San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-01-21

The other man was "A tall, dark eyed
gypsy looking fellow, whose name was
Welsh, and who for several months, of
and on, had preferred TO be the captains
striker" or soldier servant-take care OF
his horses, black his boots. polish his
spurs and saber, hew wood. draw water
make the fires, sweep the kitchen. run
errands and do all manner of small
chores about the house-than to do sol
der duty with his comrades. When the
captain closed up his quarters and left
the post, taking his family eastward
with him. Lieut.. Hearn moved in to
look after them for him. This was by
the captains own request, and having
no use for the services of Welsh, he mott.
fed. that worthy to return to duty with
the troop forthwith. This Welsh bitterly
resented lie insisted that the captain
had told him before going that be was
to stay in charge of his quarters and be
excused from all military duty Hearn
replied that there was probably some
mistake. bat telegraphed to the captain
and obtained immediate reply to the eff
feet that he had never given the soldier
any such promise and that he desired
that he be now returned to duty with
the troop and taught something of the
practical duties of soldier. which he
had too long neglected
Hearn smiled to himself as he read
this, thinking whose fault it YVES that
Welsh had been allowed to live in igno-
Il. L. r IL. Ill Il
ing not little at the change of heart
that seemed to have come over the cap
tain. now that he WAS fairly away. A
smart young corporal was detailed to
give the two men thorough instruc-
ton in the saber exercise and the man
ual of the carbine and pistol, in ad.
dition to which Welsh was now required
to attend all roll calls, stable duty, and
drills with the troop, and take his guard
tour every fifth day. and a Disguised
man he was in consequence.
AS the captains striker he had led a
life of comparative ease, for that veteran
officer had long since outlived any am
bition to shine in the service, and looked
upon it only as means of livelihood. At
the outbreak of the war old Blauvelt was
keeping a country store in Ohio, but
dropped his yardstick and sugar scoop
at the first call for volunteers, fought
like man all through the four years
contest, was wounded, and, having risen
TO be n major of volunteer infantry, he
decided in 66 to stick to soldering, for
at that time it was easy to obtain a COM
mission in the regular service if a man
had any congressional influence or con-
nections at all. When the army was re-
modelled by the drastic process in 1871,
and, as Il first lieutenant, he was dropped
to the supernumerary fist from the regi-
ment of infantry with which he had been
serving. Blauvelt decided that he was
now too old to begin bookkeeping over
again, and so he made vigorous effort to
be retained in the army, and, together
with few other men who dill not know
{. horse from = hands2w, was trans
ierred TO vacancy in the cavalry, and
there the placid old fellow had been ever
since.
Rejotning from the east with batch
of recruits, Immediately after the arrival
of the regiment from Arizona, Blauvelt
had resumed command of G troop, and
had given directions that the tall, gypsy
looking fellow Welsh, who was one Of
the new corners, should be put in charge
of his horses Next he moved those
veteran quadrupeds from the troop
stables to a little barn in the back yard
of his own quarters. Then Welsh him
self moved his kit" from barracks to a
little room in the barn, and gradually
became an inmate of the captains house
hold, taking his meals under the cap
tain's roof, performing no duty with the
troop, exempted from the authority Of
the first sergeant. yet spending all his
leisure moments in loafing among the
company's quarters, where he speedily
gained the reputation of being surly and
insolent to the non-commissioned officers
and mischief maker among the men.
For recruit who had only recently en-
listed it was surprising how much he
knew about the ms and outs of soldier
life.
Sergt. Wren openly accused him of
having been in service somewhere be-
fore, ard rs he had no papers to show,
he must be either a deserter or bob
tail" "a soldier whose discharge paper
has had the character" cut Off. Welsh
angrily denied this, and his ignorance of
saber drill and certain. troop details
seemed to bear him out But them"
said Wren, 'he might have been in the
dough hC--J.'" Welsh avoided the troop
quarters for while after this episode,
and was more civil to the sergeants, but
right after pay day he again appeared,