f rout of u hut on Thanksgiving day. Tom spang forward to secure the mule ; Daniel also sprang forward with Intentions diametrically opposite , Tom sauntered oil ob liquely to disguise his Intention * ; Daniel oycd him suspiciously n moment nnd then moved obliquely in the opposite direction. Tom got a bit of broad and tried coaxing , but the mule was not hungry Just then , apparently - ly ha win lee happy to cut , or pot hups ho had .boon Infected by the regiment's ' athleticcrazj and wanted to prolong mid vary his oxorcUu. ' All this was as gratifying to the spectators A to the mule , but to Tom , whoso uvury mo- moiit was precious , It was tlrst annoying and then enraging , llwide , 11 u depressing lo uy inun'sjwnsclof dignity lo follow nil the vagaries of a mule who has no sense of re sponsibility , nnd It is more than depressing to have llfty or moro people observing the op eration and laughing nt its friilUcssnoss. Worse than nil though and terribly weaken , ing to soil-control Is to bo subjected nt such u tlmo lo a steady drizzle of udvlco on Iho Iho- ory nnd practice of mule catchlne , particular ly when the victim Is morally sure that his advisers , singly or collectively , never caught n mule In ihclr lives. So when Tom had heard nnd rejected a ncoro or iwo of suggestions , and big Ulllson. who had Just Joined the throng of observers , began an oruculnr delivery on the art of se curing runaway mule ) nnd detailed several ot the plans whlcn , unknown to him , had al ready bjon offered , Tom lost bis temper and shouted : "If you know so much about the business , cotnoand catch him > oursolf ! " Hillson was nothing loth to put his theory , whatever It was , Into practice. As for Dan iel Webster , ho stood still nnd looked at Tom in n manner that seemed almost remorseful ; ho looked ns if ho were about to approach and surrender of Ills own free will. The volunteer catcher could not have hud a bet ter opportunity , for Daniel suomcd seemed oblivious to his oxlstcuco. The reins lay upon the ground right behind Daniel , with a loop ao- comodatlngly to onn side and out of the raugo of the animal's heels. To catch a mule una wares Is no ordinary honor , particularly when there nro numerous witnesses , so Ulll son prepared to make assurance doubly sure by removing his shoes so that bo could move noiselessly. Then ho advanced on Dantol In oxqulMto stvlo ; but for the movement , of his foot ho might have been taken by any ono in front of him for a statue , so motionless were his arms and head. Tom also stood stock still ; his worst enemy would have been welcome to a triumph Just then , If by gaining it Tom might once moro bo able to put Daniel In the cart and go for wood. As for Daniel , ho seemed a polrllicd mule ; no ono had ovnr he- fort * scon iiim quiet so long , Tom afterward declared Dial Daniel winked at him with ono eye winlicd as plainly as man over did , but the signillcanco of the act was not compre hended at lite tlmo. Hillson's advance continued until iisccmcd to the lookers-on that by stooping forward qulcitly ho could sul/o the reins before Daniel could move. But lilllson was not going to imperil his chance by any sudden movement ; even the rustle of clothing can bo heard by a mule , whoso long ears were not made merely to bo laughed at. lilllson slipped along until the toes of ono foot were within an inch of the reins. None of the hundred or moro men who were looking on spoke ; they scarcely orcathod , the tension was so extreme. lilllson advanced his right foot to the sfdo of the loft : then , instead of stooping quickly , ho sank slowly almost im perceptibly to n sitting position , until his body rested upon his heels. Even thou most men uould have snatched nulcldy ut the reins with the right hand ; lilllson , on the contrary , softly put out both hands nnd both touched the reins at the same time. At that supreme fraction of a second Dan iel Webster , his gaze still llxea upon Tom , wiioblod his hind quarters sharply to the lolt and in air ; there was a sound , as of a hammer striking \voll-tlllod barrel , and lilllson rapidly wont through motions sug gestive of a scarecrow being knocked to piece ? . As for Daniel Webster , ho cast Just ono glance upon bis would-bo captor and then manifested his glee by a llttlo eostacy ot mule sco-suw , rising alternately upon his front and hind feet. The whole crowd of ob servers expressed sympathy for him by laughing uproariously and hurling all sorts of sarcastic remarks at the dejected lilllson. How loug tills cruel sport might have con tinued is unknown at the present writing , for Tom Mottray suddenly muttered , ' 'Con found the brutol" and started m rapid pur- s it. it.Daniel Daniel understood the meaning of this movement , but like n true philosopher , pro ceeded to turn it to his own advantage. Ho tiottcd all over the camp , skillfully avoiding , however , his own stable and ovary ether place from \\hlch ho could not safely retire. It was not in human nature for the ether soldiers to see a chase and not join In it , so soon there were scores In hot pursuit , and the number Increased every moment , for Daniel made known what was going on by dashing through company streets nnd be tween huts , wltb Iho panting crowd behind him. Once bo scorned caught by his own folly , for ho found hlmsolf wodgjd between ono hut and the cross-stick chimney of the next ono. If his head had boon where h's ' tail was ho might have been caught , but after liillson's experience no one cared to touch any of the roar portion of the harness. "Run around the hut and grab his bridle , " shouted some ono. Two men started. Instinct , or perhaps a correct understanding of the English lan guage , caused Daniel to try to hack out. This attempt bolng discouraged by a lame man who belabored him with a cano , Daniel made ono moro clTort to go forward and ho wont , so did the chimney , which fell upon ono of the men who were to snatch the bridle. The other man succumbed , with a scream , to a well-delivered bite on the shoulder and again Daniel was froo. "Mnkouring around him 1" shouted Tom. "Thoro are enough of us to corral him ; then some ODD can catch him before ho has time lo kick somebody olsn. " The ciowd spread rapidly Into a largo cir cle. Daniel stopped nnd studied this move ment ; ho turned slowly and soon understood the enemy's intention. Then ho dropped his head n little , which caused a farmer soldier to remark : "Ho'sgivln1 It up. " Kvldontly Iho farmers'oxporionco had boon con lined lo horses , for mules do not glvo up. Daniel's altitude was not ono of dejection ; it was solely meditative. The sngo boast waited until the circle was formed and the men began to closu distance ; then bo look his bearings , declared his intentions by a vigor ous kick In Iho air , dashed Ihrough Iho circle nnd made straight for the breastworks. "Follow him closely I" shouted Tom. "Koop him well closed in all around 1 The breastworks will stop him. " The men did all thai wus expected of them but the breastworks did not. They were barely six foot high , nnd although vertically walled insldo with logs along tholr entire length thoio were amateur bomb-proofs nt points. Over ono of these , built in "loan-to" fotm , Daniel made his wav to the parapet ; a sentry tried to slop him , but retired ivhen Dantol advanced his hindquarters. Tom sprang upon the p.uapot from the opposite direction nnd the crowd massed behind. Daniel "took in" thcso demonstrations. Behind him was defeat and captivity ; before fore him was a wide , broad expanse of soil with nut u man upon It. Ho raised nis lail , ultorod n loud bray , gathered all his foot to gether , slid down the slope and inlo the ditch ojcupo was easy enough. Then ho made straight for the enemy's works , Every ono sprang upon Iho parapets to guzout him ; no ono wiw afraid , for , although the lines were wllhln gunshot of each ether , unarmed men were seldom or never lirud up on , for it was not the "business season" In military alf airs. Suddenly Tom exclaimed : " 1 don't propose lo have thai mule charged agalnsl uiy pay if 1 can help it. " Then ho too slipped down the slop < > , clam bered out of the ditch nnd How after Daniel Webster. The crowd was sixochloss for r. moment with nuiuemont. Nevertheless 11 was a crowd ; for the time being u moro mob in respect to its llknllhood to follow u leader in anything whatever. So when Preacher oicclaimod , "Ho never can catch him without ho.p , " and Joined In the pursuit the whole crowd swarmed after. At first the enemy's sentries , of whom only two were in sight , did not observe thn move ment ; when nt last they saw what was going on they were too astonished lo do anything bul stop and sturo. But Daniel Webster did not slop ; bo continued In his course , regard less of the blight nbbatils In front of the ene my's work * . Indeed , with the perversity which is Iho leading characteristic of mule nature , ho preferred the hardest way of doIng - Ing anything. Worse still , none of the moil scorned to forsoo the probable operation of one mule trull. Daniel saw tno enemy's breastwork , it was u slight elevation , but no uiulo lu existence , whcu at liberty , over loses an orpjrtumty to climb to the highest attainable - able ground In sight , /lo did not know what reception might await him ; It U equally cer tain that ho did not care. The men had moro knowledge , but appar ently not a bit less recklessness. Their blocd was up , and If Daniel went into Iho en emy's camp they were going too. And Daniel went. As ho got out of thu ditch and began to scale the slope , where ho could not ralso his hind feet to kick , Tom clutched thu ruins and guvo a mighty Jerk , But Iho bit in Daniel's mouth was not n curb nnd the mouth Itself was nol delicate , so the brute dragged Torn along lo the parapet , where in self defense Tom had to lot go. Thou Daniel sprang Into the rebel camp and away among Iho huts , followed by not loss than a hun dred union soldiers , not ono of whom had any weapon larger than a knife. To stnrtlo the average southerner is not cany. Ho is a terrible follow whan excited as uU enemies have often learned lo tholr sorrow ; but ordinarily ho is as splendidly Impcrturablo ns Iho No/lh American In dian. Nevertheless ho is human , so nma/o- mont snt enthroned upon Ibo visage of every man whom Iho mule chase passed that uiorti- rlng In the cbol camp. Hut the "Johnnies" soon comprehended the situation. They also understood the ways of mules , for the mule himself Is a southerner ; at the north bo is almost nn oxotlo. The deni zens of the southern camp were Just as weary as tholr enemies of doing nothing in winter quarters ; they were equally frantic for some now sensation , so before Daniel had been In the camp two minutes there were several "graybacks" among the pursuers , and Iho number Increased so rapidly that two minutes later It was hard to toll which color predomi nated In Iho mass of uniforms. How the olllcers of the confederate camp regarded this invasion no ono thought to In quire ; the mule was enough tolbinkof for Ibu tlmo being for ho threaded the wnvs and byways of the camp as Industriously ns ho had tno.se of his own. Ho might have con tinued to do so until the shades ot evening Hid him from view had It not been for some bugle notes which the wind wafted from his own camp. It was "dinner call" and Daniel , mule though ho was , know it as well as any soldier , for dally when thai call sounded ho received a halful of oats. The men did not understand , until Iho siablo or derly afterward explained , why Daniel turret ! abruptly at this call nnd made for his own camp , but turn ho did. Ho found hh way over Iho enemy's works , dashed Ihrough the unfinished nbattls , across the neutral ground , over Iho union breastworks and inlo his own camp. And after him came all of his original fol lowers , no ono In the enemy's camp having allompted to detain them. With them came a largo number ol confederates. Military visits nro usually returned with promptness but never before had a call been returned quito so soon ns this. The "Johnnies" did not exhibit the slightest curiosity in their now surroundings ; llko tholr temporary asso ciates Ihoy saw only the pointed cars and graceful hindquarters of tbo llrelo'ss Daniel Webster. Hut allhough seeing nothing they were not un eon. The ofllcor of the guard was In n ler- rlblostate of mind iibout them and so was the ofllcor of Iho day ; as for the colonel ho could hardly bcllovo his eyes when the noise made by the host thundering down the parade cairaaUoti a' afaitfTr , p rt po tioun'- ler and want off nn j ? boant 01 Inquiry or courl-marllal. I hat special reasons for wanting to-avoid nnyi cubic In the nmltor , as well , llslen carotin y lo Iho special order ou parade to-night. " R And again Tom Mat ry , having gene with fear nnd trembling t < MHo colonel's quarter * , returned to his own with his mind In the most cheerful condition Imaginable again his comrades , who kn i rlio had been taken to the colonel under i ? ard nnd had returned a frco umn , regarded 1m with curiosity not uumlxod with nwo. But neither fatigue , elation nor Interview by comrades made Tom neglectful of h - purpose , so rudely frustrated by Daniel Webster , to get n load of wood for Iho Uusslan bath. Then there was a game of foolball to mniingo , some quar rels ever ropo-cllmblng lo bo adjusted and n full bath lobe taken , so Tom had not much tlmo In which to wonder what allusion the colonel would feel it ncconsarv to make , in orders at parade , to tbo Daniel Webster affair. I'arado took place at sunset and with It came Iho customary reading of orders. There was the usual routine sentences of regimental court-martial , promotions and re ductions of non-commissioned ofllcors , etc. . etc. , until Tom felt assured that the colonel had thought best to drop the Daniel Webster opModo from official consideration. But sud denly the young man started ns if ho had just been subjected to nn eloctrlo shock , for tbo adjutant read as follows from the special order of the day : " For general fitness and for special service - vice In ralslne the regimental standard of physical olllciencv Private Thomas Motlray. Company U , has boon appointed Second Lleulonnnt by His Kx.'olloney the Governor of Iho Stuto of Now York and will bo obeyed and respected accordingly. Lieutenant Mot- tray is hereby assigned to Company 1C , vlco Second Lieutenant Smith , resigned. " Tom had previously supposed that no ono over listened to special orders , but suddenly ho changed his mind , for as his mime was mentioned ho received a vigorous die lu each side , from the elbows of the men to the right nnd left of htm , and the man behind him tapped him on the shoulder , whllo from the extreme lofl of Iho rdur rank , where all Iho shorl men were , ho heard Iho thin volco of Wurrokln's Mouse pipe forth : "Hip-hip-1" "Sh-h-h1" hissed the orderly sergeant of the next company , who stood almost bcsldo little Murt ; n serious broach of discipline was thus averted , for the company was pre paring to cheer on parade n sin almost ns terrible as to laugh aloud in church. The next sound Tom heard was simply appalling ; it came from the Adjutant , and was as fol lows : " Private Moltray to the front nnd centre march ! " Orders hud to bo obeyed , so Tom did as in structed. When bo readied the centre the adjutant ordered : ' Forward. March ! " Again Tom oboyed. When ho was within throe paces of the adjutant that ofllcor said : "Halt" ' Then the adjutant shouted Ihc conventional order : "OHlcors to the front and center. March I" As usual when Ibis order was given , Iho band began lo play , Iho ofllcors in line In front , of their respective companies sheathed TIIK OFFICKHS SnnATitnn Tiintu Swonns AMI MAHCIIP.II TOWAIID THE CKNTCK. brought him to the door of his hut. What to do ho did not know ; it would bo inglorious , rather than otherwise , to capture a lot of un armed men , hut ho certainly could not endure the idea ot a lot. of rebel .soldiers prancing and howlmgiurough , bis camp. To add to his per plexity the ofllcor of the day cumo to him for orders , and the lieutenant colonel , who was un excitable litilo fellow , wanted to know what the colonel was going to do. Meanwhile Daniel Webster continued to maintain the load by several lengths , but be suddenly ended the chase by dashing into his stall and beginning to munch oats as indus triously as if ho had never possessed au Idea of doing an > thing olso. There was an awkward silence In the crowd so iuddonly brought to a halt ; it grow moro awkward as the men who did not belong in the camp looked at those who did , and then ut each othor. Finally ono ot them asked : "Durn 111 What do you s'poao you uns ofllcors'll do to wo uusj" "Don't wait to find out , " said Preacher. "Git whllo you'vo the chanco. " "We'll help you , " said Tom-'by pretend ing to chase you. Leg it , boys ; it's a pity wo can't keep the acquaintance , but now and hero aren't the time and place. C'omo along. " Off slarted the whole gang , and none too soon , for the ofllcer of Iho guard was just up- pioacbing the stables with n do/on or moro men. The graybacks saw him and feared , but Torn panted. "Thoy daren't shoot they'd kill some of their own men , but-log it boys log it while you can. " The visitors followed Tom's advice to the best of their ability , although they , like their bluo-coated followers , were badly winded. As the whole crowd ( lashed up the parade the colonel muttered to iho ofllcor of the day. "I do bollovo Unit fellow Mottray is help ing us oul of nn infernal puzzle. " The confederates wont ever the works Just where Daniel had first showed u way and as they reached open ground they saw nn ini- monso reception committed auuiilng thorn on tholr own linos. The Two llundreJth's boys had sense enough lo stop within bounds , but sovori.1 cumbed the works far enough lo see tholr Into associates got out of harm's way. And Tom Motlray was immediately arrested by the olllcor of the guard , who , assisted by a tile of men , conducted the culprit to Iho colonel nel and reported. "This Is iho man , colonel , who I am told led iho croud lo break guard and go Inlo Iho unomv's camp nnd brought rebel sold lore baclc hero. " "Loavo him to mo , " said thocolonel.gruflly , for now Hint responsibility for the rebels wus off of his mind ho began to feel indignant at the disturbance , the cause of which bo bad nol yotlearned , " " said ho "If don't "Young man , , you got your commission , nnd do got n severe court 'martial sentence , you need blame only your- solf. You ought to know Unit , such a wild trick as tnls Is utlorly , shockingly contrary lo good orJor and military discipline , and can't by any stretch of discipline bo con doned. How came you lo begin ill" " 11 was all for the sake of saving govern ment property , sir , " said the prisoner. "What do you meatil" In reply Tom told the story of the start for wood , tno trick with Iho mulo's harness , and then the escape of Daniel Webster. As it occurred to Tom that the disturbance had begun - gun in Iho colonel's ' own camp.and Iho colonel might bo held to account for it , bo laid great stress In his explanation u | > on bis fooling , as ho followed iho oluslvo Daniel over Iho breastworks , that were the mule to escape Iho government would bo that much the loser , and the enemy that much the gainer , "I do not deny , " said Tom In conclusion , "that I lost my bead over tbo Ihought that were the enemy to got Daniel , the value of the beast would bo stopped ugalnst my pay. A hundred and llfty dollars charged lo a soldloron flit a month , would have a terribly saddening effect upon iho payee , colonel. " "CJood good 1" said the colonel who had not heard the latter part of the story at all. "You followed the mule lo save iho govern ment property , which was a purpose entirely praiseworthy. " , , "Thanks many thanks , " said Tom. "And you did not ask the enemy for assist ance ( Ihov took part lu tbo chase of their own accord ! " "Entirely. " "And you didn't oven ask any of your com- radu4 to help you recover the mule from out- sldu the lines , lot alone from insldo the eno- my'scouipl" "Not u man ; men never need bo asked 10 follow in a chase , colonel ; doesn't that agree with your military experience ! " "It certainly doc * . Well , I dou't sco but I thiir swords , faced inward and marched toward the center , where they were joined by the adjutant , who had first whispered toTem Tom : "Step the least bit to thn rear of Iho colonel , and three or four paces to his left. " Again Tom did as ho was bid ; moan while the adjutant bad fronted tbo ofllccrs and marched them up lo the colonel in the cus tomary manner , shouted , "hultl" nnd all saluted. ' ( lonUomcn , " said the colonel returning the salute , "I want to make you acquainted with j'our coming associate , Lieutenant Moltray. You all know what ho has at tempted , In accordance with my instructions , to do for the regiment's physical well-being , nnd you also know how well ho has suc ceeded. Come , Mottray , you can't afford to snub commissioned ofllcors any longer. " This was the colonel's ' invariable Joke whenever a private or non-commissioned oftl- cer was promoted , so nil the ofllcors dutifully laughed ; then , although few of them had previously deigned lo recogni/o Tom's exist ence or work , they severally greeted him ns heartily as If ho "wero nn old friend , nnd Tom , who had never forgolton the manners of a gentleman , carried himself wltb such composuio as to make n very good impression on his now associates. "Mottray I want you to take your supper with the field nnd stniT lonicht. " Tom wondered luw his private dirty uni form would look among the good clothing Iho oflicors were in winter quarters ; bo also wondered how nnd where ho could obtain a uniform befitting his new position , when the colonel turned away , and the adjutant slap ping Tom on the shoulder called him "old boy , " led him to his own but , ox plaining on the way that the colonel had boon so satisfied with his work thai ho had recommended him for promotion n week befoio , that bis com mission had ariivod thai very day nl least a month hol'oio it wus expected and that the colonel had been so amused by the mule chase incident that ho had Insisted on announcing the promotion at once instead of holding it in reserve some tlmo ; ho had oven been so Ihoughlful as lo borrow an oRiccr's uniform coat from another lieutenant of about Tom's height and tlguro The said coat wus m the adjutant's tent and he , Iho adjutant , was sure that the sooner ho would put it on and call on the colonel the bettor pleased tbo colonel would bo. Tom losl no lima in following the adju tant's suggestion , and the colonel welcomed him with olluslveiicss almost fathorlv. The supper was not very different from thai sup plied nl iho company cook-house , but there was milk for the c&tfco , and after the meal ended the party smoked cigars instead of pipes and lounged In comfortable cumpchairs nnd not upon the floor , ' The company did not break up until tattoo roll-call , and then Tom was Informed that quarters were ready for him in the subalterns''tent of Company ! ' . Whi'n ho wont to Inspect them thu hut was empty , the llrst HoutPiianl bolng engaged listening to the company roll-call , so Tom dropped Inlo a chair bt idu Iho table and look from his poclcol Iho pKntogrnph of Iho dear est girl In the world.The only light In the hut was found from a Mngle candle , which was probably Iho reason that Tom brought the picture so near his eyes that It repeatedly touched his lips. , As for the regiment. , , it was in such fine condition when the spring campaign opened thai Iho colonel was i uiTp brigadier general "for special oniclcnqy , in maintaining the physical condition oCtib command. " Hut Tom wus not jealous , fqr thu new general mudo him aid ' -do-camn uud gave him a few days' leave of ausencoy TUB iwn. A Now .Movo. Leslie & Leslie , 10th and Douglas. U. J. Frlce. Millara Hotel. W. J. Hughes. ! SU4 Faniuin. ( U4 N. Ifilh. J. W. Clark. S. iHh ! ! & Woolworth nvo. A. Shrotcr , 15'iJ Furnnm. All iho above named loading druggist * handle Iho famous Excelsior Springs , Mis souri , walers and Souiriau ( linger Alu. i Tlio Private. .Va urlce Me Ken na. It was duly atone lu his bosom that glowed To discharge to hi * country the debt that ho owed. This was the loadstar , the sanctified shrine Of Ibo patriotic private that cheered lu iho lino. Ask your grocer for Cook's Extra Dry Im perial Champagne. Us boquot U delicious , uud it is perfectly pure. Try It. n ie Errors' of Man. D D D D D Clothing manufacturers are mortals and make errors. They -will buy thousands upon thousands of yards of cloth in all sorts of pat terns , and , too oftentimes , that which looks the handsomest in the piece looks the poorest made up , and makes the poorest "seller" in the lot. They lay in the wholesaler's loft year after year , the sewing loses its strongh , and the goods often become moth eaten. By the retail ers of this country that class of suits are pot- named "bull pups ; " "ranks , " "chestnuts , " etc. , but they are finally sold to some far western fel low for little or nothing. The jobber's loss is the retailer's gain , who ships them home and yells to the workingrnen , "Bargains , Bargains , Great Bargains , " when , in fact , he is making lots of money on a lot of old , dark , bad patterns that the workingman east of Chicago wouldn't buy at any price. That is one reason why a wes tern man in the east is often pet named and spotted at once as the "western hoosier. ' Show us a clothing house anywhere in the United States of thirty to forty years standing , and we will show you a house that never re sorted to that class of trickery. For the custom gained is only temporary at best. D THIS WE OFFER An endless variety of New , light , bright sparkling and attractive Cassimere , Cheviot , Worsted , Fancy and Plain Black FOR That will please any workingman , banker , lawyer , doctor , merchant or clerk , and not a single suit but what was Made This Season. The above sale includes 162 young men's fancy pattern Cheviot Suits with the best of fancy satin lining , in the coat as well as vest back. Also a full line of indigo Grand Army Suits , warranted not to fade all at $7.6O. Our store is bristling with activity , and we mean to keep it up. We are showing the largest and finest line of for 25C imaginable eckties _ , kinds of goods OUC and shapes. D D D n n D n Our line of- NealiQe v * * Is as complete as that of any house in the land and all our , other departments are equally as complete. Dnnnnann We Have Got the $9 by the Horns. And we mean to hold what we have gained "The lion's share of the trade , amassed after thirty-seven years of honest dealing , Corner 13th andFarnam Streets !
