The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-26
PRIVATE WHIPPLE'S LUCK.
NOBODY conn 7ELL wax. nor IT A.
WIS CAME or mat Wy.
Mysteries of the Destruction Of Az Army
Post and or An Eiopemcnt with ~ Pretty
Gtri, Neiiher of which was Cleared Up.

Gtri. Mel her OF which was t'cnrch Cp.
Eua he Shingo H,,uI
FoET DEfr,NcE. Arl@. June .-'fhe recent re-
ported burning OF Fort Mckinney. IN Wyo-
ming. reminds many an army man of the de-
struction OF old Fort Discovery in Now Mexico.
some twelve years ago. Aud IL reminds Mt
least one good woman. who Is to-day tho wifi,
Of wealthy merchant, of the one trouble that
life has seen NJ to visit upor her.
Discovery was mannol ly two companies
OF infantry. two cavalry troops. and n battery
Among the cavalrymcn was Mark Whinplc. rs
handsome an onlistnd man rs ever went into
the army and II soldier rs full of tho mental
material for good deeds ns any company COM
mandcr would desire to find. l,ut ne was, up
crcd ono " the most unfortunate fellows that
ever stopped into II unilo;m, Soldiers VINO
sodsrI Fly S Sav AMI INV VIII" Hy no " mSs wos
as well informed on matters generally hOtn In
and out ol the army. rnSs"d linn CONSTANTLY IN
tho matter OF promotion. limo aud again
when there was u vacancy III tho corporal y
Inc all the troop would agree this was tho
time for Mhrrlc. and ttmo and GGain risht ut
r"rcd. this man Whirpe louni, himself con,
ir3pted will. his rGsiiIHrons II fortune. and
sonlc other soldier
In the first place. Higgins. tho ranking duty
motion "f every non ...onm issioA"d officer in
the troop was decided upon. Lieut.. Adams,
1hs Ad"'Gn ElGnrG M to S Et n man n,n
for co'nora. and his promotion wGo decided
on; But the very, eycn.nE whom his nam. wh@
call. and Of course n man mot present or ar-
counted Tor could not he sclcct1! f.i military
w.m 81 a trn so up S SI sS
hclrS later. no explained his absence so well
TINT ,hS cant''n loll hin to g9 tprk /? h.
meanwhile ano, her soldier had rui on ohcv;
rDns and Whipple continued TO walk post and
Next time Oh Elliot a corporal. became aud
was 81 hopclessly intoxicated while On guard
that he couldn't t,ll the officer Of the day from
ranks With u suggestion u Official ,lis-
pleasure in I'VE Day. imrriSnnnTmtent; mat
t o' s YIN rGn s tma the Nn or IsTl
tended promoting him. hut II tho Sunhnyin
srectlon. when his name should have hr"n
found 50 tul! Of cactus leave; that the MAJOR
who inspected him, woundch his, fingers
spI paE no T S n %ats
against tho sharp need es OF the plant. slapped
the careless soldier IL the taco with them and
sent him to the guard house.
some OF the men Thought that nm excellent
Joke. aud wondered for days aftorwarL II the
Major would be so willing to thrust his fingers
GERS themselves found some sort of pleasure
In guylng their unfortunate brother On his
swollen and intiamcd digits. but they did not
for moment permit their badinngc to DO
heard in the quarters.
10 DO sure, Nnlnpln asked PERMISSION To
see the commanding officer and. with ready
tears convinced HIM som" enemy had con
cealed the cactus in the harness. iorcseeing
commnn'l ing officer accepted the statement.
being l"ath 10 believe anything bad Of 81 uni
formly excellent a soldier But tle most he
tence and return I he man for duty. The daj
OF this promotion had gone by. ,,.,-
Then when Sergeant Balm ana CurporaIs
Cooper and Smith ran away together. desert
Ing the service Of tAcr common countryior
ROOM and when they had been captured main
ly through the couraEe. endurnnre.ant fidelity
Of Private whpple then was In. day Ht his
lected ut least for corporal. and til" loss in
formed expressed. a belief lie mls, It even hope
ScrsGlnt lain Tho officers themselves
Thought the matter over. and whilca little skit.
fish OF man whose i'll luck always attacked
hin: on tho eve .. promotion. yet concluded
good service and sodicry nprearanc" must
outweigh the unnNrainnhle. and they directed
II retreat that evening: every man in tho
fort not on duty gathered on tne. edge OF tho
En at the y yer" nstant WIEN tho tho
buGlerS were blowing - al in. n loud voice
sounded from. tue cavalry spuad room. cursing
feet -from tho sol" OF "A foot that had marched
onu day at GcttysburE over II sod more rcd
than green up to cann9n's mouth and cap
ho",""d foot to no crown of II good gray
head that all mc4 hncw. Tho voicc was l"4i
drunken man.
WhpIIe WI, net on tho parade ground at
for two AS in compliment To- his c"tlraS IN
ovr.hnu!img the drsnrt"rS. Tho wnn!o COM
,nan! forgot Aisrin!inn Every innl cr@p"i
haew must ro.n". An orderly ran from mo
E:rup OF officers ut the AuE pole. spran- up
the steps to the ravalry quarters, holding his
sabre rom clnnking. and hounie into tho
squat room. No one was th+'o. Tho four
whI'' Werc GI!l'!rss OF n voice. ana the silent
-. n In FL n hA
open wine" ws permitted II view of srnhv plain
and jagged ro"nw'p. with scattered sage and
was II, Wnipplc IL SIGHT So the little group
90 "ifl""rs. somewhat cceHtih!l"n at punish
tho resolve to sit this mystSry. erased tho
name OF Wh;ppe from tho roll and promoted
another man.
And as the orderly sergeant turned to salute
tho officer OF the day after having called the
roll and announced to-morrvws details hc saw
t WHpne stanan on mi tho e ba
tho range Of speech, that srcm" which he must
Clearly he conld not have been in tho bar
Easks WhGn ihat myTterMs v2tcS hd hish
ii .wns too late Til" officers wrnicd t" know;
VIII lad offended. and wanting tlnt. they lis
tened Only colby I . Private Wnippe. lie had
And then he fell in love. That is pretty
nearly the unnnr,don,Hhl, sin in the army. 4
His iiVo years Enlightenment /" n"Dr sam Tie
women ~ might I"No in trcer rlmcs are sol
doE Of the KIND II can we'd without trouble
fer fer himself 81 9, mrromiso Tor them. And
Whippl"'s divinity wa. 81! course. the very one
OF all born Wom"n wnum h" should have let
alone. Size was tho sstcr Of Major Conrad. u
handsome slip Of u girl. Just out of school.
and knowing. too little Of army lifc to set
the mark Of difference between sank and file.
Sho found this man Whirp" the beau ideal
favo""d He turned with such in case and
precision MS sho watched him walk his beat
from her hammock over there ur o.iirCrs' row.
All the l;icut"nnnt5 wnr" 50 tri, inl beside him.
and nll tho twadilo they INDUCED ia was so
small IN comparison to the II u le things she
could imagine If him. And 80 sllo came to love
him. And hat woman Is yrry dull who can loyc
nlnn and fail to .lnd some nesscnGr'..
Whiprle found out in IN uuacrountlhiy
short Tim" that h"!" WIS a heart watch beat
lnr him: here were cyss which opened Tor him
only 81 all the world. and hEhds that wlvc II
all no hopes and trnrs Of su!!cr lie "a .,arIlcHt
OF thc rossiLln which he might wr"r.
Hor brother hnuid about IL aud au.hnd M
iicr. hut whnn no found her bu.'r"ssri in inr
resolves he frowucl uu"n her. Observing how
stronger still til, mud' i'ic iIailca lao issued
commands, and thrr" il rlirl.
Be-; On" ni&ht IN Mas. NOW iif'""n years ago.
tho climax came There was stp-" of anmH-
mt!un in tn" nr,cnui for thrr" forts hero III ':ln