Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-12-09

SAAV"o VAoV oCCAuCu 81 pAIdU10 wore
equal to the curling of the most fiery
animal. I do not think that he sat his
horse with more grace than the other
officers, for they rode superbly, but it
was accounted by others almost an i'm
possibility to dislodgc the general
from the saddle, no matter how vicious
the animal might prove. He threw his
feet out of the stirrups the moment the
horse began to show his inclination fol
war, and with his knees dug into the
sides of the plunging brute he fought
and always Conquered. With his own
horses he needed neither spur mol
whip. They were such friends of his,
and his voice seemed so attuned to
their natures they knew as we'll BY it's
infections as by the slight pressure OF
the bride on their necks what he
wanted. By the merest inclination on
the generals part they either sped on
the wings of the wind or adapted their
spirited steps to the slow movement OF
the march. 1t was a delight to see
them together, they were so in unison,
and when he talked to them az though
they had been human beings their in
telligent eyes seemed to reply.
AS an example of his Workmanship,
he had a way of escaping from the
stagnation of the dull march, when it
was not dangerous to do so, by riding a
short distance in advance of the col
umn over divide, throwing himself
on one side of his horse, so as to be en-
tirely out of sight from the other direc-
ton giving a signal that the animal
understood, and tearing off at the best
speed that could be made. The horse
entered into the frolic with all the zest
of his master, and, after the race, the
animals beautiful, distended nostrils
glowed blood-red as he tossed his head
and danced with delight.
In hunting the general rode either
Vic or Dandy. The dogs we're so fond
of the latter they seemed to have little
talks with him. The generals favorlte
dog, Butcher, would leap up to him in
the saddle and jump fairly over the
horse in starting. The spirited horses,
mounted by officers who sat them so
we'll; the sound of the horn used for the
purpose of calling the dogs; their an
swering bay. the glad voices and ''whoo-
la!' to the hounds as the party galloped
down the valley, are impressions in
effaceable from my memory. They
often started deer within sound of
the bugle at the post. In few hours
their shouts outside would call me to
the window, and there dropping across
the back of one of the orderlies horses
would be magnificent black-tailed
deer. We had q saddle of venision
hanging on the wood-house almost
constantly during the winter. The
officers and even the soldiers tables
had this rarity to vary the monotony of
the inevitable beef.
The life of the enlisted men was very
dull during the cold weather. In the
summer they had mounted drill and
parades, and an occasional scout, to
vary the life. At Fort Lincoln we
read:
:The companies each gave a ball in
turn during the winter, and the pre-
parations were begun long in advance.
There was no place to buy anything
save the suffers store and the town Of
Bismarck, but they we're well ransacked
for materials for the supper. The
hunks where the soldiers slept we're
removed from the barracks and flags
festooned around the room. Arms
were stacked and guidons arranged in
groups. A few pictures of distinguish
ed men were wreathed in imitation
laurel leaves cut out of green paper.
Chandeliers and side brackets carved
out of cracker-box boards into fantastic
shapes were filled with candles, while
at either end of the long room great
logs in the wild fire-places threw out q
cheerful light. The ball opened, head
ed by the first sergeant. After this the
officers and their wives were invited to
form a set at one end of the room and
we danced several times. One of the
men whose voice was clear and loud
sang the calls. He was q comical
genius and improvised new ways of
calling of. When the places came in
the quadrille to Turn to your partners,
his voice arose above the music in the
notes of the old song, oh, swing those
girls, those pretty little girls, those
girls you left behind you!' This was
such an inspiration to the fun-lovers
that the swinging usually ended in our
being whirled in the air by the privileg-
ed members of our family. "-RhiladeL
Dhi0 Times ~