Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-11-19
HIS ORDERS WERE VALID.
A Well Told Story OF the Gen.
tennial Exposition.
An Astoundel Officer Delighted Private
and an Amused Correspondent

One hot day eight years ago, when
the sun came down with so much
force that it turned the tar pavement
into soft paste, / was in the building
in which the United States government
had its exhibit in connection with the
Centennial Exposition. Hot as it was,
the people thronged all the big build
ings and crowded the little circular
railroad which made $4,000 OF $4,000 a
day had been writing about the big
show and what was to be seen there
until it was a sorry task indeed. 1t
was so hot | did not feel like work,
and so went over to the Government
building to look at some of the inter-
esting things to be seen there. As
usual, the place was full of people, to
many of whom the sight of such a col
lection of guns and munitions of war
was a great wonder indeed. AS l
passed out of the main aisle into one of
the side ones, there was a slight delay
owing to a lady catching her dress on
the corner of projecting boX-the
box was entirely ont of its place or the
mshap would not have occurred.
When the walk was resumed | found
myself beside heavily built man, who
had stoppedto watch the eXtricaton of
the lady's dress. He was dressed in
dark suit, with a long-tailed frock coat
and soft felt hat, the brim of which
hung down so low in front that it
shaded the wearer's face. He wore
beard, closely cropped, and allowed his
chin to rest upon his breast. A soldier
who was on duty at that particular
place came around, as | stood there,
and slowly walked down the aisle, the
man beside me bent forward and, in
short, sharp, military tone exclaimed;
private"
The man stopped, looked surprised
at the manner of address used by
civilian, and saluted.
THAT box is in the way; help me
o,oyo it cniI thn MAJ, AL a. - oa11;,,
with good natured remark about the
difficulty of keeping things in order,
complied with the request. a petty
officer came up just as the soldier was
aiding the stranger in pushing the box
out of the way do not know what
tine officers rank was. but from his
Major-Genefalship strut guessed him
to be a corporal. The instant he saw
what the private was doing he cried
out
"Who gave you orders to move those
boXes?'
"The box just tore lady's dress,
sir" replied the soldier in an en-
barrassed way, after saluting. at was
moved out by somebody. and | just
stopped to fix it."
"Oh, you did," said the young strut
ter tartly. "Well, sir, l don't want
any more of this interference with the
exhibits unless you have orders from
me or from some other of your supe-
riors."
At this juncture a tall, thin man
whose cheeks We're sunkcn and whose
hair and beard were red, came up to
the man who hal caused the soldiers
trouble and with an exclamation of re-
lief he said: 81 was looking for you
and had given up hope of finding YOU"
"Wait a minute was all the reply
given to this salutation, and then TAX
ing step towards the officer, he said:
"Oficer, the private was doing his
duty. 1t is as much the duty of the
men stationed here to see that the pub
lie are protected from discomfort as it
is to guard the exhibits"
"The man acted without orders" re-
torted the officer sharply.
81 gave him his ORDERS" was the
quick reply.
Before the officer could speak the
man who had just joined him chimed
in, saying:
"Onlcer, this is President Grant,
His orders, | trust, will be strictly |
regarded in future. lam the Secretary
of War" And with a rather angry
look at his subordinate the present
Senator flom Pennsylvania CT. Donald
Cameron) walked off with the Presi-
dent, leaving the officer astounded, the
private delighted and myself highly
amused. -PHtsJmyh Dispatch.