Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-12-16
HIS ORDERS WERE VALID.
a Well Told Story or the Gen.
tennial Exposition.
An Astoundea Officer, : Delighted Priva,.
and an Amused Correspondent

forcU that it turned the tar pavement
into i soft paste, was in the buildino
in which the United States government
had its exhibit in connection with the
Centennial Exposition. Hot as it was
the people thronged AL the big build.
ings and crowded the little circular
railroad which made $4,000 or $4,000
day. had been writing about the BIC
show and what was to be seen there
until it was sorry task indeed. II
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 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 slight DELAY
owing to lady catching her dress on
the corner Of projecting bcx-the
box was entirely ont of its place or the
mishap would not have occurred.
When the walk was resumed found
myself beside heavily built man, who
had stopped to watch the extrication Of
the lady's dress. He was dressed in
dark suit, with long-tailed frock coat
and soft felt hat. tine 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 Ii in the way; help me
move it, said the man, and the soldier
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
the officers rank was, but from his
Major Generalship strut / guessed him
to be 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 saIuting. ut was
moved out by somebody, and just
stopped TO tx IL"
"Oh. you did" said the young strut
ter tartly. "WelI. sir. 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 were sunken and whose
hair and beard were red, came up to
the man who had caused the soldiers
trouble and with an exclamation of re-
LEI he said: II was looking for you
and had given up hope Of finding you
"Wait q minute, was all the reply
given to this salutatfon. and then TAX
ing step towards the officer, he said:
Officer, the private was doing his
duty. It is - much the duty of the
men stationed here to see that the pub
lie are protected from discomfort as it
IS 70 guard the exhibits
"The man acted without orders" re-
torted the officer, sharply.
T gave MIN his ORDERS was the
quick reply.
Before the officer could speak the
man who had just joined him chimed
ID, saying:
''O1icer, this Is President Grant
His orders. trust. viii be strictly
regarded in future. am the Secretary
Of War. And with rather angg
look &C his subordinate the present