The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-27
AN ARMY STORY.


hutton of his blouse, opened second bit OF
paper and READ: IL. p.,...n.
Abrams. Evans, Larsen and Stone VIII re
mort at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning
armed and mounted, 10 escort the com.
nanding officer and his family TO hor'
Warner"
Morning broke dark and gloomy. There
was promise OF snow in the dense gray
clouds of the west. There was promise oil
rain. the unsteady wind from the south.
Alto O'Clock the colonel stepped In an
ambulance up there by the door OF 'ne
commanding officers quarters ana 'oi'
the driver to 90 ahead. an,
He was a very proud old man, with
record that had grown brighter IN oa'.'s s
Ue was cold and imperious end coninanu
ipg-as an officer should be-
Ahead Of the ambulance rode the Two
.~,,ar,. ~ the commanding officer be'
hind came the escort. -. ,.h.
THE dance at Fort Warner that hlgnt
viii mo long remembered. Lieutenant Gay
,,,oe the lion of the evening. lie han Just
- hack from brush with the Piutes,
- ali reports united in covering him
with glory " ,,. TT.
He was quick, incisive, pompous. he
,,eSy great many things, and he told all
about them.
ue yeas so like her father. Dorothy Lane
d;d not like him. Why will we love in one
man the traits that make us nate another
Lieutenant Gay was captiyated by the
coloneps daughter. Maybe he thought the
alliance would help him in an official way.
He oyerstepped the bounds of prudence
and boosted to a group of superior officers
as they stood in corner OF The ballroom
while the walters fitted by.
Don't anticipate too much, Gay" said
n captain. bantering. "She looks higher
than you"
"sbe couldn't" said the lion calmly.
Then he added, with vain mans rising
voice. Dorothy Lane will marry the lieu
tenant"
A couple Just whirling past caught the
boasting. and the lady dropped from hei
companion's arm. Turning suddenly upon
the group of officers the subject oil com
lnent said swiftly:
you overrate yourself, sir. will not
marry the lieutenant"
ANY other man would have been crushed
He simply ignored her. and returned te
continue the gossip But the other officers,
ANNOYED at his i'll taste, had quilted the
corner. and the lion of the evening had to
hunt up worshipers.
Next day he asked permission TO accom-
rany the escort back TO Camp Bidwell. lie
was provided a mount. At o'clock the
little cavalcade marched out of Warner.
The clouds in the north had thrown out
n sLirmish line Of snow. The wind in the
east was heavy with rain.
I'm an hour the front wheels chucked
downin gully and the ambulance stopped.
The commanding officer, laying there al
most on his back, opened his eyes and
swOre.
Eve are lost, sir, ;" said the sergeant. from
one side.
THE ambulance is broken" said the
lieutenant, from the other.
Eve must stay here all night" growled
the colonel: and then he cursed the team
ster. and the dance, and the snowstorm,
and the comfortless couch in the ambu-
lance.
At midnight some one aroused him by
shouting
1T is the Piutes"
He sprang from his blankets. The snow
had ceased. The rain had ended. The
cold moon was shining There was Bit
fer fight at the door of the ambulance.
The horses had been stabbed. Their picket
rope was broken and they were galloping
aimlessly about. He caught one, mounted
and hurried away.
Some one was swinging saber down
there by the wrecked ambulance. He had
cut an open space and was pushing the
fight. slashing, running forward, retreat
ing, darling TO the right, springing to the
left. 1t was carte point and right cut,
tierce, and left swing, en- quartz and down
sweep.
That was Private Larsen. In the houi
of need he took command.
Fetch up three horses" he shouted;
and the sergeant came leading two OF
them.
Larsen pulled woman from the ambu-
lance and set her upon one OF them.
Mount the others and bring them
along" he commanded. Then he sent the
saber home with clang, picked up car
bine and darted away, leading the horse
with its clinging rider.
AT daylight he saw horseman skull1ing
I'm the rocks. He did not like him, and he
fired one shot as n challenge.
IL was the recreant Lieutenant Gay-lion
of the ball yesterday. pitiful coward this
morning.
That evening as the men stood in line 10
answer roll call the orderly sergeant an
pounced promotion. Private Larsen was
made corporal by order of the commanding
officer
He WAS made sergeant two weeks later.
when one noncommissioned man was dis
charged and another insubordinate. made
proper opening.
AS spring approached the commanding
officer was taken sick of fever. Lieuten-
ant GAY undertook TO attend him. but he
annoyed the colonel.
On Sunday inspection the officer Of the
day pushed his scrutiny into little cup
board at the head of Sergeant Larsen's
bunk and found it full of volumes.
"Who reads thisi" asked the major.
holding up volume Of Faust"
81 read them," replied young Larsen.
"How did You come In the army-ln the
ranksy"
"Went broke, got discouraged, enlisted
rather than beg or be dependent. Money
came from home next day. 1t was too
late"
why didn't you desert" The familiar
ity of the man had dropped to the banter
of comradeship. "No-no; | know that.
You couldn't do a dishonorable thing IKE
that. VIII you come up to the colonel
house this afternoon and read TO himY
1t was very pleasant hour for the man.
IL. t..l