Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-06

4 II,
need to puzzle over the identity of the
originals; under each picture the thought
full colonel had carefully written the
name and address Absorbed in this
treat, they could barely afford time to
look up and smile their thanks as the
colonel passed, cianking forth at the
| sounding of a0iutz1-sS eat and were too
completely engrossec "a heir delightful
occupstion to notice So sook place at
| parade
The long, slender line had formed
the infantry companies on the right and
left TANKS, their neat and tasteful dress
Of blue and white contrasting favorably
with the gaudy yellow plumage of the
four dismounted troops of the cavalry.
Company after company had taken the
staturesque pose of parade rest" and Its
captain faced to the front again. the ad-
| jutaut was just about moving TO his post
on the prolongatien of the front rank.
and the colonel settling back into the
conventional attitude of the command
| ing officer, when from outside the rect
angular Enclosure of the parade ground
| from somewhere beyond the mems
! barracks-there came sudden outcry and
! commotion. There were shouts, indis-
/ tinguishable at first, but excited and
startling. Some of the men in ranks
twitched nervously and partially turned
their heads. as though eager to look be-
hind them and see what was wrong;
whereat stern voices could be heard In
| subdued but potent censure: Keep your
| eyes to the front, there. Sullivan" Stand
| fast, there, center of Third companyv'
| The guard, too, paraded in front of its
| quarters some distance behind the line,
was manifestly disturbed, and the voice
of the sergeant could be heard giving
hurried orders. Every man in the bat
talon seemed at the same instant TO ar
| rive at one of two neutrality-suspicious.
escaping, or fire over at the stables-and
all eyes were fixed on the imperturbable
form of the commanding officer, as
though waiting the signal from him 10
break and go to the rescue. But there
the colonel stood, placid, calm, and APP
parently utterly unconscious of the dis
tant yet nearing clamor. The adjutant
hesitated moment before proceeding
further, and glanced appeaGngly at his
chief; whereupon there came from the
blue and gold and yellow statue out on
the parade, in half reproachful tones,
the quiet order, go onr' and the adju-
tant, recalled to his senses and with evil
dent expression of his sentiments 10 the
effect that if others could stand it he
could, brusquely turned his head to-
wards the band and growle6, Sound
Off" The boom and crash of drum and
cymbal and the blare of brazen throats
drowned for a moment the sound of the
turmoil without. The next thing the
battalion heard or saw was q riderless
horse tearing full tilt out on the parade
and sweeping in big circle from the
right of the line down towards the point
where the colonel stood.
Following him came pair of Chey-
enne scouts, their ponies scampering In
pursuit, but veering of the green Us their
riders realized that they were intruding
on the ceremony of the day. Relieved
of his pursuers, the fugitive speedily set
tied down into a luuging trot, and with
streaming name and tail, with head and
ears erect, with falling bride rein and
tapping stirrups, he circled rapidly the
open space between the colonel and the |
line of battle. then came trotting back |
along the front, as though searching in
the stolid rank of bearded faces for the
friends he knew. Officer after officer
he passed in review until he came &c
Stryker's troop, posted on the right OF
the cavalry, and there, with neigh of
recognition, he fearlessly trotted up TO /
the captains outst-etched hand. Another |
minute and two men fell out and made 4
temporary gap in the rank, through this I
a sergeant file closer extended his white /
glove, relieved tho captain of his charge /
and led the painting steed away.
The men retook their places; the cap. /
tain again resumed his position in front /
OF the center of his company, dropped +
the point of his saber to the ground and 4
settled back into parade rest" the band /
went on laundering down the line.
countermarched and came back 10 it,
post on the right. making the welkin
ring with the triumphant strains OF
Northern Route" the trumpets peaIed
the retreat" the adiutant stalked his
three yards 10 the front. faced fiercely
10 the left and shouted his resonant or
ders down the line, three hundred mar.
tial forms sprang to attention, and the
FURNISHED arms came to the carry
with simultaneous crash, ranks were
opened with old time precision, the
parade presented" to the colonel with
all due Formally, the manual was ex.
ecuted Just as punctiliousiv AS though
nothing unusual had happened: first ser.
geants reported. orders were published,
parade formally dismissed; the line Of
officers marched solidly 20 the front.
halted, and made its simultaneous salute
10 the colonel, who slowly raised and
lowered his white gloved hand ia recog-
milton; and then. and not till then, was
any one allowed to speak Of what was
uppermost in every naind--that Sergt.
Gwynne's horse had come in without
him, ana that the animals right flank
vas streaming with blood.
Ten minutes later Lieut.. Perry. IN rid
ing dress, came hurryiag down to tbs
coloneis quarters, where two or tnree
officers we're now gathered at the gate.
The ladies had put aside the albums. and
with anxious faces were scanning the lit
tie group as though striving TO gauge
from their gestures and expression the
extent OF the calamity or the possible de-
gree OF danger. But NrA lawrence
looked fairly startled when her hns-