Wichita eagle., 1888-04-06
AT AN ARMY POST.
TIE DAYS DOlMGS OF A FRONTIER
GARRISON.

worst-to awaken you from your deep sum-
bers There are four of these unprincipled
wretches, who, in consideration of a monthly
bride of s13 apiece, consent to make life mis-
cradle at this particular hour of the day by
| destroying your morning nap. They puff
out their cheeks till they are red in the face
and the veins On their foreheads stand out
Ike cords from the exertion, and they pour
| forth the brassy notes till the words set to
revelIle by some sarcastic soldier go dancing
! in your brain and won't be driven out, ut
! terly destroying sleep and ultimately driving
You from your he'd az the un5,enly hour Of
in the morning.
Bugles--Allegro.
can't get 'em up.
can't get 'em up.
lcant get EN- up IN the morning;
can't get EN- up,
can't get EN- up,
1cant get EN- up al da-s-ay.
Reveille is succeeded by profusion of
calls at short intervals; there is mess call,
summoning the defenders of en- effete civil
cation to their morning coffee, bread and
meat; there is sick or surgeons call, when
the weak and ailing repair to the post hos
pital for treatment by the post sawbones;
there is stable cali, at which the cavalry
company marches its column of fours to the
cavalry corral for the morning grooming
and feeding. This sight, repeated each sue
| ceeding morning, fills the heart of the
"doughboyn foot soldier, who is exempt from
such duty, with delight.
The water wagon, drawn by six mules, ap-
pears, and the barrels standing at your door
are filed with a fine yellow solution Of earth,
! Lon, C1ryr, Ig, y,-Ut1 1p.
quite primitive here; no elaborate system of
water works is provided for us; the wagon is
filed at the little stream that runs past the
post, and is thence drawn directly TO your
door After standing twenty-four hours in
the barrels the sediment settles in degree,
so that the water is quite available for wash
ing purposes. But for drinking, a system of
straining, boiling and fltering makes it none
too pure and clear. Still, such as it is, we
use it, and are thankful it's 10 worse
The hour for guard mounting has now
come, The regimental band is stationed
here, and very good band it is. With
out it existence would become still more
nearly unbearable than at present. 1t plays
each morning at guard mounting, has band
practice for an hour sfterward, plays again at
retreat parade, favors us with a concert
every Sunday afternoon and furnishes music
for the hops gotten up weekly by the
restless subalterns. After guard mounting
there is an informal gathering of the officers
of the command at the little one story adobe
dignitied by the name of the administration
building of title for SO small
and unpretentious structure to stagger be-
meath. Here We find the colonel in command,
with the adjutant and the quartermaster OF
his regiment-tWo first lieutenantS, selected
for their especial fitness for these positions of
responsibility. Here is the gray headed cap
tain OF the single infantry company at the
post-a man who enter.d the service before
you were out Of swaddling clothes, sir, and
who thinks his gray hairs entitled to con-
siderable respect for his long and most excel
lent service. Here, too, are both of his
ieutenants, fiery youths, chatting because
promotion is SO deuced slow. Here. also, are
the three officers of the cavalry contingent,
gorgeous with uniformly large yellow shoul-
der straps and broad yellow stripes Their
aggressively fiaring facings contrast glaring
ly with tie modest and unassuming blue and
white Of their infantry brethren.
Here an hour is passed, chatting of the
events of the day, discussing orders, or scam
ming the papers brought in by the soldier
mail carrier from the railway station nine
miles away From the administration build
ing the officers scatter to wherever the day
may have in store for them. The captains
go to inspect their company quarters and
kitchens; the heUtenaDts, devoid OF such re-
sponsibilities saunter to their own quarters
or up the officers line to the colonel's, where
the ladies are gathered, and pass some little
time there in social chat.
ALL however, retire to their own quarters
before the sun is very high in the heavens. In
this hot southern climate nothing is done
through the day The orderly has carried
the various orders over the post before 10
o'clock; the herd of horses of the cavalry
troop are down in the valley, where the trees
afford them a welcome shade and the running
stream quenches their thirst; the parade
ground, sparsely patched with clumps of
grass, presents a steady, tiresome glare; the
garrison flag hangs Imply against the staff;
the very staff, leaning from the perpendicu-
lar, appears overcome by the extreme heat:
no sign of life is visible, save for the lizards
dartiIg about under the direct rays Of the
sun; it is inSutTerably, unspeakably hot.
Within doors, in darlened rooms, the holders
of this little post pass the hot, weary hours as
best they may. Some read, some sleep; in
fact, beyond the attractions of the post suit
tiers card room and green covered table,
scarcely anything practicable remains but
reading and sleeping The chief end of man
here seems to be to pass the hours Of exile as
comfortably as possible and so we End the
necessarily small libraries Of the reading of
fcers filed with the works of standard au-
thors, whereby the tedium Of these long, list
less hours NAV be ha01,ilei
So passes the day. till the frightening
shadows announce the approach Of sunset.
The bugle sounds the call for dress parade,
doors of quarters are opened wide and from
them the ladies, in COOL fresh toilets, issue
forth to adorn the veraadas and by their
presence lend grace to the scene. The officers
join their companies, the short line of troops
is formed and the daily retreat parade, the
sole ''pomp and circumstance" in which our
little post INDUCES, proceeds smartly to q
close. The parade closes the day; tho bugle
sounds retreat, the flag is lowered and soon
in the swiftly gathering darkness may 10
seen the forms Of the sentinels walking their
solitary beats, keeping a wary lookout for
foes, hypothetical and actual.
The sun has gone to rest behind the Jagged
western mountains that from their gray
heights look down upon Us, and the risen
moon foods the scene with her sllvery light
All the brilliant southern moonlight Is be
yond ell compare. But bark. there's bugle
strain in the air. rising TO its highest note
and falling, dying away again IN soft, long
drawn cadences Involuntarily you hush TO
listen Taps. Tie last call OF the Day.
Those notes, so often sounded mourntuily on
ard plain and IN dark ravine over the lonely
grave of TIE fallen courade, now breathe
farewell to day. Lights out and with he