Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-05-11
THE MAJORS STORY.

WelTQ anu uTctrg. L ne Guy eulUOT mao dc
tailed me to watch for the arrival of Sen
ator - at his hotel and get, if possible, an
interview from him covering the existing
political status, in order that the readers
Of the progressive newspaper on the repor-
torial staff Of which l had recently been
placed might have the benefit of his power
full horoscope with their toast and eggs the
next morning.
The detail was not disagreeable-much
better, l thought, than would have been
anything exposing me to the unfriendly
clements then dominating the streets. l
went TO the senator's hotel, but he had not
yet arrived. settled down in an easy
lobby chair to await him and to have a
quiet read and smoke, but with the in
stinct Of my craft had an eye and an ear
TO spare for passing words, persons and
events. Sitting near me was a grizzled and
heavily mustached man, we'll on the down
grade Of life He had the ear marks of
son of Mars whose career had not been
passed among the glitter and tinsel of
eastern service. Finishing my paper and
being inclined to chat, l made an excuse to
relight my cigar at his, and through this
common form Of acquaintance among men
began a conversation that cannot even at
this late day recall without shudder
YES" said the major in reply to my
question, II have seen some pretty hard
service. l never did care for eastern de
tails. Perhaps | might have got them
had ! tried. Ny life has been passed prin-
cpally on the plains of the far west among
the wilder Indian tribes. l thought would
finally be planted out there somewhere, but
II seems / am destined for another soil. Am
on fulough' No, sir, am not. am or
dered here for Observation-Disclosures sir,
from active duty. They say have outlived
my usefulness, and that must be inspected
end condemned like an old cavalry horse
They won't sell me at auction or shoot me
as they do the played out horse though;
they will simply shelve me with pay enough
to make me barely independent of the poor
house. The army in peace, sir, is like a
chimney In summer-nO one has much use
for 1t, and much less use is there for a super
ANIMATED old oodger like myself.
II wish could have wound up my mill
tary career as poor old Camille did. He died
like gentlemen. This thing of marching
to slow music never did suit me. How did
Camille dieY No, don't mind telling you.
Howling old night, isn't it, Light fresh
cigar, won't you?
Ndlllt WAS u captain III Nlt III IlOT5t.
Splendid fellow he was too. Always ready
for little toddy or a march. Six feet and
more. A pure Saxon blood. Reckless and
generous TO a fault. A stanch friend and
dangerous foe Equally keen for garrison
hop OF a brush with Indians A good liver
and Unfortunately fond of Welsh rarebit
about midnight. In fact, he rarely went to
bed without one when he was in garrison,
81 haA H. roth fpr TINT t1.ofhanrna a lab
1 probably would have nothing to tell you
shout poor old Camille
I'VE were stationed together at a remote
western post in 1855. Life was dull No
news Too cold for much drill, and the Indi-
ans quiet because they had been whipped
back on their reservation. A party of us
were in the officers room at the suffers
store, and we had been throwing dice for
drinks Garrison life at that time was par
hcularly stupid, and we had to do some
thing, you know. Camille proposed another
throw, but we had had enough.
Then, gentlemen said he, let's throw
to see who will die first
Most of the party declined the novel
proposal, though it was finally accepted by
the sutler and the post surgeon. The three
men threw the dice, and Cantle lost. Sew
sral of us jumped up and shook his hand a
goodby
"'All right said he, IN find out all the
good trails and grassy camps ON the other
side Of the Styx and be ready to guide you
fellows as you arrive
Another throw, and the doctor lost
Again we arose and congratulated him of
his near prospect of better life with Can
tie for guide
Mouse throwing again. said the canny
sutler. OF course as you two gentlemen
are to die first / must of necessity go last
You needn't bother about trails and camps
for me, Captain Camille; l shall get a good
Ruidebook. i have one now, in fact
1.-THE rear of the post guardhouse was
just In front of the suffers door, which at
that instant blew open, and there, back
against the rear of that lookup and sitting
upon his 'hunkies' bowling for dear life
was big black cur. 'Confound that dog
said the doctor, did you ever hear such an
unearthly howlY Whose beast Is itY' said
some one The sutler looked at him and
said, We'll, have been right at this post
for some 10 years, and will swear he does
not belong in it or about it; never saw him
before The suffers clerks and the party
generally looked at the animal, but no one
could recognize him. A well directed beer
bottle soon stopped his howl, however, and
with yelp he vanished. Curse that dog
again said the doctor, L don't like that
thing. l wonder where the brute came
fromp
"A new commanding officer arrived at
the post that afternoon, and l had a late
supper at my quarters that night Camille
and the new commander were both present,
and Welsh rarebit was the principal dish
You know that with rarebit one never
does want anything else TO eat. Camille ate
three big pieces. l saw his wife look I'm
easily at him, and after the party had gone
my own wife took me to task for helping
him the third time, but l said. My dear,
Camille is 81 years old, and he was a guest
at my table. Do you think would have
been justified in trying TO curtail his lood,
even though he is inclined to apoplexyp
1.-THE next morning l walked out at
reveille with the new commanding officer
to attend stable duty. The reveille gun had
been fired few minutes before, and the
u l.. l. a