The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-19

OF every parsnt's child.
-Gsrald Massey.
Did KILL JERRY.
Jeremiah o. Dayton was the right
flank corporal Of my company. NJ
wonder he was ON the right flank, fol
he was by long odds the biggest ma
il: the regiment. There was one or two
WIZ, slightly overtopped his six foot
three and half in his stockings,
but they were spindlmg, neryeless,
narrow-chested fellows, whom Jerry
could twist round his thumb if it came to
muscle.
Where Jerry hailed from originally I
never knew. He enlisted in New York
IN the spring Of 1862, and, I fancy, had
At that time been staggering about
among the Bowery boys and living off
the admirers Of his ineffable good ma
ture and unparalleled biceps. But !
have never known to what section is
due the credit Of raising SO glorious a
speciman Of the physical man.
Take it all in all, I believe Jerry Day
ton was essentially the biggest man I
' . Saw. II was I who enlisted him
when I was at home in New York dur
ing March, 1852, the bearer Of Ger
tain papers TO Governor Morgan, and
when I took him to the surgeon for az
animation Inoted down all his measure
ments as q matter Of curiosity. Here
they are:
Round chest. 49, inches; round
shoulders, 50 inches; round forearm, IA
inches round biceps. 1871 inches; round
thigh, % inches; round cali, 16 inches;
weight, 1876 pounds.
don't think any prize-fghter ever
entered the ring that could beat that
and yet Jerry was not lat. He was
rather the opposite. When he was
stripped his muscles stood ont free from
Adipose tissue aud showed their play
wdenhe moved like those OFF thorough
bred after training. Added to these a
bull neck and good looking, joyial face;
hands like the paws Of = gorilla, but
smallest for his size; enormous length
Of arm, and allow, easy-going look,
which betoksn mildness and honesty,
and Jerry Dayton gave one the idea of
. huge, inofensive elephant.
! have called Jerry's face good-look-
ing. Perhaps it wal more the good
humor which shone through every pore
to the amiable soul within that gave
one this idea, for Jerry was flush of
face and fearfully and wonderfully
freckled. He wore o very small yell
low moustache, which seemed to be alihe
couldgrow for although heneyer shaved
hisface was destitute of hair save on his
upper lip. Nature had evidently ex-
hausted herself in putting together his
frame, and had nothingsleft for beard.
Jerry lever quarrelld with n OF
his comrades. Good reAson why. To
begin with. lie was toogentle to tyran-
nlze or bully, and altogether too burly
for any one willinglyto come in hostile
contact with him. I never knew him
to be at odds with a single soul. He
moved about and attended to his own
business with much the same kind Of
consciously Superior Indifference that O
Newfoundland exhibits anon q pack
of terriers. No matter how much the
boys leased him; no matter how much
the terriers yelped at his heels, az ow-
ing to his ~forbearance, they were very
apt to do-he would for an instant look
az If he we're on the point Of retaliating,
but then, IS if feeling that he might do
them harm if he allowed himself to get
angry, he would check his rising ire
and smooth down his bristling crest
with a half deprecatory, half threaten
ing. Now. boys, look out and quit
your foolin'!n
Dayton was q good soldier. To be
sure he had not been in action as yet,
and SO had not had o chance to show
his %gallantry; but he was obedient and
attentive to duty, intelligent and up
right. He seemed sometimes to dislike
TO enforce orders when the men made
any objection or resistance; but this
was only of a piece with his own
lenient impulses, and never called for
more than 9 passing criticism. Take it
all IN all he was on the high road to
ucces in the profession of arms,
though it had been taken up as only a
temporary one.
Dayton was one of my favcrites. He
was always willing, nay, eager, to be OF
service to me, He would volunteer his
help whenever there was any work to
pc done about my quarters and besides
his enormous strength he possessed.
steadiness and aptitude at work in no
ordinary degree. He was handy, to 9,
in little things. His thick, coarse fin
gers could sieze hold Of any little deli
cate job as daintily as if they had been
as taper as q woman's. Nor did he ever
seem TO weary in offering his services.
Before 4 knew 1 wanted anything done,
Jerry would have started to do It; and
all manner OF little conveniences, such
as 3 shelter Of boughs in front OF NV
tent, OF an oven for my contraband to
bake bread in, or q nice bunk. or a
canap.tahle and chairs, grew up around
me whenever We remained q few DAYS
IN \ place, under the deft hand and
wiling heart Of Corporal Jerry DAYTON.
AZ 9 rule, when men grow tcsuch an
enormous size they lose In stamina what
they gain in weight. Little or middle
sized men, say of from five feet Eve to
ttye feet nine in height, and weighing
40 TO l6e pounds. are generally able to
. farther, carry more weight and
live on shorter commons than men who
get beyond these limits. The greatest