, 1890-10-23
CAvALRYMEN's swEETHEARTs
Mrs. Custer Tells That They Arc Not
IOrEOtten.
Following the Guidon.


cavalry found themselves again in
Kansas. some of the officers took
leave Of absence, and after the years
separation from their families the
rejoicing was great. Two of our
number brought their wives back to
camp. Others were deprived of that
pleasure, because their wives could
not endure the hardships, or their
children werc too young TO bear the
exposure. There was great cX-
changing Of confidence concerning
the experience of the officers on
their leaves, and much unreserved
narrating of domestic sccnes for,
full of railing as every one was, II
mans family life was sacred, and he
felt that he could speak of it freely;
30 IL was indeed rs If we were one
family.
Those who went home amused us,
on their return, by their stories of
how they had surprised the home
people-stealing in ut the back door,
catching up their wives and swing
ing them in the air, while the
frightened servants, hearing the
screams, ran from the kitchen with
hands covered with flour, and the
coachman from the stable, still hold
ing his curry comb, all of them
ready to defend their lady against
the imagined burglar or assassin.
One of our number reached home
in the evening while his little son
was sleeping. He was awakened in
the morning by the vigorous appli-
cation of II pair of little fists on his
face and an angry demand from the
little fellow, accompanied by some
terrible language that the youngster
had learned at the cavalry stable, to
''gct out Of his mothers bed" He
| had, in the year that had elapsed,
entirely forgotten how his father
looked, aud not knowing he was
coming, he did not suspect the
identity of the intruder.
Those officers who had no fnmi-
lies were busy over piles oil love let
ters awaiting them from the East,
and sought in vain places where
they might read in peace, but those
who were not so fortunate as to
have u sweetheart rallied the lucky
ones anc interiered as much as pos
sible with the euvied enjoyment.
Still, it is "a we'll known fact that n
soldier is usually lover. The old
saw, "Iove rules the camp, the
court, the grove Is one that fits all
nations ana all eras. Officers are
pretty fearless about their devotion;
If not avowing IL openly, still wear
ing all sorts OF love-pledges-chains
and lockets which with tho OPEN
throated shirt in campaign are
easily seen, or keepsakes on the
watch chain; perhaps curious ring
which could not lie mistaken for q
mans under any circumstances, ol
other such things,
| have even seen n bangle made
large enough to enclrcle the arm
and locked on, of course, by faiI
hands. \ Catholic officer often
wore an Agnus Del, and | believe
that many II man would have dis
figured himself with an ear ring ii
the girl he left behind him had
asked to pierce his ear for that pur.
pose. They did not hesitate to carry
their sweethearts' pictures in theil
inner pockets, and around the camu
lire take them out and look at the
loved faces by the freight the last
thing before sleeping
Imagine, then, with all these Off
GERS, most of whom were in love
with women, either their wives or
the girls they hoped to make their
wives, what time of rejoicing 1t
was when partial civilization was
again reached, and the cars of the
railroad were almost in sight, meau-
ing to them an opportunity to go
East--or failing that, at least n
daily mail! Every ones heart
seemed to be merry; the sound of
laughter and song rang out from
the tents and the soldiers danced in
the company streets to the music OF
an Irish bagpipe differing some.
what from the Scotch instrument,
but with just as merry music that
belonged to a recruit newly arrived.
H -