Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-08-04

reIHOFtu their cups anu Ndlleu bne Colo
nels pleasure. For an instant Farquhar
stood tapping the lid Of the desk with
the butt of his pencil and studying the
long dispatch which he held in his hand.
Then he looked up
Gentlemen, we are ordered to the
field; one battalion to go at once, the
other to follow in ten hours-just as soon
as cars can be provided. Berrien, you
will lead off"
For moment not word from any
body; then the major spoke:
'How much time have we, sir?'
Il cannot tell. You load up the mo-
ment the railway company can get
train here. They have plenty Of engines
and cars at the junction and ought to.
be able to furnish what we need by day
break. Meantime you viii have to rouse
your men, pack up everything that is
not to be taken, cook three days rations
and be ready to get the horses aboard.
Go at it as quietly as possible. want
nobody at the hop to know of the orders.
Let the dance 20 on. Your men must
take all their blankets and the heaviest
clothing they have, Noone knows what
may be in store for us either in furs or
fighting.
Again dead silence, broken only by
the rapid clicking Of the telegraph in
ltrument in the adjoining room and the
loft, melodious strains borne ON the
wings of the whispering night wind.
Another waltz, and one which she had
LA
half Of, thought Brewster. Even now he
listened yearningly to recognize the
Etrain. Aye, he might have known iti
her favorite Of all, .sLove's Dreamlandn
But the colonel was speaking again:
"Of course you will do well to weed out
any sick or ineffectives you may have
1t is going TO be bitter campaign, and
after our summer and fall under south
ern suns will be all the tougher Holden
viii go with your command, Berrien,
and have sent for him. Here are your
four troop commanders; so You may as
well give your instructions at once and
le: them get to work.
'sYou have heard the colonel's orders,
gentlemen; do not know of anything /
have to add. Start out your first SER
geants and the cooks at once, and let
He men pack without unnecessary
noise. Twill give all turtner details as
soon as Colonel Farquhar and / have
had few moments conference"
Again the telegraph operator with a
dispatch.
Il thought so, said Farquhar. ''Mur-
ray, the division superintendent, was
with US in the Shenandoah and at Five
Forks. He wires that the train viii be
here at FIVE o'clock at the latest-two
engines, twenty freight OF cattle cars,
two baggage cars, four passenger day
lars and Pullman 1t is eleven now.
Ii anything is wanted you'll find me
here
Back again into the chill night air,
under the shining, starry vault, Berrien
and his four troop leaders paused for a
moment on the gravel walk.
'Hazlett, | suppose you will need to
see Mrs. Hazlett home, and you, Thorpe
Better go and rouse your sergeants first,
then come back to the hoproom; but,
mind you, not word there Rolfe, you
and Brewster are among the blessed to-
night; you have no wives to break the
news to. will give your subalterns the
tip to report to you just as soon as we
break up"
Three hands went to the cap visor in
salute, three officers turned away. War
ren, the adjutant, came hurrying out.
~Oh, major, Colonel Farquhar begs
that you will step in moment.
"You had something to say, Brew
ster?' asked the major coldly.
Eyes, sir, IL hope to hurry back in
time to escort Miss Berrien home"
''No, don't trouble yourself III at
tend to that. You have other matters
to occupy you." And if ever ia
theirs tone signified that dismissal was
intended, and that further attentions
were forbidden, Berrien's did as he alb
ruptly turned, leaving Brewster stunned
and silent at the edge of the parade.
In ten minutes lights were dancing
like will-o'-the-wisps about the galleries
of the mems quarters. Quick, bound
ing footsteps could be heard, and the
low, brief orders Of the sergeants as they
went fitting from door to door. Then
half suppressed exclamations, an occa-
sional snothered yell of excitement or
delight from some enthusiastic Paddy
ever ready for frolic or a fight. Then
gradually swelling murmur of voices,
the rapid scurry Of booted feet, a clat-
tering up and down the staiI.ways, the
slamming and banging Of barrack doors,
the dragging forth Of heavy chests and
boxes. the clank of a dropped saber, and
then people at the hoproom, strolling out
on the broad veranda for fresh air or
Irritation, became aware Of the unusual
illumination over across the parade, and
listening heard the sounds of bustle and
preparation. And then lights began
to pop up among the windows Of the
second battalion, where the news had
rapidly spread, and where dozens of
troopers tumbled out of their blankets
and into their boots forthwith and went.
charging en- masse upon their own SER
geants to know what it meant that
''then fellers in the first battalion had
had orders to be up and getting and none
had come for US.
In less time than it takes to tell it
the tidings spread from porch to hall
that something was up, and other
people, men and women, old officers and
young, matrons and maids, quit their
places in the Lancers and came stream
ing forth upon the gallery. whats
the natter" "Is it fire? / heard no
alarm" "The trumpets haven't sound
ed" "See! there's the orderly trulnpeter
going across the parade now, running
to the office.D why, the Office is
lighted too" "Where's WARREN"
"What does it mean:'' These and doz-
ems of other verbal conjectures and sug-
gestions flew from lip to lip. Men ex-
cused themselves to their fair partners,
seized their caps, scurried away down
the steps and sped over toward the
lights at headquarters. A dozen or
more suddenly disappeared in this way,
and then it was found that the colonel
and Berrien and Hazlett and Thorpe
and Brewster, too, were all missing. And
then Mrs. Thorpe's voice was heard
wailing out upon the night air:
''Oh, Mrs. Berrienl Mrs. Berrien! |
know what it means. | saw the tele-
graph operator coming up the steps. It's
orders-orders for the field"
And then indeed
There was hurrying TO and fro
And gathering tears. and tremblings Of dis
frae