The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-02-20
HIS ORDERS WE'RE VALID.
UeW Ex-President Grant Taught . Lesso
to an Uncivil Soldier.


UsW Ex-President Grant Taught Lesson
to an Uncivil Soldier.
One hot day eight years ago, when
the sun came down with so much force
that it turned the tar pavement into a
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 rail-
road which made 5000 or $1,000 q
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 build
ing to look at some of the interesting
things to be seen there. As usual, the
place was full of people, to many of
whom the sight of such collection of
guns and munitions of war was great
wonder indeed. As l passed out of the
main aisle into one of the side ones,
there was slight delay owing to a
lady catching her dress on the corner
of q projecting box-the box was en-
tirely out of its place or the mishap
would not have occurred. When the
walk was resumed l found myself be-
side a heavily built man, who had
stopped to watch the extrica-
ton of the lady's dress. He
was dressed in a 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 par
ticular place came around, as l stood
there, and slowly walked down the
aisle, the man beside me bent forward
and, in short, sharp. military tone en-
claimed:
Private"
The man stopped, looked surprised at
the manner of address used by civil
ian, and saluted.
THAT box is in the way; help me
move it, I" said the man, and the soldier
with a g0Od-natured remark about the
difficulty of keeping things in order.
complied with the request. A petty
officer came up just as the 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 Maj0r-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?n
The box just tore a lady's dress,
sir replied the soldier in an embar-
raised way, after saluting.
cit was moved out by somebody, and
I 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
unless you have orders from
me or from some other of your supe-
riors.n
At this juncture tall, thin man.
whose cheeks were sunken and whose
hair and beard were red, came up toll
the man who had caused the soldiers |
trouble and with an exclamation of re-
lief he said: II was looking for YOU,
and had given up hope Of finding
you.
! ssWait minute. = was all the regly
given to this felcl6vion, and then sai-
ing step tJssrd tine officer, be said:
Officer, the private was doing his
duty. It is as much the duty of the men
stationed here to see that the public are |
protected from discomfort as it is to
guard the exhibits"
THE man acted without ORDERS" re-
torted the officer, sharply.
AL IL
quick reply
Before me officer could speak the
man TEo had just joined him chimed
in, seing:
/Offcer, this is President Grant. His
sfders, trust, will be Strictly regarded
IN future. l am theSecretary of War"
And with 3 rather angry look at his
subordinate, the present Senator from
Pennsylvania Ct. Donald Cameron)
walked off with the President, leaving
the officer astounded, the private de-
lighted and myself highly amused
htts6argh Dispatch.