Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-03-20

HOunCed as tfdnStGrre1 10 tle permanent
establishment and duly commissioned
one Of the array of officers Of the regular
army.
At This time his sole acquaintance with
the gentlemen with whom his future lot
was to be cast was what he had derived
from the court martial proceedings
which for three years he had spent ten
TO twelve hours Il day in reviewing; ard
knowing them through that mediuHl
alone, it became somewhat diS}cult for
him to estimate them through any other
when AZ last no was ordered 10 duty at q
far weeterr city as judge advocate Of y
division. lie had been so many years
within the shadow of the war depart
ment that army life in any other shape
locked TO him as might u strange garrett
to an e3iled cat. When he met al Of
ficer for the first time his roind reverted
to the records which he had reviewed,
this WIS not The masl VINO led tho AS
saul5 on Bloody Angle at Spottsylv3nia,
who planted the first col9rs on tho
heights Of Mission Ridge, who made the
perilous night ride ~ Crook after tho
disaster Of tAe Little Horn, but the Of
i'NCl " Nv tI4Fl''iI tNl inc tii--NS against
Col Blank, or who was tried for dupli-
eating pay accounts at Nashville, or who
was the unwilling witness in the case OF
old Barry at Fort Fetterman.
To hi, pragmatical mind every soldier
was past or prospective tiguraut before
q court martial and long contemplation
Of trnumerlbir counts in the shape of
specifications had 50 charged his mind
with distrust OF his fellow men that,
whatsoever might be his rank or record.
no officer stood so high as to he above
suspicion, none 80 inpregnahle that,
judiciously handled, a court could not
down him. Il consider it my b1unlcn
duty he had once sid, ito convict an
officer if l possibly can" And while in
his regard an acquittal might temperate
~ and partially viudicate the party ac-
cused, it must forever blight the fair
fame Of tho judge advocate who tried
the case.
Some years Of rubbing had so farnod.
itied his original views as to teach him
that until charges were actually pre-
ferred it was not well to look upon anv
of his new associates as actually and ab-
solutely attainted but once that formal
ity had been accomplished, pri.la facie
evidence of guilt was firmly established.
and only with reluctance and inward. il
not active, rebellion could he bring him
self to accept q verdict otherwise. Pro-
ceedingS Of courts which convicted he
SKINNED through with lenieut eve;
there could be no error there; hr- when.
as was his invariable custom, be danced
at the findings before beginning the r.
view, and there discovered the unwal-
come words mot gniny," no vigilance
could exceed that with which he scruti-
nized every line Of the record, hoping
anywhere to light upon flaw. friends
in the seryice at large he neither sought
nor made. Secure in his position, abs,e-
mious, frugal and even niggardly, he hld
no snail vices on which to trip. Life to
him was one long contemplation Of tho
failings of his fellow men
And this was the gentleman who,
being on some temporary Investigation
within the lines of the department., had
received Geographic orders to proceed at
once to Ryan and look into Che matters
thus loudly heraided 10y the press.
Standing not upon the order Of his go
ing, he had taken the first train and
reached the post at nightfan, eager TO
begin. 1t was a source of positive dis
comfort to him to find that he was eX-
pocted by the post commander to dine 1T
Capt Lanes; but his ure8s,ines9 was in
40 wise duo to tho lack OF proper APP
parcl. The colonel and the other officers
We're in full uniform, as was army GUS
tom then, before lucrcltul aud level
headed general authorized the wearing
Of c.ylIitn evening dress or such occa-
Sons. BuC CO... LaWler was quite at
ease IL Il travelling suit If rusty rWecIs.
Norris had offered the colonel the USe Of
ms own dress suit, and III fact had
rather urged it as due to Mrs. Lane, but
laWler promptly re5fcd THAI Mrs. Lane
must have known wuen she asked him
that he did not travel around on military
duty with q spike tailed coat, and de-
clarad that he thought il all unnecos-
slIY. Spike tailed Coa,S are 700 high
toned for ne, anyhow. / rTer see Il
man in one but what he reminds me OF
somo Lu,!or I've srcH in Washington.
Morris said 70 more, but Mrs, Morris
bad looked volumes. and i, WIS very rll"-
fully indeed that the cnlcGel presented
his visitor to their gracious hostess.
Dinner was announced almost imnardi-
a,elv, and ignoring for the time bong
the Young lady whom he rad taken in
ON his arm LsWler sat t1r some minutes
looking il no little surprise about him.
The sight Of 50 much e,c"luce gy 20 'front.'
, icr table could only convey to h,5 mind