The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-17

SNSNP AAAAoAAC W Tue bdDl6 lA4u, Then OIL
through the snow to Fort BidWelL
do you want TO walk awhile?n he asked
the woman. ut will rest you.n
Dorothy dismounted, tucked up her
SKIRT and stumbled through the snow, while
he led the horse and watched necessarily TO
the right and to the left; scanned the coun-
try In front and behind them.
Then she mounted again, stepping from
ms hand, and rode sidewise, without a sad
At daylight he saw q horseman skulk
Ing In the rocks. lie did not like him, and
he fired one shot as a challenge.
10 was the recreant Lieut.. Gay-lion of the
pail yesterday, pitiful coward this morn
ing.
That evening as the men stood in line 20
answer roll call the orderly sergeant an
nounced promotion. Private Larsen was
made corporal by order Of the commanding
officer.
He was made q sergeant two weeks later.
when one non-commiSsiOned man was dis
charged and another insubordiuate, made
proper opening.
AS spring approached the commanding
officer fell sicE of fever. Lieut. Gay I'M
dertook to attend him, but he annoyed the
colonel.
On Sunday inspection, the officer of the
day pushed his scrutiny into q little cup
~ IL
and found it full of volumes.
who reads thesep' asked the major.
II read them," replied young Larsen.
Let's hear you read this.n II was a paS-
cage IN Faust"
Where did you learn TO readgn asked the
major, dropping the military, for he had
found man.
II studied in Stockholm; but have been
reading all my life"
How did you come in the army-in the
ranksp
"Went broke, got discouraged; enlisted
rather than beg or be dependent Money
came from home next day. 1t was too
laten
why didn't you desert9" The familiarity
OF the man had dropped to the banter Of
comradeship. mo, no; know that. You
couldn't do dishonorable thing like that.
VIII you come up to the colonel's house this
afternoon and read to him"
IL was very pleasant hour for the man.
1t was rest and recreation for the colonel.
Dorothy sat by the window and listened TO
him. He had selected book of alternating
sketches and poems. They were easy to
listen to. They were pleasant to remem-
Der.
THAT man is a good soldier, too" said
the major. HE is brave and full Of re-
sources"
If he has education enough, he might
stand examination for promotion to a lieu-
tenancy If he had been in the army long
enough
'He couldn't as long as l am an officer. y
said Lieut.. Gay. He shot at me that
morning after the Piutes jumped us.n
IF had had my way he would have hit
you," cried the commanding officer. 'You
are a miserable poltroon. Gay"
But man may say many things when he
is sick
The commanding officer had seen long
services He knew the beginning of many a
politician. He had an uncommon hold on
the men who had graduated from the army
into the halls Of congress. He was piqued
that thing like Gay could wear epaulets,
while hero like Larsen was bound to serve
him.
He went to Washington with a mission as
soon as the summer brought him healing
He made a case and pushed it to considera-
ton.
Sergt. Larsen was ordered to appear be-
fore board and pass examination. He &C.
quilted himself SO well In mathematics, in
history. in tactics. in language-that at the
end they asked him questions with defer
enoe.
1t was Lieut.. Larsen-by order of the
Secretary of War, approved by the Presi-
dent.
Then came the climax.
Larsen asked for Dorothy's hand in mar
riage.
A year ago he had stood in the ranks at
tattoo and answered roll CALI tonight he
was officer of the day: and he saluted and
said: Very well, sergeant; dismiss the COM
pany."
The colonel commanding refused him in
rage; berated him for presuming migrate.
and ordered him out of his house. Then he
returned to his old admiration Tor Lieut..
Gay. This putting up private soldier
always was bad. 1t made him forget his
origin.
But Larsen's origin was as good as that of
the colonel He had wealth at home
wealth he turned his back on when he must
desert to use it.
GAY amused the colonel by playing cards.
The stakes were trivial. 1t was against reg
ulation to gamble. But there was game
over there in the dark room above the
store, where the major and the captain and
the lieutenant found something more than
pastime
The colonel knew it, and did not forbid
it. Then he went over and looked on. Then
the old passion for play, which had slept
since the tedious day before Vlcksburg,
came back, and he took hand just for that
once.
1t was two weeks before he played again.
Then it was two weeks more.
He felt temptation Juggling at him, and
he prayed for orders, for an Indian upr1s-
ing, for a plague, to keep him from yield
ing.
One evening he tapped at the dark room
door. The subdued noise within was hushed
to silence. A second knock and they opened
the door. He sat down by the other three
and they dealt him hand.
"No. l only wanted to look on" he said.
81 am not going to play any more, and
arm going to order it -"
he looked at his hand and saw five
diamonds.
Cav opened. The major staid. The cap
tain passed. The colonel said "Well, this
hand, then" and tilted it.
Cav staid and the major raised. The
colonel staid; so did Gay. The captain dealt.
II was good "pot," and the colonel won 1t.
He said he would play until he lost 1t
again. At 9 o'clock he had lost that and as
mnoh more, At 10 o'clock he had signed a
certificate. At II o'clock ne owed more than
his nav would amount to in year.
Gay was winner.
Another light knock came at the door.
Another silence followed it. A second
knock. and the major responded.
Ii was Lieut.. Larsen. he was dressed IN
an elegant suit Of citizen clothes: -,
"If YOU have no objection will JOIN
,-o, " he said. smiling. Surely he was
handsome man. Where could he nave
learned the wearing OF such garments-ano
such genss .,,oS +ho
.o,r-ooroer He dipped his hand in his coat
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