Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-06-03
WARNINGS PERIL.
By Capt. Chas. King, Of the U. s. Army.
Copyright by Lippincott.

spite the Slghb Jealousy eXlSUlng De-
tween the rival arms of the service.
there were good fellows and gallant
men among the infantry officers at the
post, who were as cordially disposed
towards the gay lieutenant as were the
comrades of his own (colored) cloth.
This Is the more remarkable because
he was never known to make the faint
est effort to oonciliate anybody and
was utterly Indifferent to public
opinion. 1t would have been fortune
tar better than his deserts. bnt for the
unwelcome words: ''Oh, wasn't that
pretty!" He meant with all his heart
to pull in some of the plunage of those
confounded "woodpeckers," as he
called them, before the cay was over.
In grim silence, therefore, he rode
along the front of the battalion, talk
ing little comfort in the neatness of
their quaint, old-fashioned garb, the
single-breasted, long-skirted froclS
coats, the bulging black felt hats
looped up on one side and declIed with
skinny black feather, the glistening
shoulder-scales and circular breast
plates, the polish of their black leather
belts, cartridge and cap boxes and bay
onct scabbards- It was all trim and
soldierly, but he was bottling up his
sense of annoyance for the benefit
of Cram and his people. Yet, what
could he say? Neither he nor Mi
nor had ever before been brought
into such relations with the light
artillery, and he simply didn't
know where to hit. Lots of things
looked queer, but after this mi.
tial experience he felt it best to say
nothing until he could light on n point
that no one could gainsay, and he
found 1t in front of the left section.
''Where is Mr.. Warning, sir?" he
sterply asked.
81 wish 1 knew, colonel His horse
came back without him, as you doubt
less saw, and, as he hasn't appeared, 1
am afraid of accident"
"How did he come to leave his post,
sir? have no recollection of author
izing anything of the kind"
Certainly not, colonel. He rode
back to his quarters with my consent
before adjutant's call had sounded,
and he should have been with us again
| in abundant time"
THAT young gentleman needs more
discipline than he is apt to get at this
rate, Capt. Cram, and desire that you
| pay closer attention to his move
ments than you have done in the past.
| Mr.. Drake" he said to his adjutant,
who was tripping around after his
| chief afoot, "call on Mr.. Warning to ex-
| plain his absence in writing and with
out delay. This Indifference to duty
is something to which am utterly I'M
accustomed" continued Braxton again,
addressing Cram, who preserved most
uncompromising serenity of counten-
ance; and with this parting shot the
colonel turned gruffiy away and soon
| retook his station at the reviewing
| point
Then came the second hitch. Minor
had had no experience whatever, as
has been said, and he first tried to
wheel into column of companies with
out closing ranks, whereupon every cap
tain promptly cautioned ''Stand fast s.
and thereby banished the last remnant
Of Minors senses. Seeing that SOME
thing was wrong, he tried again, this
time prefacing with "Pass in review
and still the captains were implacable.
The nearest one, in stage whisper,
tried to make the major hear "C1ose
order, first" But all the time 3raS
was losing more OF his temper and
Minor what was left of his head, and
Brax came down like the wolf on the
fold, gave the command to Close
order himself, and was instantly
echoed by Grams powerful shout Linn
Der to the rear" followed by "Pieces
left about! Caissons forward!'' Then, in
the rumble and clank of the respond.
ing battery, Minors next command
was heard by only the right wing Oh
the battalion, and the company wheels
were ragged. So was the next part OF
the performance when he started tc
march in review, never waiting, Of
course, for the battery to wheel into
column of sections. This omission
however, in no wise disconnected
Cram, who, following at rapid walk
soon gained on the rear of column
a passing his post commander in beauti
full order and with most accurate salute
on the part of himself and officers, and
observing this, Minor took heart, and
recovering his senses to certain ex
tent, gave the command "Guide left
in abundant time to see that the new
guides were accurately in trace, there
by insuring what he expected to find ;
beautiful wheel into line to the left
the commands for which movement he
gave in louder and more confiden
tone, but was instantly nonplussed b,
t seeing the battery wheel into line Il
the right and move off in exactly tn
opposite direction from what he ha
expected. This was altogether to
much for his equanimity. Digging h
spurs into the TANKS of the astonishe
sorrel, he darted off after Cram, wavin
his sword, and shouting:
Left into line wheel, captain. LIE:
into line wheel"
In vain Mr.. Pierce undertook to e:
plain matters. Minor presumed ths
the artilleryman had made an actu;
blunder and was only enabled to CO
rect it by a countermarch, and so roc
back to his position in front of the Gel
ter of tho reforming line, convince
that at last he had caught the batter
commander.
When Braxton, therefore, can
down to make his criticisms and cor
ments upon the conduct of the review
Minor was simply amazed to find th'