The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-09-05
4 YoUrHrUr MAJoR-GkSxRAL
Tenders Brigadier-G General Steele a Position
ON His Staa-The Consequence

ON His Sfa4-The Consequences.
No doubt every boy has his vagaries con-
corning his future greatness, and bends all
his efforts to attain the loftiest height of
his ambition, but Jersey City has devel-
oped within the last two weeks a youth
whose vagaries have led him into "fields
that are green and pastures that are new"
in the future greatness category. The name
of the boy is not given, because he is good
friend of the TATTLER's, as are also the
members of the firm of lawyers-widely
known in the Countrywide employ him.
At any rate, this particular boy has taken
great interest In the newspaper accounts of
the case of Cutting, whose confinement IN
Mexican prison at one time promised
serious complications between this country
and Mexico. He thought surely the out
come of the matter would inevitably mean
war, and imbued with the spirit of war
rior, he made up his mind that his only
chance of making mark in the world was
front seat in the ranks of the first Ameri-
can invaders of Mexican soil in the impend-
ing struggle. He never spoke to soul as
to what his plans were, or by what route
he should go to Mexico-whether swim
ming or walking would be the best-but all
at once he branched out IN his mind and in
letters as the Maior-G General of the United
States Light Guard. Having thus settled it
in his own mind that he was the Major
General of the aforementioned United
States Light Guard, this patriotic youth
stepped over to the post-office in Washing
ton street about three weeks ago, invested
in postal card, returned to the office, and
wrote as follows rH
Brig Gen Dudley S. Steele Hackeasack, ~ j. y
DEAR SIR In, view of the great likelihood Of war
between this country and Mexico, I hereby beg
leave 10 tender you position on my staff, leaving
you TO make choice of such position under me AZ
you would prefer. Yours truly,
Maj Gen. Commanding United States 1t. Guard.
General steele received the mysterious
missive written on postal card, scanned
it closely to see if he could not recognize
in it the handwriting of some friend who
was playing practical joke on him, and,
failing in this, threw it to one side. Two
weeks passed by, and the military man
dismissed the mysterious postal card en-
tirely from his mind, until last Monday
week the postman handed him another
postal addressed in the same handwriting
as the preceding one.
ssWhat in - can all this mean 2" he is
said to have exclaimed lmpatiently, as he
finished reading the following.
Brig.-G Dudley S. Steele Haeksnsack, NJ j.
DEAR SIR: As it now seems more than likely that
the Mexican imbroglio is settled. hereby recall
my tender of position on my staff, made you by
mail a few days ago. Yours truly,
Ex-Maj Gen. Commanding o. s. Light Guard.
General Steele is said to have looked at
the name and said "sJ- -
wonder who j p ISL"
He showed it to his military companions,
who laughed themselves sick over it, and
finally it got into the hands of one of the
firm in whose employ the boy is. The law
yer recognized the writing at once, and
knew he was not mistaken when he noticed
the address at the head of the card. He
put it in his pocket, and the next morning
when he went to the Office the boy was son
deck" as usual. Drawing the card from
his inner coat pocket, the lawyer APP
preached the youth, and almost Numbered:
ssWhat the - do you write such stuff
to military officers for?"
The boy could not deny the authorship
of the card, SO out he came in whimper-
ing voice
I'll thought, sir-that we would have
war with Mexico, and--and that I would
raise couple of companies of--of infantry,
sir, and be Major General of them"
The lawyer could not but be amused at
the boys novel idea, but kept back the
smile that only lurked in the corners of his
mouth, as he said to the boy:
swell, young man, your services are no
longer required in this office"
But this made the boy cry outright, and
the lawyers heart must have softened, for
he told the boy he might stay, and that for
his folly he could have vacation till the
following-that was last Monday. But
j P did not show up on Monday,
nor has any one seen him around since;
and it is suggested that he got big boost
on his way to Mexico with the aid of the
defaulting night clerk of Taylor's Hotel.