Connecticut western news., 1883-06-06

with happlness shall crown her lot,
 And mother'n ne'er grow old.  BURDETTE ON SOLDIERS. WHY IS IT THAT PRIVATE RANKANFILE IS LONESOME THREE YEARS IN FOUR. Somehow Private Rankanfile always wore the expression of lonesome man three years in four. There is a wander ing roll of the eyes, searching glance, as of man seeking for something he hasn't exactly lost and never expects to find. He fought "into the war;" and often I have listened to his well-worn old army stories merely as an act of Christian charity to Rankanfile. It seemed to do him good. He would come out of two-hours' monologue about fields where he had fought and bled, and run and intrenched, and marched by various Hanks, and advanced himself on the right, and held the center with his left little refused, and did various other things extremely puzzing to 8 civilian, 8 brighter and happier man. And I would go away feeling as good as a martyr, and carrying with me sort of impression that Private Rankanfile had a great deal to do with the maneuvers of the corps of which he was 8 private gen. tleman, and associated almost exclusively with generals and colonels.
 But when met him the other day there was glad look in his eye, and he grasped my hand eagerly.
 "You must be here on the 29th," he said, gayly; ''the old One Hundred and Eighty-seventh is going to have re- union. I'll see all the old boys; gallant old fellows I haven't met since '65." There was nothing lonesome about Rankanfile now. Civilian as was, re- joined at the prospect of his meeting his old friends.
 ''It was a splendid regiment" I re- marked. "The old One Hundred and Eighty-seventh made gallant. record. Where is General De Resparaid now 9 'sOh, he's Collector of Internal Reve. nue."
 s'So he is; had forgotten. And Col onel Echelon ?"
 "He's postmaster"
 s'Sure enough. And Major Ramp stnhl?''
 ssHe's sheriff"
 "And Captain Tompion ?'
 "United States Consul to-Gutta Per cha, I believe it is.''
 sAnd Lieutenant Colonel Roudstep 1? ''United States Marshal"
 s.And Captain Tumbril?'
 "He is judge of the United State Court"
 "Oh, yes; and Quartermaster Salt horse?"
 "He-was in the Treasury Departmer until last week."
 "And where is he now?"
 "They don't know," said Private Rar kanfile evasively. "They think he is Canada, but they haven't found hil yet"
 itAh, yes and where are the others your regiment ?'
 "In the Legislature all except Su geon Greensash- is in Congress- an Adjutant Tenshun, who is in the Pel sion Bureau"
 "What are you doing p I asked.
 'sI am shipping clerk down here Hide and Tallow's, and" with a tro1 bled look" they won't want me aft the first of June they have to make place for old Tallow's nephew. But I find something, reckon. I'm new out of place very long. Come in al see us when we get together on the 29t won't you ?" and all the trouble died O of his face at the thought of meeting u old boys again.
 I looked after him as he imped ava His gait was ungraceful, because he h, a stiff knee, stiff as bone. It was sha tered at Antietam. The bullet we crushing into it when he ran back to Dit up and save the regimental hag that hf fallen from the dead hands of the colo sergeant.
 "Don't tell me that republics are u grateful" said the big-hearted priva one day, his eyes swimming in gratef tears. .tLook here, all that for just little thump like that" He had jr drawn his pension. Flight dollars mohth," he said proudly, 'for st knee."
 His old commander, General De R. paraid, gets good deal more than th and never got scratch in the arm But he has something mysterious, wi a long Latin name, that has affect some four-syllable portion of his am omy.. Every time Rankanfile hears it-which is every time he meets t general-he shudders and says: ''tl thing will carry the general of one these dsys.