The National tribune., 1889-04-04
THE SEQUEL.
Cant. RS Wild Ride.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The story in
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE few weeks ago IN
regard to the abrupt termination of the little
love adventure of Capt. R. and Lieut. g., of
Co. d. Sth No. Cav, has a sequel, which IS
known TO many, and will be relished by all OF
the comrades of the old 8th
When Maj. Y. threw out the little hint which
made the girls believe that Lieut. G. already
had a wife, and caused them to drop the Cap
tain and his Lieutenant from their rolls as I'M
posters and triders with feminine affections,
Capt. r. got riled considerably. Although
the Major was his best friend, and said what he
did for joke, the Captain thought the joke q
little too thick" so he freely expressed the
opinion that the conduct of the Major and Capt.
]. was altogether unbeeoming officers and gen.
tlemen, and vowed he would even-up matters
with them long before the Stars and Stripes
waved over Richmond. The Major smiled his
little smile, and only said that all things did
tend to an equilibrium.
The lst of April drew around a dark rainy,
dismal day. Silence had hung her night garb
around :" the notes of the last bugle-call had
died away in the distance. The camps around
Lake Springs doomed up in silent whiteness
amid the mists and fogs of that dark and cheer
less night. No sounds disturbed the solitude,
save the steady tramp of the sentinel or the
impatient stamping of the cavalry steed at the
picket rope. 1t was nearing the hour OF mid
night, when an Orderly from headquarters
came down, and arousing Capt r. handed him
a written order. The Captain, shaking the
siumber from his eyelids, lighted his army can
die, and read: Capt. Il. will report at once to
Gen. Herron's headquarters. April l, 63. (Sign-
ed Mcqueen, Adjutant."
Now, Gen. Herron's headquarters was some
two or three miles off on the road leading from
Lake Springs to Rolla. The night was dark as
Egypt, and the rain and mist anything but IN
viting. But the first and only duty of the true
soldier is to obey. So the Captain prepared to
comply with this midnight requisition. Hunt
ing up the officer Of the day to get the counter
sign-the magic word-he saddled his steed
and was soon galloping off toward the Gen
erals camp, while wild coniectures chased each
other through his brain as to what the sum-
mons might forbode. Was he going to be pro-
NOTED on the spot; court-martialed; sent
on some daring and dangerous expedition, or
what? He had no idea. The two-mile ride
was soon ended lights still burned in the
Generals quarters, With palpitating heart our
Captain passed the guard and found himself in
the august presence of his superior officers, of
whom some half dozen were present engaged IN
a deep council of war; or an eXhilarating game of
old sedge, the Captain could not say which. All
eyes were turned to our bedraggled and dripping
hero as he saluted and took the position of
attention" An air of expectancy was visible
on the faces of the company.
:" am here" remarked the Captain.
so we see" replied the Adjutant, With q
look that seemed to say, What are you here
for?"
q am here in obedience to the orders of the
Commanding General" said the Captain.
Ah," replied the Adjutant. " The General
has commanded nobody to be here tonight, as
/ am aware"
But / have the order" said the Captain,
hunting around in his pockets and handing the
missive to the Adjutant, who, after scanning it,
passed it to some of the others.
Presently the whole outfit began laughing
at such a rate that the Captain began TO think
that he had struck a lot of lunatics. At last
the Adiutant, pointing to the date april l."
said: Under the circumstances, and taking
the date into consideration, you can retire TO
your quarters and sweetly sleep the balance of
the night"
April fool " went through the Captains
head like rine-ball from an Enfield musket
Rushing to his horse he scattered mud back to
the camp of the Sth Mo. Cav. hardly stopping
to answer the challenge of the camp sentinels
reaching his tent too mad to sweetly sleep any
that night. Then he began to understand the
twinkle of the Majors eye, when he said that
" all things tended to equalize."
Furthermore, he concluded he did not much
care about that kind of equalization, aud
learned another lesson that war jokes, however
rough, were not the things to get up on ones
ear about, and before the war was over he
found the best way to get away with an army
joke was not to kick too much unless you
wanted to concentrate the enemy's fire.
"CoMRADE," Sth Mo. Cav