The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-26
AN ARMY STORY.

Sergeant Higgins, with Privates
Abrams, Evans, Larsen and Stone, will re-
port at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning,
armed and mounted, to escort the COM
handing officer and his family to Fort
Warner"
Morning broke dark and gloomy. There
was promise of snow in the dense gray
clouds Of the west. There was promise of
rain, the unsteady wind from the south.
At 10 o'clock the colonel stepped in an
ambulance up there by the door of the
commanding officers quarters and told
the driver to go ahead.
He was very proud old man, with d
record that had grown brighter in battle.
He was cold and imperious and command
ing-as an officer should be-
Ahead of the ambulance rode the two
servants of the commanding officer. Be
hind came the escort.
The dance at Fort Warner that night
will be long remembered. Lieutenant Gay
was the lion of the evening. He had just
come back from brush with the Piutes,
and all reports united in covering him
with glory.
He was quick, incisive pompous. He
knew great many things, and he told all
about them.
He was SO like her father. Dorothy Lane
did not like him. Why will we love in one
man the traits that make US hate another?
Lieutenant Gag was captivated by the
colonel's daughter. Maybe he thought the
alliance would help him in an official way.
He overstepped the bounds of prudence
and boosted to group of superior officers
as they stood in a corner of the ballroom
while the walters fitted bv
Don't anticipate too much, Gay" said
captain, bantering. "She looks higher
than you"
''She couldn't" said the lion calmly.
Then he added, with a vain mans rising
voice, Dorothy Lane will marry the lieu
tenant"
A couple just whirling past caught the
boasting, and the lady dropped from her
companions arm. Turning suddenly upon
the group of officers the subject of COM
ment said swiftly:
You overrate yourself, sir. l will not
marry the lieutenant"
Any other man would have been crushed
He simply ignored her, and returned to
continue the gossip. But the other officers,
annoyed at his i'll taste had quilted the
corner, and the lion of the evening had to
hunt up worshipers.
Next day he asked permission to accom-
pany the escort back to Camp Bidwell. He
was provided mount. At 1 o'clock the
little cavalcade marched out of Warner
The clouds in the north had thrown out
a skirmish line of snow. The wind in the
east was heavy with rain.
In an hour the front wheels chucked
down in gully and the ambulance stopped.
The commanding officer, laying there al
most on his back, opened his eyes and
swore.
1--WE are lost, Sir, said the sergeant, from
one side.
THE ambulance is broken" said the
lieutenant, from the other.
I'VE must stay here all night" growled
the colonel; and then he cursed the team
ster, and the dance, and the snowstorm,
and the comfortless couch in the ambu-
lance.
At midnight some one aroused him by
shouting:
at is the Piutesl'
He sprang from his blankets. The snow
had ceased The rain had ended. The
cold moon was shining. There was a Bit
ter fight at the door of the ambulance.
The horses had been stabbed Their picket
rope was broken and they were galloping
aimlessly about. He caught one, mounted
and hurried away.
Some one was swinging saber down
there by the wrecked ambulance. He had
cut an open space and was pushing the
fight, slashing, running forward, retreat
ing, darting to the right, springing to the
left. 1t was carte point and right cut,
tierce, and left swing, en- quartz and down
sweep.
That was Private Larsen In the hour
OF need he took command.
Fetch up three horsesr" he shouted;
and the sergeant came leading two of
them.
Larsen pulled a woman from the ambu-
lance and set her upon one of them.
Mount the others and bring them
along" he commanded. Then he sent the
saber home with clang, picked up a car
bine and darted away, leading the horse
with its clinging rider.
AT daylight he saw horseman skulking
in the rocks. He did not like him, and he
fired one shot as a challenge.
1t was the recreant Lieutenant Gay-Hon
of the ball yesterday. pitiful coward this
| morning.
That evening as the men stood in line to
answer roll call the orderly sergeant an
! nounced promotion. Private Larsen was
made corporal By order of the commanding
officer
He was made sergeant two weeks later,
( when one nonconmissioned man was dis
/ charged and another lnsubordinate, made
| a proper opening.
/ AS spring approached the commanding
! officer was taken sick OF a fever. Lieuten-
ant Gay undertook TO attend him. but he
annoyed the colonel.
On Sunday inspection the officer Of the
day pushed his scrutiny into a little cup
+ board at the head Of Sergeant Larsen's
bunk and found it fu,l OF volumes
I who reads this:" asked the major,
/ holdin; up n volume Of Faust"
/ - read thero replied Young Larsen
/ How dld you cOtne IA the Ermy-ln ths
ranks
Went b-oke, got discouraged. enlisted
rather thaz beg or be dependent Mouev
came from home next day. Ii was too
late
Why didn't you dcse--s' Tho familiar
ity O. the ,Esl L:t c:-cgPe5 g the banter
+ of comraGeship. "\o-Bo, i know that
| You oouldut DO a dishoaorable thing ike
/ that. VIII you come up 70 the colonel s
house this afternoon and read 70 hims'
II was 4 very pleasant hour 10. the n an.
| IL was rest AID recreation for tic colonel
Dorothy sat beside che window and listened
10 him. lie had selected book Of al
ternstins ske;nhex Ard nnMmk Thas ~er.