The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-03-22


Wren ground his teeth as he briskly
strobe back to his quarters.
"What does the loot'nant say" de-
manded Duffy, as he with half dozen
of his comrades clustered about the Of
flee, eagerly watching the sergeant's
face and his clinching hands as he re-
turned.
Nothing. Don't ask questions now,
you men. The lieutenant can't do any,
thing to him; the colonel won't let
him."
''The colonel won't, is it," said Duffy,
with a wrathful grin. ''Be jabers, if [
were colonel I'd command my regiment,
and no damned newspaper man would
scare me out of it. It's The Palladium
that commands Fort Ryan tonight, and
that BLACKBOARD Welsh is post adjutant
more shame to US all!''
Silence. there, Duffy! No more of
that talk!'' ordered Wren, as he banged
to the door of his own little den, and the
knot of troopers scattered away Gall
the same," muttered he to his faithful
second, Sergt. Ross, Duffy only tells the
truth, and damn me if I ever thought
the day would come when my old chief
would knuckle down like that"
And if in garrison circles that night il
was predicted that something would be
the outcome of the detail Of Welsh for
guard duty, no one was destined to dis
appointment. He appeared at the ap-
pointed time, and was curiously scanned
by the other members of the troop, as.
carbine in hand, he came slowly and in
differently down the stairway Just as
the trumpets began to sound the assem-
bly, of the details. Unluckily for every
body who hoped to see Welsh brought
up with a round turn by the snappy
young adjutant, drizzling rain had SET
in, and undress guard mounting in over.
coats was the result. Welshs forage
cap and accouterments might past mus
ter in a shower, but his full dress RIG
every man knew to be wofully out OF
shape, and such was the fellows unpop
ularity among his comrades by this time
that audible regrets were expressed by
the men that the weather had 'sgone
back on them
'Step out, therer' shouted Wren sharp
y to the dawdling soldier, as he gave
the command to fall in.
''Get move on you, Misther Welsh,
laughed Duffy from the upper gallery.
COR don't they ever shtep out in the ex
cellent family down east? Sure, isn't he
a fine looking, intelligent young man
of 25?"
TWENTY-FIVE? Faith, it's thirty-siz
in months he'd get if I was command
ing" muttered Kerrigan. Glow are
your patriotic motives this morning, Mis-
ter American Blood-with- Assumed
Manner
'sSure his name is Dennis" laughed
Duffy again. ''Quit your sneering, Ker
rigan. The young soldiers eyes are
blazing with pent up feelings again
don't you see::" And indeed a most ma
| lignant scowl was that which Welsh
launched aloft at his prosecutors, whose
fun was cut'short by the stern voice Of
Sergt. Ross ordering silence. And in an
other moment the detail of G troop wa.
dancing away in double time, with {
parting adjuration from Duffy not to g
too fast; its to aisy to set the blood
boiling in Welsh's veins, anyhow"
1t was il the ugliest possible mood
that Welsh tossed up his carbine for the
inspection of the officer of the guard.
He had expected to pose as a hero and
martyr. But whatever might be the
mistaken sentiments aroused in the east
by the efforts OK paper that had ex.
hausted local wei! springs of scandal and
sensation, here among those who knew
the facts, and, above all, knew him, he
had gained only ridicule and contempt
In all the garrison, now that Goss was
gone, there was not soldier who had
ever stood his friend. In his own TROOP
especially, where the rank and file were
devoted to their young lieutenant, there
was wrath and Indignation at his ex
pense, and well he knew that nothing
but discipline saved him from ducking
in the river or a hearty kicking down the
barrack stairs. Still, with Abrams tt
stand by him and The Palladium tc
champion his cause, he felt secure
against fate; only he had thought to be
looked upon as liberator and leader
among the men, and they We're all laugh
ing at him. This was bitter indeed. Ht
almost hoped that the adjutant would
order him back, replaced by the super
numerary, for the rust he knew to b.
about the breech block of his carbine
and which the officer of the guard would
be sure to discover. But the young lieu
tenant contented himself with pointing
to it with white gloved finger and pass
ing on, probably thinking it best to ge
him on duty at any price.
All day long on guard the men hat
taken frequent occasion to declaim quo
tations from The Palladium, until b,
evening stables they had rung thu
changes on Welsh's excellent famil,
connections, his American blood, hi
patriotic motives in enlisting, his ardo
for the flag and his fidelity to his oath
until he was ready to wish to HEAVIER
The Palladium had singled out anybod,
else to be the martyr for its preconcert
ed exposition of official tyranny in tn
army, and heartily sick of the part h
had been induced to play.
} But where, meantime, was Abrams
The day wore by, and not once had h
, come to the garrison, and Welsh. sull1il,
plodding up and down his muddy pos
near the stables, and knowing well tina
every time the men looked at him O
nudged each other in the ribs they wer
guying him, had earnest desire to Sc
his champion. and to prevent the publ
cation of other letters they had project
ed, since the only effect, locally, of til