Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-25

der to come out.
"a fine looking, intelligent man of
about % years was presented to your
correspondent, and briefly and simply
told his story. 1t was enough to make
an Americans blood boil in his veins to
note the emotion and humiliation it
seemed to cause him. He came of an
excellent family in the east, but having
long desired from patriotic motives to
become soldier of the flag he had
against their wishes enlisted under an
assumed name. From the very start his
captain had compelled him to work about
his house like a common drudge. He
had to black boots, build fires, sweep the
kitchen, actually do chores for the cap
tain's cook. In vain he begged to be al
lowed to join his troop and learn his
duty as a soldier; he was sternly refused.
1t made his own comrades among the
soldiers look down upon him, and when
he could find time to visit them at the
barracks the sergeants abused him like
a thief. But the man who particularly
bounded him was Second Lieut.. Hearn,
young martinez fresh from Yves Point,
for errors on drill or mistakes made after
ward.
The captain had taught him that
when at work for him he must not omit
it to jump up and salute every lieuten-
ant who happened along; and Just be-
cause he remained seated and at work
when Lieut.. Hearn passed by, the latter
cursed him like dog, had him thrown
into filthy dungeon, and there he Law
until he was tried by court martial and
sentenced by a gang of Hearn's COM
rades to fine and imprisonment for obey
ing his captains orders. Another time,
when he was cleaning the captains
horse, the heutenant's horse, which was
next him on the line, kept backing over
lim, treading on him, and knocking his
brushes out of his hand, and because he
amply pushed him back and spoke
harpiy Lieut.. Hearn rushed in and
wore he had mind to kick him black
md blue. If he had, said Welsh-and
he young soldiers eyes blazed with
oent up feeling-'I could no longer have
controlled myself. would have knocked
him down and appealed to the people of
America to uphold me- For this he
vas again thrust into the vermin haunt
ID dungeon, and this made him so i'll
hat the surgeon himself had been COM
PEELED to interpose in his behalf Il
would desert and end it all, said the
poor fellow, with tears in his eyes, but
have sworn to serve my country, and
shall keep my oath When told that
The Palladium would see him righted,
though the heavens fell, his emotion was
something that would have melted the
stoutest heart.
But now comes the browning peak of
blackguardism. Warned by some spy,
doubtless, of the fact that his victim
was telling his story to citizens, Lieut.
Hearn suddenly appeared on the scene,
and before our eyes, with vulgar abuse
and tyrannical bearing, ordered Private
Welsh instantly to leave. In vain the
Young soldier respectfully pleaded that
he had right to speak with friends who
came to see him. In vain he pointed
out that he was on no duty at the time. In
vain Mr.. S. interposed in behalf OF JUS
tice and decency. The brutal bully
seized the weakened invalid in an iron
grasp, dragged him like a dog TO the
gutter in front and then, with cuffs and
curses, drove him before him into the
guard house. Meantime Mr.. S. who
had formerly many friends at the post,
FASTENED into the officers club room,
hoping to explain the matter and secure
justice for the unfortunate fellow. But
1t was Il haplesS move. What business
had he, civilian, to intrude unlimited
into the mighty presence of half a dozen
beardless young satraps in shoulder
straps? He was rudely ordered to leave
the premises; and when, in his indigna-
ton, he protested against such treat
ment, Lieut.. Hearn himself came back
boiling with rage, calling for his troop-
ers to come and eject these intruders
from the garrison. We We're actually
driven by force off the reservation.
Your correspondent has, of course,
made immediate and respectful repre-
sentation of these facts to the general
commanding the department, and when
next he visits the fort will do so with a
safeguard that no bully in the uniform
of a second lieutenant will dare gainsay
This is but the prelude of further de-
tails still more disgraceful to the pam
pered minions of too long suffering
public"
For few moments there was silence
Then the major glanced around his circle
of listeners
well, Hearn," said he, as he folded
the paper, somewhere have heard the
expression Didn't tell you so? Dulce
ct decorum est pro patria mort. | don't
wonder you love your profession"
Surely they cannot believe such an
outrageous tissue of lies" burst out Mrs.
Wharton vehemently. Surely the mo-
ment our side of the story is heard the
public will see the difference"
"Our side, my dear madam, is never
heard The newspaper has the public
ear Scandal spreads world wide; truth
never reaches half as far. Hearn has
only one recCurse-grin and bear it, and
pray God nothing worse may follow"