San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-01-27

unusual feature of that evenings parade
It was not until after soup and the tiny
thimbleful of sherry that audible con-
versation seemed TO extend beyond her
and then Miss Marshall, who had been
endeavoring to entertain Capt. Brodie
and distract his mind from contempla-
tion of his better halls undaunted con-
versational powers, found herself ad-
dressed by the gentleman on her right:
And so you are from Cincinnati, Miss
Marshall, and paying your first visit to
the west? Now, what do you think of
the army"
Pardon me, Col Lawler, but isn't
that trifle like the query we are said to
PROFOUND to Englishmen who have lust
landed? How do you like American"
But inferred that you had been
here long enough to form an opinion"
ITO form one vaguely, perhaps, but
probably not long enough to subject it
to the test Of experience"
"And do you never express opinions
until assured of their justice? Really,
Miss Marshall, must compliment YOU
on such wisdom and discretion. You
should have bcc2 Z lawyer"
Yes, colonel?-and that, ! understand.
is your profession. Now am indeed
complimented."
Col. LAWYERS eyes had been wander.
ing about the table as he spoke, but now
he turned suddenly and suSpiciously
upon the girl at his side. lie was man
of singular mental mold. He had been
a clerk in the Office of his uncle, a prom
inent lawyer in the distant east; had
had merely common school education,
and was laboriously reading law when
his patron found himself suddenly called
upon to assume responsible duties at the
national capital, and FASTENED thither,
taking his clerk with him. Lawler at
that time was nearly thirty-five, and had
not yet been called to the bar. 1t was
the third year of the great war. His
patron soon found that the requirements
of his Office were such that man OF far
higher attachments would be needed as
secretary, and, being thrifty and I'M
willing to pay the salary of clerk out
of his own pocket, he decided on the not
unusual expedient of shunting him off
on paternal government. Lawler had
no idea whatever of entering the army
as one of the fighting force, but the
proposition of his uncle was almost daz-
cling. He wasn't much of a lawyer, to
be sure, but quite good enough for the
purpose. said the old gentleman to him
self.
And so it resulted that the green New
Highlander was transferred to clerk.
ship in the bureau of military justice,
and speedily blossomed cut rs major
ard judge advocate of volunteers, with
station in the city of Washington. The
first thing the excellent fellow did, after
getting his uniform and sword, was to
post off to the Granite State and marry
the middle aged maiden who for ten
years had been patiently waiting the
day when he could accumulate enough
money to buy a little home, and with
his. bride he returned to honest toll at
the department No man ever worked
harder to master the details of unaccus-
toned duties, and no man, probably,
ever encountered greater difficulties.
But such was his perseverance that he
became a walking glossary of informa-
ton on army legal affairs. 1t was not
that he ever mastered the niceties of
martial jurisprudence, but he knew the
inside history of every case that came
up for trial in the bulky records of the
bureau. He could quote the charges
and specifications preferred against any
and every officer, the findings of the
court, the names of the principal wit
nesses, of the judge advocate and the
members, and little by little the SEN
Tors in the office had grown so to lean
upon his memory and his opinion that
he became an almost indispensable
feature.
And so when Peace once more spread
her wings over the troubled walls of the
capitol, and the army was sent home,
and chosen few were retained from
the millions of volunteers to close up the
records and accounts of that vast estab-
Iishment, the bureau announced that it
couldn't get along without Maj! Lawler,
and Lawler was shrewd enough to see
his way to life position. With the
brevet of lieutenant colonel for faithful
and meritorious services during a war
in which he had not once heard the
whistle of bullet, he was presently an
nounced as transferred to the permanent
establishment and duly commissioned
one of the array of officers of the regular
army
At this time his sole acquaintance with
the gentlemen with whom his future lot
was to be cast was what lie had derived
from the court martini proceedings