Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-10-03
THOMPSON OF OURS.

biting, clustering cold that nips the
liver and shortens the temper; that
comesi whistling round your mud
hut with northeast wind from off the
SHOWS, and cracks the shriveled skin of
You like old parchment.
The Colonel blew on his fingers,
howled for fresh wood to be piled upon
the fire, and fell to the contemplation
of his thumb. winch was frost-bitten.
Before him upon the table lay the
loathsome sheets of foolscap known a.
the Annual Confidential Reports.
Some of these we're already filed in,
some blank as yet. Each was headed
by the impairment personal riddles sent
yearly for commandants to answer,
Now, even when forced to look from
the point ..of view of disapprovsl upon
any one of his @boys," this honorable,
kindly English gentleman held the
system Of confidential Disagreement in
horror. But really this morning, what
with the cold, and the msggots in the
rice which had put him off his break.
fast. and the extraordinary delay in the
mail letters, she felt inclined to damn
every man-jack of them, himself in
cluded. With roaring blizzard search
ing your bones, and q suspicion Of fever
in your blood, and nothing decent to
eat, yot don't feel like certifying that
every soul under your command is re-
marksble for all qualities that go to
make saints upon earth.
Anyhow the Colonel did not feel like
it He began turning lover the sheets
with that sickly. lxnguid feeling of
evolt with which monotony in its I'M
pleasant forms is apt to inspire one after
long years Of patient grind. He hated
these grim skeleton sketches in black
and white. It was always the same
thing-the same weary struggle to COM
bine strict truth with fair words; to put
@Yes" where it ought to be @No." and
"No" where it ought to be @Yes." For
we're they indeed-all these youths
jealous in well doing, all talented, all
tactful, all of equable temper? Had
they, every one of them. been endowed
from their cradles with unnatural sa-
gscity and aptitude for command t?
Were they, in short, ready-made gen.
erals from the moment they entered the
service? Alas, no! The Colonel's eye
wandered to his crippled thumb again,
and then back to the sheets under his
other hand, and presently fell upon O
certain name heading one of them.
Whereupon he cursed the authorities in
his heart for a pack of fools and sighed.
1t was Thompson-Lieut. William
'Thompson-known by the name of
Billy"
The Colonel took it in his hand and
sighed again. There was not one, or
hardly one, of those cut and dried cues.
,tons that could be answered gracefully,
yet conscientiouslv, as regarded this
young man. II could describe him in
three words" groaned the Colonel
harum -scarum young devil"
Then, for he liked the lad, he began
TO wonder how on earth he was to fill
up that report. he was keen soldier
himself, and, if the truth be told, had q
Partially for the type so pithily de-
scribed in those three words. He would
rather have such with him in the field
than some others for whom perchance
more could be said on paper. Of such
he knew was the kingdom of heroes.
The ghosts of many haunting tragedies
came crowding into the old soldiers
mind as he sat lingering that Internal
paper. Did any of these harsh moral
photographs Of them, with @Yesses"
and "Noes" in the most unbecoming
places, lie rosting still perhaps in the
-Adjutant- Generals Offices?
He got up sk;vering and kicked the
dogs into blaze, then returned with
stern determination to the study Of the
vsxiug questions in hand What could
she say for Billy Thompsoni The lad
had the temper of game buu-terrier,
the tact and judgment of . Newfound-
land puppy, and about as much ability
and requirement IS the average Eng
lish sohoolboy. The thought Of Billy
Thompson q ornamented with the
complete list of confidential report
virtues was nothing less than gro
tesque.
He glanced down the list. Why, that
very morning he had spent bad half
hour in wigging the youngster for short
comings in almost every item. Late
9Ku1Q lux p8tooes lOAcos WAsu = 00pVys
Hadn't the faintest notion Of his drill,
and 20 on.
what ON earth am I to say for you,
ARP he asked angrily, tapping the bum
lie of incorporating papers. ct which
Billy glanced with rueful despair In his
honest eyes. you are distinctly care
less, wanting in tact. useless ct Office
work-vhat's the use of complaining OF
your writer's, sir ?-inattentive and argu-
mentative. Ride: OF course; and
that's about Ill you're fit for. That AID
tennis; but unluckily these won't ad-
vance you in your profession, nor gain
yon respect, nor it you for . command. .
Then the Colonel had stolen . look at
The frank, bright face, and thought for
the millionth time how ridiculous it al
was. The lad was honorable and brave.
My not trust to time and training to
20 rs rest? He wanted . tight hand
6roe hin of eourse; but why be forced
1Hb62d mp nasty. disparaging report
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