The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-09-24
.. .Silencer warned them.

you. Men, I'm ashamed of you. While
your comrades are in the field facing
p~rivation and danger and death for the
glory of that old flag which you have
only just sworn to defend, you, for a
trifing delay which the throes of our
government should excuse, dare to
murmur and revolt. Out upon such
soldiers! DO you know what you risk?
Do You appreciate that I have but to
step to that telegraph and the regulars
will surround you and rake your camp
with an enfilading fire? Do you long
to serve your country ut the Dry Tor
tugas? Have a care or there you shall
be sent, weighed with the contempt of
all loyal men. Officers, TO your posts!
There will be a review presently
Three cheers for the general!'
shouted the clear voice Of the blue-eyed
recruit as I turned. away. and they were
given with a will
s I vent through that camp, speak-
ing as l never had spoken, inwardly
overwrought with excitement, but out
wardly the cold. distant personifica-
ton of discipline. Within two hours /
had that brigade formed in a hollow
square. and from its center / renewed
my threats and my promises. They
were effective. Reason returned to the
men. and with it came shame. What
had looked like a dangerous outbreak
was quelled by moral force.
AS l left the parade | met Capt.
Johnson.
by the way, captain I asked, who
is that bright-looking young soldier of
yours who seemed to be resisting the
madness of the menu The captain
scowled quite unnecessarily.
That's Thomas Browne he an
swered, moodily. lie doesn't amount
to much
Pm certain you don't REFLECTED as
/ returned to the city.
"A month passed by. Discipline had
done its perfect work. The mob had
become a ~wen-drilled brigade. The
men had received their arrears, and
were eager to wipe out disgrace and to
achieve renown in action. The order
for their advance was expected daily.
/ sat in my quarters in this city. alone
and idle, for my duty had been fulfilled
ton. The doo- opened, and a tall. slen-
der young woman. neatly dressed,
stood before me. He- face was pallid:
her large black eyes shone intensely.
"HOh, sir she exclaimed. save my
soldier, He said that you might and
she sank in n chair by my side weeping
and moaning and wringing her fragile
hands in a manner most pitiable to be-
hold.
But, my dear madam l expostu-
lated sternly, this won't do at all. IL
you wish my aid you must be calm and
sensible. Tell me who you are, who
your soldier is. and what you want
az beg your pardon she said, gem
tly. and ! felt like a brute. My name
is Mary Graeme, and-and I'm engaged
to Thomas Browne. He's my soldier,
you know; and he's in the camp OYER in
New Jersey
Thomas Browne.' Oh. / remem-
bered. Yes, my dear l replied. A
fine-looking young fellow, with bright
blue eyes. | think??'
"'Oh, such bonny eyes, SO tender. so
true, And they speak his nature. be-
lieye me. / know him so we'll; we
little children together. He has
been placed under arrest, sir, and is to
tried before the court martial now
session
FOR what offensc?9'
He was a sentry, sir, AID was found
on his post
''Phcw, Here was n pretty mess in
Iced for the young recruit
My dear child ! responded. grave
", this is a most serious matter.
on his post of duty in the face
If the enemy, Why, it may cost him
MS life, And ut the very time, too,
when there has been a revolt in the
camp and the court feels the necessity
IF n stern example
II shook my head dubiously." Here
my friend the general paused to light a
and ] sprang at once into the
breach.
.'Hold on" / exclaimed. do you
to seriously claim that a sentry
might he executed for sleeping on his
post in a suburb of New York. four
hundred miles away from any encmy?"
My friend the general nodded.
Il explained all that TO You in the
first place" he replied. Given those
facts, the court would find him guilty,
and the articles of war prescribe death
as the penalty. Courts martial must
render an absolute, unqualified verdict
Of either guilty or not guilty. Miti-
circumstances can only be con-
in review.
"As | spoke the poor child wavered
ike a rare pale lily in a storm But
'he remembered ny warning, though
eyes streamed and her hands
strained in their grasp.
"'Oh. sir, but he isn't guilty, the
Door boy. Think how tired he was.
Up all night; ordered on duty again the
he was released. It was in
No wonder he dozed without
,nowing it
"'But-'
"'Oh. sir, | know what you would
dy. 1t couldn't be. But it was. The
sergeant has always hated him.
On the day before he had ordered Tom
excuse me, sir, Thomas-when he
vas off duty to clean the equipments of
soldier, which Thomas refused
o do
"'He was perfectly right there
$50 Thomas says. Besides, he was
Expecting to see me. But that night
vhen he came off his post, oh, so tired,
he sergeant ordered him right on again
take the place of the soldier whose
rms he wouldn't clean
"'If this is SO, no court will punish
i'm for falling asleep !
I'm SO delighted. That's what
said he knew you would say.
'ou are SO learned in the regulations
Tut he didn't mean o-oh, no indeed.
les so ashamed; when he has been so
nxious to distinguish himself for me-
nd here a blush deepened through
COR Mary's cheeks
"'He shall have the chance, never
,ar. But why didn't you go to his
Does he know these facts?"
Again Mary blushed, and far less
-ansiently. Her fingers picked her