The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-15
there at the table coolly polishing


that cap, SIR
For all answer Welsh cooked his head
on one side, and, apparently unrrindful
of the presence of an officer, became crit
ically and approVingly absorbed in study
ing the polish which he was imparting to
the smooth surface of the spur.
did you hear that order? Come to
attention, sirI' repeated the sergeant.
And the men, astonished at the breach of
discipline, looked curiously at the re-
cruit, now slowly and scowlingly find
ing his feet. He had not removed his
cap when the lieutenant stood before
him.
.'Why did you not rise with the other
men, WELSH" asked Mr.. Hearn, in a
quiet and deliberate tone oddly at vari-
ance with his usually quick and snappy
manner, and the young officer looked
straight into the soldiers eyes as he
spoke.
Didn't suppose 1 had to-" was the
sullen reply.
''Why not?"
''Well, tactics say soldiers actually at
work don't have to rise and salute Of
fcers."
/ ''And what work were you doing?'
''Work for the captain-cleaning his
spurs
There was strange silence in the
room. This was a new Interpretation,
and for recruit decidedly an original
enc.
Where did you learn that idea,
Welsh?" asked the lieutenant, still calm
ly, though his blue eyes began to dilate
in a way that indicated how thoroughly
he appreciated the mans defiant man
ner.
well, no matter; learned it,
s'You have had very bad teacher,
sir. Take your hand out of that pocket
An ugly scowl had settled on Welsh's
downcast face He had stuffed the
channels skin in his blouse pocket, and
still stood there in slouching attitude,
with his cap on the back of his head.
Slowly, in obedience to the order, he low
} cred his hand to the side.
Now take your cap off"
One could have heard a pin drop all
l over the big room.
2 Forty men stood there in silence, listen
+ ing breathlessly to this strange and I'M
: usual colloquy. Reluctantly, yet over
1 awed by the steady gaze in the blue
: eyes of the young officer, Welsh's hand
: went up to the cap, then tossed it angri-
, ly some distance away. If he expected
rebuke on that score it was not forth
: coming.
4 Now get your heels together and
5 stand attention"
r you've got no right to order me
o around like this, Lieut.. Hearn. I'm on
+ duty for the captain, 1 am-not for any
Y second lieutenant"
= For an instant every nerve and muscle
d in the officers athletic frame seemed to
T culver. His blue eyes blazed with wrath
and his lips set firmly under the blonde
n mustache.
i There was moment of deathike ST.
t lence, q gasp or two among the men.
d Sergt. Wren's bronzed, weatherbeaten
y face was picture OF amaze and indigna-
If ton. Welsh himsef, as though realizing
. the insolence of his language and dread
y ing the consequences, had finally as
= sumed the position of d soldier-so far
at least as his heels and legs were con-
/ cerned, but his head hung forward and
a his eyes glanced furtively about the room
, as if in search of sympathy; but there
was not soldier to side with him.
: Take that man under guard" were
70 at last the words that fell from the lieu
u tenants lips.
10 A corporal stepped quickly forward.
70 '.Come on, Welsh" he mutsred in no
:, gentle tone. and led the scowling trooper
= = from the room.
- The lieutenant calmly finished his in
/. spection of the quarters, red spot burn
l. ing in each cheek as he walked around
q from bunk to bunk. Then, as he turned
r away and lightly descended the stairs,
Sergt. Ross voice was heard to say
If ''Rest!' The men looked quickly about
: at one another. Some of them stretched
:, their arms to full length and gave a long
J. sigh, as though to find relief from the
r strain And then little Duffy announced
h his opinion:
# by CAD, fellers. if I'd been the lieu
Is tenant I'd have knocked the top Of hi
:" id head off.
e The garrison court which tried Troope1
ID Welsh for insubordinate conduct haC
3, found him guilty, despite his statement
1T that according to the tactics he wasnt
|, required to get up and salute, he being
% at work. The evidence of the sergeantt
N established the fact that he was playing
IS cards when the lieutenant approached
# and that the spur cleaning was a trans
4 parent sham. introduced for the occasion
e. and for evident purpose. But in view
n of the fact that he claimed to believe
" that, as the captains orderly, he was no
n under the heutenant's orders, in view o.
lie the fact that he had apparently beer
g. only ten months in service, and of tn,
II further fact that his captain gave hin
y an excellent character and pleaded fo1
n clemency for the recruit, the court saw
,e fit to let him off easily with a fine. Mr.
to Mason, the adjutant, and Mr.. Hear
were strongly of the opinion that h
or ought to be returned to the troop a
N once and taught his duties as soldier
to But the colonel was away just then
S. Maj. Kenyon, of the infantry, was ten,
ne porariiy in command, and he would no
n. disturb old Blauvelt's STRIKER"
1T Indeed, it seemed as though the troo
g. commander was disposed to resen
of Hearn's having ordered the man to be cor
ee fined, though the young officer was actual
lie ly in command that day, the captain be
he ing on sick report. 1t is certain, too, tina
re Mrs. Blauvelt made some very acrimon
- h.