San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-05

suppleneSs; his uniforms fitted him like
glove, and were invariably of Hatfields
choicest handiwork. Appearances were
with him in every sense of the word; and
yet there was some reason why his soci-
ETY. was politely but positively Stunned
by several of his brother officers and
cultivated" by none.
1t was only few years after the great
war when Gordon Noel joined the Elev-
and influential family, and was welcom-
ed in the regiment as an acquisition. He
made friends rapidly, and was for two
or three years as popular a youngster as
there was in the service. Then the troop
to which he was attached was ordered to
the plains, via Leavenworth. 1t was
long journey by boat, and by the time
they reached the old frontier city orders
and kilograms were awaiting them, one
of which, apparently to Mr.. Noel's great
surprise, detached him from his COM
pany and directed him to report for tenn
porary duty at the war department in the
city of Washington. He was there eight
cen months, during which time his regi-
ment had some sharp battles with the
Cheyennes and kiowas in Kansas and
the Indian Territory. Then new sec
rotary of war gave ear to the oft repeated
appeals of the colonel of the Eleventh to
have Mr.. Noel and one or two other de-
tached gentlemen returned to duty with
their respective companies, and just as
they were moving to the Pacific coast
the absentees reported for duty and went
along At Vancouver and Walla Walla
Noel seemed to regain by his joviality
and good fellowship what he had lost in
the year and half of his absence, though
there We're ont and out soldiers in the
Eleventh who said that the man who
would stay on fancy duty" in Wash
ington or anywhere else while his com
rades were in the midst of stirring
campaign against hostile Indians couldn't
be of the right sort.
Up in Oregon the Modoc troubles soon
began, and several troops were sent
southwark from their stations, scouting
There were several little skirmishes be-
tween the various detachments and the
agile Indians, with no great loss on either
side: but when Capt. Jack" retired TO
the natural fastness of the lava beds.
serious work began, and here Mr.. Noel
was found to be too i'll to take part in
the campaign, and was sent in to San
Francisco to recuperate. The short but
bloody war was brought to a close with
out his having taken part in any of its
actions, but he rojoined after delight
full convalescence in San Francisco
(where it was understood that he had
broken down only after riding night and
day and all alone some 300 miles through
the wilderness with orders to battalion
of his regiment that was urgently needed
at the 'front.'. and was able to talk very
glibly of what had occurred down in the
Klamath Lake country. Then came his
promotion to first iieutenancy, and, as
luck would have it, to troop stationed
at the Preside.
For three months he was the gayest of
the gay. the life of parties of every kind
both in town and in garrison; he was in
exuberant health and spirits; he danced
ular partner ever welcomed in the parlors
Of hospitable San Francisco. And then all
of a sudden there came tidings of an out
break among the Arizona Apaches of so
formidable character that the division
commander decided to send his Preside
troopers reinforce the one regiment that
was trying to cover whole territory.
There was pathetic parting, with no end
of lamentation. when Mr. Noel was spir-
tied away with his lynx eyed captain;
but they need not have worried-those
fair danes and rdamsels; not hair
Of his handsome head was in danger,
for the til had grappled with and
ment from the Eleventh were fairly in
the territory, and the latter were soon
ordered to return and to bring with
them, as prisoners to be confined at AL
catraz, the leaders of the outbreak, who
would be turned over to them by the
til. To hear Noel tell of these fierce
captives afterward was somewhat con-
fusing, as, from his account, it would
appear that they had been taken in hand
to-hand conflict by himself and small
detachment of his own troop; but these
were stories todd only to over credulous
friends.
The Eleventh came eastward across
the Rockies in time to participate in the
great campaign against the Sioux in rs,
and was on the Yellowstone when Custer