Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-08-03
LIEUTENANT LAKE.

LIEUTENANT LAKE.
1t was known all over the post within
half an hour after the occurrence. Off
GERS, soldiers, civilians, servants, troop
laundresses, even the Apaches in tho
camp down the river, fancy, knew all
about it, the general verdict being that
it was a shame-that the colonel ought
to let him off, and that he was the finest
fellow in the world, anyway. 1t was a
singular thing that two such popular
men as Jack Lake of dear old -th cav
airy and the lieutenant colonel of that
same regiment, familiarly known (be-
hind his back as the ''old man." but
drawing his pay under the name and
Brown, should not be able to get along
together.
Both of them were adored by the Off
GERS and men of the regiment, and shall
say it?) by good many of the women.
The one was rollicking young lieuten-
ant-tall, handsome, talented and brave
to recklessness, just as cavalry lieu
tenant should be. The other was ones
beau ideal of field officer of cavalry,
still a strong. hearty man, although he
had seen much hard service during the
war and on the plains; man who never
shirked duty and. what was more,
never permitted any one else to; a hard
worker and just, though severe, post
commander. In a word, the kind of a
man the authorities usually sent to dam
gerous posts - and such post was
Apache.
1t had all come about some years be-
fore at West Point. Lake had been a
cadet at the Military academy while
Colonel Brown was the commander of
cadets, and the elder man had, to use a
little West Point slang, "got the equa-
ton Of the younger man 'down fine"
In other words, he had ''sized him up
and concluded, rather rashly it must be
admitted, that Lake was utterly worth
less except for the purpose Of raising the
duce whenever he SO desired. This, it
must be admitted, he can do to perfec-
ton. 1t was not Lakes fault, however,
that they could not get along together.
Oh, no! Lake could get along with any
one, and he could not see for the life of
him why the colonel did not enjoy his
pranks just as much as he and appar-
emily every one else did. But the col
onel did not, and the result was that
Lake was undergoing punishment most
of the time he was cadet at the acad-
emy.
Well, when u superior officer in the
army dislikes an inferior officer it is
usually very disagreeable for the inferior
officer. And it is probable that Lake
suffered good deal more than the COM
mandant. But he never complained and
never tried to reform.
Perhaps he relied on entirely different
tactics. 1t was said that Lake was really
in love with the colonels daughter. 1t
was not improbable. Most of the cadets
were. Indeed, few who had ever met
Miss Hyacinth Brown were not in love
with her. But she was queer girl.
(Poor grill she had been half orphan
from her early girlhood-and perhaps
she inherited some of the obstinacy of
her father.) Strange as it may seem,
she loved this same scapegrace, Lake.
It is more than probable that the dis
covery of this fact, coupled with what
he knew of the youngsters character Tor
thought he knew, was but added fuel
to the fire. 1t was hard to tell, though,
for the colonel had always been hard on
Lakeland remained SO. He did but
one thing in regard to it. He foI bade
Lakes calling on his daughter, and he
insisted that she leave him entirely
nlone. Well, every one knows more or
less about human nature. The inter-
ference Of the father merely made the
young man more determined to make
love to the daughter and the young
lady but the more anxious to receive
that-love.
The young lieutenant made matters
all the worse when he graduated and
received his commission by voluntarily
joining the cavalry regiment of which
Hyacinth's father was the lieutenant
colonel. Most youngsters would have
hesitated at such step. 1t is no agree
able thing to have superior officer of
ones own regiment down ON one, but it
was precisely Lakes style. If he were
to join another regiment he might as
well say goodby to the girl, and he
hadn't the slightest intention of doing
that. He loved her honestly, and that
was all there was about. He intended
to marry her if she intended to marry
him-and, bless her soul, she did.
1t was just Lakes luck to be assigned
to q company that was stationed at .
post commanded by the father Of hi
sweetheart. Good luck he thought it
because it kept him in the power Of hi
unreasoning enemy. Forbidden her ia
theirs house, constantly under her fa
theirs eyes, what could he see of her
anyway. Did he ever see her, anyway
Well, he was Lake, you know.
And he was put in arrest for what
.Ier very grave offense. Hyacinth'
father was man who would not hav
gone out of his way to do Lake an in
jury. On the contrary, if Lake had no
always offered the occasion the colone
would have left him alone. Even tn
colonel recognized the youngsters goot
qualities.
There was that time in the Geronim,
campaign when he made ride on duty
unaccompanied, of eighty miles through
hostile country in less than twent,
hours. And there was the oenasinl