St. Paul daily globe., 1888-12-15
And Finally Enlists as a Pri-
yate Soldier and Goes to
Dakota.
A Woman Comes Into the
Story and the Finale Prom
ises to Be Happy.
special 10 the Globe.

ting in the Office of leading hotel, L
saw among the mixed throng which ha6
come in upon the evening trains. fine
open-faced young fellow in the blues OF
the regular army. His appearance and
bearing was so different from that OF
the average common soldier, that l wa
at once interested, and determined to
learn something of his history. Walking
over to the register at which he stood l
asked how matters were coming on at
the agency. He replied pleasantly, and
ance was corporal. just discharged
from Fort Yates.
AFTER TWO YEARS SERVICE
at that post. He was in a high state of
excitement and citation. 1t was the first
time in two years, he said, that he had
seen hotel register, or any OF the most
common features of civilized life. Two
minutes had not elapsed before he had
assured me that lie was not common
regular soldier" His rapid review of 4
line of distinguished Southern ancestry,
in which generals, judges and bishops
figured at every joint-if may use the
eXpresSiOn-Soon convinced me, as dld
the corporars address and language,
that some mystery hung about the
young fellows history. 1t required lit
lie skill to direct him to a subject which
evidently occupied large share OF his
thoughts, and once opened, his conh-
dences flowed like mountain stream
released from winters bondags
The story of the circumstances which
led to his life at frontier post, in the
rough garb and under the same diSci
pline as common soldier, was a most
Interesting one.
''As told you," said the patrician re-
cruit, when we had retired TO his room
and the experience which he seemed TO
find relief in telling was well opened.
Il am
DiSGRACED WEST POINTER.
Yes SIR" he continued. sat the age OF
twenty-one. in single night. | brought
such disgrace upon myrelf and family
that have not seen single quiet hour
i'll five years; Il stain | have sworn to
wipe ont if it requires the rest OF my
lifetime to do it." This was said with
vehemence which left no doubt Of my
companions intentions.
''It happened in this way he went
on. ION the night before examination
of my class, that of 1SS-, in company
NIlll StN ca dl CltoS-littNSs hNlil Oii NiiN
biggest and most expensive 'toot of my
life. When the class went into eXamina
ton the next day |, i'll the condition
which follows a champagne debauch,
was in fact utterly unfit for the task,
and of course failed. A man wants all
bis faculties at their best to sustain the
rigid oveIhauling which pointer gets
at the examinations. The result was |
must either fall back year or leave the
academy. AS most men do, | chose the
latter, as the least humiliating alterna-
tive. The blow was severe one 10 my
family, but they have stood by me i'll all
the consequences. After leaving the
school spent year in Europe, making
"A BICYCLE TOUR
through France and Germany. When
| returned home was at Il loss what
to do, but finally started for Mexico,
and spent q year there as an engineer
upon one of the railway lines then
being constructed. The place was an
easy one, the pay good and the position,
on the whole, a very satisfactory one
for man contented in mind and ready
to vegetate. But that was not my con-
dition. 1t was no place for me. | was
as restless there among the beautiful
mountain valleys of Chihuahua as |
had been while pushing my wheel
along the banks and resting i'll the vine
yards of the Rhine. The thought not
only haunted me that | must in some
in the service. | had chosen the army
as vocation in opposition to my
family's wishes. | loved the service
then as always have and always shall.
Sometimes when | thought of that
single mad carouse, and what il had
deprived me of, felt that there was
no hope for a man foolish enough to
hazard such opportunities, the cherished
aims of his life, for few hours of
STUDENTS FRoLIC.
Here Corporal Corson, who had be-
come aroused during his recital, paused
for moment, and looking down upon
the rough suit of blue he still wore, and
upon the single white stripe upon his
sleeve. the insignia of his rank, seemed
TO contrast it with those single bars of
gold that might have been his.
'sWell." continued Corson, putting
aside his reflections, latter the present
administration came into power my
friends wrote me, urging that give up
my position and return home. l did so.
and strong 'pull' was brought to
bear by them to secure my reinstate-
ment in the service. Finally. after
good deal OF delay the gentlemen in
Washington who had my ease in hand,
all of them distinguished Southerners,
advised me not to wait upon uncertain
ties. but to enlist as private and place
myself in condition for promotion.
After two years service man may,
under the army regulations. be pro-
noted to the rank of commissioned
officer ! acted upon the suggestion.
enlisted at st. LOUIS as common soldier
and was sent with detachment of
RECHUITS TO FORT YATES.
I tell YOU nothing but a determination
to regain my standing and redeem my
reputation would have induced me to
take the step. You have heard some
thing of the regular army and the life
of common soldier at a frontier post.
Well, the average man finds il taste
less, dTeary round Of existence. The
mess fare is neither rich nor entertain
ing, and the associations anything but
good. When | signed the enlistment
roll knew what was before me, the
tedium of barrack life, unrelieved by
companionship or social intercourse
with anyone of similar tastes aid social
position. / knew that | would be cut
off from association with my fellow
soldiers and the officers of whatever
post might be sent TO. | expected to
simply exist until the cesSary term Of
service expired. But notwithstanding
my isolation, loneliness. the dislike of
the men, the snubs of the younger
officers. which made my daily life a