Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-03-08

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Alone In the coionei's presence.
z H officers of Fort Warrener were
mblod. as was the daily morning
eom, In the presence of the colonel
Inanding. It had long been the
etice of that veteran soldier to re-
- al his commissioned subordinatcs
ut Ia an appearance at his office i'm
1tately after the ceremony OF guard
lnting. He might have nothing to
IHto them, or he might have a good
1lt and he was man capable of say
x : good deal in very few words and
aning exactly what he said. 1t was
y custom to look up from his writing
each officer entered and respond TO
+ = respectful salutation rendered him
IN equally punctilious "Good morn
Capt. Gregg or GOOD morning.
Z n Blake, never emitting the mention
E@ tho name, unless, as was sometimes
n squad Of them came in together
made their obeisance as body. In
NJ svcnt the colonel simply looked
~ man In the face, as though taking
ntAl note Of the individual constitu.
s0on q the group, and contcnted him.
With . s'Good morning, gentlemen"
Then In addition to six troops Of his
u regiment Of cavalry there were sent
he post o major and four companies
Infantry, some of the junior officers
tho latter organization had suggested
g1llsir comrades Of the yellow stripes
RI ~ the colonel had no roll call 1t
hs b . matter Of no great risk to
: the matinee" on some Of the fiend-
N cold mornings that soon set in; but
experiment was never designedly
fhanks. possibly. to the frank ex-
Han OF fis personal views as ex-
~ By Lieut.. Blake, Of the cavalry,
rid, "Try 1t II you are stagnating
Wont OF . sensation, my genial plod-
y, INT mot II you value the advice of
who has been there, so to speak.
thief will spot you quicker than he
y mtssing shoe-a missing horseshoe,
1ny, let me elaborate for your COM
Gn1lon-and the next question will
~. Bluestrap, did you Intentionally
- yourselfY and then how will you
( cut Of itS'
- unAtinees, 90 called, were by no
- unpopular features Of the daily
1lne. The officers were permitted to
ing their pipes or cigars and take their
nlese breakfast smoke in the big, roomy
- Of the commander, just as they
ssge permittedto enjoy the post-prandial
hi6 when ut evening recitation in
- eame office they sat around the
ZoqU, chatting in low tones, for half an
& pu1s while the colonel received the re-
- Of hissadjutant, the surgeon and the
q n and the new officer of the day. Then
s1ny matters affecting the discipline or
stxuction or general interests Of tho
mand were brought up; both sides
8! the question were presented, II
nestion arose; the decision was rendered
en and there, and the officers were dis
I'D Tor the day with the customary
hats all, gentlemen" They left the
lce well knowing thatonly in the event
nQQe sudden emergency would they
called thither again or disturbed In
Ge6r daily vacations until the same hour
- TIE following morning. Meantime,
~ must be about their work--drills, If
sss,nthor permitted; stable duty. no mat
- what the weather; garrison courts,
& nrds OF survey, the big general court
Ant WAS perennially dispensing justice
the post, and the long list of minor but
Sno0e the less exacting demands on the
& time and attention of the subalterns and
& xQompany commanders.
The colonel was a strict, even severe,
dtsciplinarian, but he was cool, de-
8berate, and just. He "worked" his
: p01cers, and thereby incurred the criti-
e1om OF few, but held the respect of all.
He had been splendid cavalry COM
1lnander in the field of all others where
his sterling qualities were sure To find
ksnctS SpnsiW toppreciatioH In his officers
Ne steps to .on active and stirring cam.
Y The twgainst the Indians-and among
esact ma regiment he knew that deep in
ohearts the --th respected and be-
~ Sved In him, even when they growled
~ garrison exactions which seemed un-
called for. The infantry officers knew
& lees OF him as sterling campaigner,
I md were not 80 well pleased with his
discipline. 1t was all right for him TO
rout out" every mothers son in the
eAyalry at reveille. because all the cav
airy officers had to go to stables soon
8 afterward-tbat was all they were fit
tOr-but what on earth was the use of
] getting them-the infantry--out OF their
warm beds before sunrise ON a wintry
ncrning and having no end of roll calls
ND such things through the day, ''just
!. keep them busyg7 The real objection
main objection-to the colonel's
80 tof. was that it kept large number
eochiars, most OF whom were educated
a9En. hammering all day long at
kdless routine Of trivial duties, al
5ing actually no time in which they
Q6 read. study, or improve theil
1nds; but, as III luck would have it
- three young gentlemen who decided
~ present TO the colonel this view of the
- had been devoting what spare time
1key could find to q lively game of poke,
&oQn at "the store" and their petition
4 81! "more time TO themselves" brought
{! o4n reply from the oracular lips ol
- commander that became immorta
W ~ frontier and made the petitioner,
ons3y frantic.
&os week the trio was the butt of al
- wits At Fort Warrener. And yet tn,
nntigo commissioned force felt that the,
Weee being kept at the grindstone be
onae Of the frivolity of these youngsters
ond they did not like it. All the sam,
g - eavalrymen stuck up for their colone
~ ~ infsntrymen respected him, anc
& ~ naatinees were business like an,
q1tohle They ererarely unpleasan