The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-31


Not so. The others simply bided their
. time until midnight, when, the senior Of
fcers having retired, an ante-room court
martial was called, and the defaulters
were brought up for trial, and, being con-
victed, sentenced to punishment. And
in what did that punishment consist?
Not in Stating" but each was sem
fenced to receive three strokes Of birch
rod from every member of the court
martial; that is, about thirty strokes
each, and well laid onl
As soon as subaltern joins his reg-
ment, he is submitted to a course of
practical jokes, illtreatment, and bully
ing all round, to which he must offer no
resistance, or his career will be a short
one. For instance, a few years ago a
man named Royd Joined this same regi-
ment, and on his first evening amongst
his new comrades was drawn That is
to say, he was visited in his room during
the small hours of the morning and
ordered to go down into the ante-room
for court-martial, the charge against him
being that he had risen from the dinner
table whilst an officer senior to him had
remained sitting. Royd being of huge
stature and gigantic strength, stoutly re-
sisted, and eventually picked up the
largest man in the room, carried him out
on to the landing, and dropped him over
the baluster ON to the tagged passage be-
low. The effect was magical; in an in
stant all the hubbub was hushed, and
the injured man was raised. Fortunately
the result was nothing worse than a
sprained ankle and severely bruised
hip. He took it very quietly, and
merely looked up at Royd, who was
standing near, and said coolly, Tll have
you out for this
Very possibly the new conner did not
think much of the threat, but his career
was virtually over; at every hour Of the
day and II ght did he have cause to re.
pent that hasty action, and during the
autumn maneuvres the climax came. Ii
was in this wise: On pouring wet day
or rather night, he had to visit the pick
cts, and as, for some reason, he had nc
horse, was compelled to do the rounds OIL
foot. On coming in after tramp OF
some miles, thoroughly soaked and tired
out, he was ordered to visit yet another
outlying picket six or seven miles away
Then was his tormentor's opportunity
He would not permit him to take q
troop horse, though he himself was rid
ing. Tired, cold, and wet, this young
subaltern reached the picket; something
went wrong, as did his temper, and he
swore at one of the meu. His fate was
sealed. His senior Immediately put him
under arrest, and he was told by the
Colonel that he must send in his papers
or undergo trial by court-martial. Oh
course he left the regiment.
A young officer is not even permitted
to dress himself as he pleases. 1t was re.
ported in the ante-room of the Cuiras.
sieurs that one of the junior officers had
been seen in Piccadiilv wearing an
inverness cloak. On his return from
town he was ordered by the senior Cap
tain to produce the article in question
and it was burnt before his eyes.
whilst you are an officer of the Cui
rassiers, sir said the Senior Captain, 'yov
will dress as a gentleman, and not as il
you had bought your clothes out of
slop-shop in Bloomsbury
Sometimes a newly-joined officer at
tempts the hail-fellow-well-met style Of
intercourse with his seniors, but his in.
tentions are nipped in the bud with mar
velous celerity. Such an one joined the
Cuirassers during the leave season, and
tried his system upon the Major.
'Ah, Houghton, said he, one day after
lunch, while several officers, including
the Major, were standing about the ante
room fire, will you go down to the rink
with me this afternoonT
The cool audacity of the proposa
stopped every tongue in the room, ant
all listened breathlessly for the Major
reply.
4 don't mind he said, quietly, mucl
more quietly than they expected. 'bu
probably he wished to see now far thi
young gentleman's assurance would tax
him.
'Ah, very well. I'll be ready about
, o'clock, so come round to my rooms an
look me up
5 This was amatter for the senior sub
notice, and although he was not in tn
room at the time, the conversation wa
5 quickly reported to him, and he as quick
5 ly sent for the delinquent.
"Now look here, young chap" he be
gan, "this sort of thing won't do at all.
: the major asks you to 60 anywhere wit
him, you will tell him whether you'll g
or you won't but YOU'LL propose goin
to the rink or anywhere else with him
r And another thing, when you addres
, him you will say major or sir
am very much astonished that the maio
did not speak to you himself about it."
Then life in a barrack is by no mean
| such an existence of ease, luxury, an
time-killing as novelists would fain max
us believe. Take, for example, the du
ties of the orderly officer for the day. H
2 must rise at o'clock for early stable.
4 or the whole of the subalterns suffer i
consequence; then he has to 90 round til
? breakfasts, see that they are all righ
and hear any complaints; then if it