San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-19

Listen listen!
ers and footmen, who wish with all their
hearts it was their turn to go-that
they, too, belonged to the First battalion
In moment the line is formed; the car
bines snap into the barred left hands as
arms are presented: Berrien leaves the
colonel's side and takes post in front
of the center, touches his cap in &C
acknowledgement of the salute and whips
out his own battle worn blade. No
speech making here. Right forward,
tours right!' rings the order, and then,
arms at right shoulder, band and trum
peters leading, Berrien's men, with
quick, elastic step, with swing and life
and jauntiness in every stride, march
square away across the parade, heading
for the road in front of Farquhar's quar-
tiers. The trumpets strike up their mer
ry, lively peal. With one simultaneous
crash the carbines are brought to the
carry. and Berrien lowers his saber i'll
salute to the gray haired colonel, whose
eyes fill and who bares for the moment
his handsome head as he notes the spir-
tied bearing of the men.
And now the head of column has
reached the road and turns to the left,
and now the trumpets cease and the full
band bursts into martial song and all
along the row women are waving hand
kerchiefs wet with tears, even though
many are sobbing as though their hearts
would break, and little children are
perched on the gallery ratings, shouting
in shrill treble their goodby to papa,
who turns one brief glance, perhaps the
very last on EARTH and big lump rises
in many husky throat and stern eyes
are dimmed with unwonted tears, and
God alone knows the secret thoughts
that go surging through the soldier
brain, the never ceasing whisper of that
still, small voice, "What-what will be
their fate if | am taken?" God alone
can hear, God alone can know the
humility, the piteous pleading in the
muttered prayer that floats to him OH
high, "Oh, guard and protect them, and
if it be thy will in thy good time restore
the father to his helpless little ones"
All, it is one thing to go forth to fight
for an imperiled country, for an in
suited flag, to stake life and fortune
and hope to guard the beloved ones at
the freside and to feel that one is bat
Ting for them, for their honor, peace
and future prosperity.
But it is thing far different to be
torn from loving arms and the smiles
and sunshine in the little faces, the pratt
Ting and kisses of baby lips, to face
year after year savage foe, knowing
full well that, defeated, ONLY death can
be the soldiers fortune; that, victorious,
the only reward will be permission To
sink back to the station whence one
came, 1t is the conquered Indian who
rides in triumph to the nations capital
and learns how great and good a thing
it is to take the warpath every other
year. 1t is all we'll enough for the young
officers, the young troopers, to laugh and
cheer. 1t is the husband and father
among the seniors, the old campaigner
in the rank and file-men who have been
through many and many a bloody fight
} within some twenty years of national
peace and prosperity-men who have
seen dozens, hundreds of their cherished
comrades slaughtered in battle with the
Sioux-it is they who see the other side
of the picture, and ask: ITO what pur-
pose? To what endy'
Outbreak has followed outbreak. cam
; paign has followed campaign, each
marked by bitter losses in many a regi.
: ment, each swelling the list of the
= widowed and the fatherless, each ter.
t minated by the final surrender of hostile
bands satiated with the summers slaugh
ter and shrewd enough to know thai
they have only to wave the white rag Of
submission to be restored to public con
! fidence and double rations Step asid
/ now, gentlemen of the army, bury you
: dead, patch up your wounds, go back t
: your stations and get ready for anothe
f shindy in the spring. You have hat
your annual outing, the Indian only hi
t first innings. Now comes his second
t Now the bureau takes hold, and ava,
go the prominent leaders of the red re
volt in the annual pilgrimage. the an