Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1892-09-07

he had no other aim in life than to
crafty the whims of his post COM
mander
"Why, confound it. sir. it isn't all
right by a da1good deal. Here YOU
are way out on line with Maj. Minor,
and your batterys-why, it isn't
dressed on our rank at all. sir. Just
look at it"
Cesumed the carry with the
n6S) hk14owered in salute, calmly
REVERSED So as to face his battery, and,
with preternatural gravity of mien,
looked along his front. There midway
between his lead drivers sat Mr.. Doyle,
his face weu-nigh rs red as his plume,
his bicary eyes nearly popping out of
his skull 10 his effort to repress the
emotions excited by this colloquy.
There midway between the lead drivers
In the left section sat Mr.. Ferry, gazing
straight TO the front over the erected
ears of his handsome bay and doing his
very best to keep solemn face, though
the unshaded corners of his boyish
mouth were twitching with mischief
and merrimept. There, silent, disci-
plined and rigid. sat the sergeants,
drivers and cannoneers of famous old
Light Battery az" all agog with m
terest in the proceedings and all look
ing rs though they had never heard a
word.
81 declare. sir said Cram. with exas-
perating civility. Il can see nothing
out of the way. Will you kindly indi
cate what is amiss?-
This was too much for Ferry. In his
effort to restrain his ;nerriment and
gulp down a rising food of laughter
there was heard an explosion that
sounded something like the sudden
collapse of an inflated paper bag and
old Brax, glaring angrily at the boy.
now red in the face with mingled
mirth and. RECONSIDERATION caught sudden
idea from the sight. Was the battery
laughing at-was the battery COM
mander guying-him? Was it possible
that they were profting by his ignor-
ance of their regulations? 1t put MIN
on his guard and suggested a tenta-
tive.
do you mean that you are right in
being SO far ahead of our line instead
of dressed upon it?' asked he of the
big blonde soldier in the glittering
uniform Where do you find authority
for it?-
''Oh, perfectly right, colonel. In
fact, for six years past I've never seen
IL done any other way. You'll find the
authority on page 56a, Field Artillery
Tactics of 1864"
For a moment Brax was dumb. lie
had long heard of Cram as an expert in
his own branch of the service. but
presently he burst forth:
SWELL in our tactics there's reason
for every blessed thing we do. but I'll
be dinged il can see rhyme or reason
in such a formation as that. Why.
sir. your one company takes up more
room than my six-maxes twice as
much of q show. OF course il a COM
bined review is to show of the artil-
lery it's all very well. However. 60
ahead, If you think you're right. sir.
- go ahead. I'll inquire into tits later. $
81 know we're right. colonel; and as
for the reason, you'll see it when you
open ranks for review and we come to
action 'front.' then our line will be ex-
actly that of the infantry. Meantime.
sir. 1t isn't for us to go ahead. We've
gone as far as we csn until your adju-
tant makes the next move"
But Braxton had ridden away dis
gusted before Cram wound MP his re-
marks.
60 on Maj. Minor: just run this
thing without reference to the battery.
Damned If understand their methods.
Let Cram look after his own affairs; il
he goes wrong, why-it's none of our
concern"
And so Minor had nodded Ego ahead
70 Mr.. Drake, and presently the whole
command made its bow, SO to speak. to
Minor rs its immediate chief, and then
he drew sword and his untried voice
became family audible. The orders:
prepare for review" and ito the rear
open order" were instantly followed
BY stentorian action front" down al
the left, the instant leap and rush OF
some thirty pimble eannoneers, shouts
of ''dIfve ont" the cracking of whips,
the thunder and rumble of wheels, the
thud Of plunging hoofs Forty-eighl
Dsttlssome horses in teams of two
abreast went dancing briskly away to
the rear, 1t sight of which Minor
dropped his jaw and the point of his
sword and sat gazing blankly after
oh4R ovr TIE bowed bead d his placid