The National tribune., 1892-01-21

| (ofcourse they meant me) After some pertinent
| remarks TO his audience on my account, ne
asked me If attended school regularly. an
swered that / did THAT'S right" said the
General, and promise me that you won
leave school until you are a smarter man than
j, whom your good mother so honored-" 1
| promised.
Nine years later I broke that promise, left
school, and enlisted. An attachment sprung
up between Lient. S. and fair schoolmate OF
mine, lovely girl, which subsequently, ended
in an engagement. Miss G., We will call the
young lady, said she wished / would go with
the Lieutenant; that she was sure would like
the Regular Army best, though my choice was
the volunteer service
However, i visited the recruiting Office OF
her afiianeed, with the result that was mus
tered into Uncle Sans service. week later
| we, squad OF II. were on our way to Fort
Preble, Portland Harbor to Join our regiment,
which was soon after ordered South.
My first fight was a single-handed combat
| with Johnny, but not q rebel quite. Johnny
| IL. was one Of the II who enlisted when i did,
and the fight took place on the night Of our
arrival at Fort Preble We arrived az the Fort
about 9 in tho evening; l remember taps
sounded soon after. We were marched to q
large. bunkless room, and were told to make
ourselves as comfortable as possible with the
floor for bed. In little while Sergeant
came in and said, Boys, como with me and get
| blankets" We were taken 10 the Quarter
masters, received blankets, and returned to
| quarters; that is, all except Johnny b., who
was out looking for the Suffers store, which
| he did not find, however, nor did he get q
blanket It was a cold night In September.
and the room was without fire. / had just
rolled myself up in my blanket, when the door
| opened and In walked Johnny, who asked
where he could get blanket. ! told him. but
Instead OF going he said he guessed no would
have part Of mine, at the same time trying TO
pull it from me, and further said that II i
kicked he would take il all.
"All right" said !, lyon or I shall have it
ALL" jumping TO my feet and throwing the
blanket behind me. Let the best man have
| it."
IL was not a scientific bout perhaps, but we
got there all the same. II lasted one round,
with the result that had scratch on one ear
and the enemy was bleeding at the nose and
had both eyes damaged.
Johnny rushed from the quarters, saying:
"I'll get even; just wait"
/ rolled myself up again and waited. II was
half hour, perhaps when he returned, both
eyes in morning and with him came tall
heavy-set, black-bearded giant, wearing
Quartermaster- Sergeangs stripes, and in his
hand heavy cane.
"Who did you have the trouble with" said
the piratical-loOking martinez.
came the cane on my shoulders, and q half
dozen more on the back.
"Pll learn you to fight" said the brute.
you'll have different kind Of fighting to do
before long"
agreed with him on that point, but he did
not accompany the regiment South, and after
leaving Fort Preble never saw him again,
Holmes was the Sergeants name, and if alive
he can vouch for the truth Of this narrative, so
far as he was concerned in 10. In all these long
years since that night Of the clubbing have
not grown any taller, and am bald-headed and
gray. But now for revengel
Next morning an old scar-faced veteran who
saw the fracas of the previous night said to me:
Young man, saw what happened last night,
and the Sergeant had no right 10 use a club on
you. You can have him reduced. You see
the Adjutant over there On the battle-ground
inspecting the guard lit was o'clock guard
mount; "you go and report the affair 20 him.
Now il good time; you'll get revenge"
Alas must confess such ignorance at the
| age Of lG2 took quick.step for the center
Of tho parade ground, and when within two or
| three PAGES Of the Adjutant said: "Adjutant
! wish to-
That was all was allowed to say. The off.
Ger gave me a look ! have not vet forgotten,
| and addressing the Sergeant said: "WhO is
this fellowp Take him to the guaTd-house."
j was placed between a file Of men and es-
coFted to the pen. Inside the guard-house
was received by about a dozen DRINKS, who had
/ been over to Portland on pass, and were locked
| up 10 get sober. Unfortunately for me they
were still under the influence.
They proceeded 10 initiate me. First they
searched me for tobacco. had none. One
fellow appropriated my hat to his own use
and then, throwing me into a blanket thoy
| proceeded 10 toss me skyward. Nor did they
| desist until was more dead than alive Queer
revenge / was having. i thought Of Holmes
| and home that night.
Next morning was released, and the first
man met was the old vet who sent mo to the
| Adiutant. With broad grin he asked me il
got satisfaction. / answered not but walked
on TO quarters was given uniform, rifle and
sceouterments, and began to realize that was
a soldier.
Now, il happened that on the following SUM-
day inspection the commanding officer stopped
i'm front Of Johnny D., sized him up, poked his
white gloved finger into Johnny's ear, twisted
10 round, and 10! il soiled the glove. Johnny
proved 10 be the dirtiest man in Co. T.
Sergeant" said the Colonel latter parade
detail two men to take this recruit down to the
beach and scrub him. BE sure aud make him
clean"
As luck would have it, Comrade T. and I
were detailed TO perform the massage. We were
given new, stiff scrubbing-brush and cake
of saltwater soap and proceeded TO the beach
Johnny refused TO strip. We stripped him;
not without some tearing Of clothes for he
fought hard but we iually got him in a nude
state took of our own shoes and rolled up our
pants laid tho victim down where the tide
licked the sand. and went to work. Comrade
T. held him while / scrubbed. / commenced
at his head and scrubbed 10 his feet. used
both hands. polished his teeth with the cake
of soap. j scrubbed till his blood triekled in
the sand, and then / asked him if he didn't
want a blanket, or would half one dor
was thinking Of the black and blue marks on
my back. lie cursed and cried and finally
begged for mercy. Then desisted. He dressed
himself and we marched back to company quar-
tiers. Johnny was clean once in his life and
was revenged. A few mouths later and johnny
deserted.
During three years service I never smoke
TO Lieut.. S. except when on post, by turning
over my orders TO him as officer Of the day
Regular Army O." But no lost his sweet
heart all the same, and the writer knows why.
--WINFIELD S. MORGAN. Co. L, 18th u. S.
White Sulphur Springs, Mont.
No Chicken.
His Honor-HOW old are yoa, madam
Witness-I have seen % Summers
HE -Humuhf Hon. -.