Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-06-09
About Private Rankanfile.

Somehow Private Rankangle always
wore the expression of lonesome man
three wears in four. There is wander
ing roll of his eyes, searching glance,
as of man seeking for something he
hasn't exactly lost and never expects to
find.
But when met him the other day
there was glad look in his eye and he
grasped my hand eagerly.
"Yon must be here on the 29th," he
said, gayly; "the old One Hundred and
Eightv-seyenth is going to have reun-
ion. I'll see all the old boys; gallant old
fellows haven't met since 60"
There was nothing lonesome about
Rankanfile now. Civilian as was,
reioiced at the prospect OF his meeting
his old friends.
1T was a splendid regiment" | re,
marked. "The old One Hundred ana
Eightv-seventh made a gallant record.
Where is Gen. De Resparaid now"
"Oh, he's Collector Of Internal Rev
enue." ~,
Echelon"
Hes Postmaster" 100,
sure Anu
"He's Sheriff"
"And Capt. Tompion?'
"United States Consul to-Gutta Per-
cha ! believe it is" -,
"And Lieut.. Col. Roundstep?"
Omitted States Marshal"
"And Capt. Tumbril?"
Gle is the judge of the United States
court" c
"Oh. yes; and Quartermaster Salt
horse?"
HE was in the treasury department
until last week"
"And where is he now?"
'They don't know" said Private RANK
emile, evasively. "They think he is in
Canada, but they haven't found him
yet"
''Ah, yes, and where are the other Of
fcers of your regiment"
"In The legislature; all except Surgeon
G1eensash-he is in congressman Adjt.
Tepshun, who is in the pension bureau"
"What are you do:ng?" | asked,
az am shipping clerk down here at
Hide & Tallow's, and"-with troubled
look-''they won't want me after the LIST
of June: they have to make place for
old Tallow's nephew. But I'll find
something l reckon. Pm never out of
place very long"
I looked after him as he limped away.
His GAIT is ungraceful, because he has
stiff knee, stiff as bone. 1t was shat
tered at Antietam. The bullet went
crashing into it when he ran back to
pick up and save the reglmental nag
that had fallen from the dead hands OF
the color sergeant.
Rnt T wondered no longer that Private
Rankenhle seemed lonely: HE is thinking
perhaps of his comrades, the other prl-
Yates in his regiment. There were sew
eraI private soldiers in the army. Rang
anfiIe, whom | know, was one. Inc
name of the other one has escaped: Nor
do know where he is. He doesn't ap-
pear to be consul to any place.
And vet if he would only come forward
and show himself, grateful country
has remembered him. He can secure
farm of 100 acres in the far west, after
the railroad has secured all the best sec
tons, twenty miles from the nearest
postoffice, twice so far from water and as
far as railway train can run in a day
from coal bank or forest, on precisely
the same terms as are accorded to man
who has been in this land fifteen minutes.
It ia 8 great boon and the private SOL
der should appreciated. And undouot-
edly he does-in quiet way. He does
not make much fuss aboutit. And really
there isn't very much for him to grow
enthusiastic about.
But the private soldier, though indeed
he is exceeding rare and marvelously
scarce at intervals, is not entirely lost.
In the days gone by, when the private
soldier was more numerous than to-day,
very nearly 600 of him were required
to make one colonel. More than many
times that many are sometimes requisite
to the election of a member of Congress
and exc President.
Therefore he will be found. He will
be dragged from his lurking place. Ii
he has not been seen at the polls by
d. NJ, the generals own carriage Will
come after him. 1t will not come after
him again for another four years. But
it will come for him then.
And We rejoice, too, in the thought
that his time is come. One day the
private soldie will shine respondent, q
blazing planet against the nebulous back
ground of half-forgotten field and line
officers. 1t has been ever the fate OF the
private soldier. Napoleon is dead amt
all his marshals are dead. But the prl-
yate soldier who fought under 1.-The Lit
tie Corporal at Waterloo, is he not
found in every state? And SO some day
the last general who fought in the war
of the rebellion will pass awaJ, the final
colonel. much against his will, must die.
Majors and captains will join the innum-
cradle caravan; but the last surviving
private soldier of every regiment that
fought anywhere will never leave us,
but will live emb aimed in the perennial
paragraphs: "Till suns shall rise and set
no more. "-Robt. j. Burdette, in Phila-
delphia Times.