The morning call., 1893-03-19

saddle.
We had got nearly half way down to our
doom when l twitched my bride little to
make the horse go faster. and | guess that
must have given the signal TO my trick
horse to do one of his numerous tricks. At
any rate the first thing that knew was that
the animal had sat down like dog, and that
/ was gracefully sliding off backward. |
lit on my feet and ran around TO his head to
see that he did not run away, but he evil
IDENTIFY had no intentions of leaving my
company, or even going away with me, and
he probably would have been sitting there
yet but for the corporal in charge, who had
had experience before with the same animal
lie knew how to start the beast into action
again, and he instructed me IN the art, which
was to get onto his back again and lean
forward and tickle his ears. did so, and
he rose so suddenly that | had to lock my
arms around his neck TO keep from going
over his head into the road. Needless to
say, | was very careful how | used the reins
Oh him after that.
With no further incident except a short
trot which diSmOunted two out of four of
the 'greenies," we arrived at the sand lot
and went in. The corporal was very careful
TO shut and faSten the gate after we had
gone through, and this looked very sug-
gestiye, to say the least. We thanked him,
mentally, before we got through for thus
saving us walk back to the barracks.
The first stage of torture was not so very
bad, as he allowed us to walk our horses
around the Enclosure few times; but the
rest was not so easy. 1t was trOt from
one end to the other. aud though he started
us with three yard intervals it was not two
minutes before my legs felt as if they were
in wise, and still getting closer to each
other, they soon felt rs if they were being
made Into cider. This is an excellent way
to reduce fat. We trotted back aud forth
few times and then tried eallop. l say
tried" because there were feur horses to
catch before we had gone ten feet.
renewed my practice OF sliding off back
ward and another tried to go out of the
front door, over the horses ears. and sue
ceeded. The others cOntented themselves
with an exit sideways, but as the sand was
soft nobody was hurt.
The corporal smiled very goOd-naturedly,
caught the horses and again we mounted.
/, at least, had already begun TO feel that |
would have to take MY meals in a standing
position for the next few weeks, and had
any body offered me pillow then and there
L should have vowed eternal friendship for
that person. Oar commander gave US a
few minutes rest at this interesting juno
ture and We appreciated it.
used to be considered an expert al Jump
ing street. cars and thought nothing Of
boarding a railr0ad-traIn at an ordinary
rate of speed, but when the "non-cum."
told us that he would let us practice at
mounting on the trOt and gallop l thought
that would fall dead on suspicion. But he
kept his word and two Of the horses were
tied TO the fence and their riders placed
themselves in the middle of the lot to await
the arrival, on the trOt. of the others.
was one of the lucky 90 ones who were
allowed TO retain their horses at the first
inning, and l thought that l would 90
through with flying colOrs. l kicked my
trick horse In the ribs, but | guess that |
must have touched a hidden spring, for he
began to waltz toward tho man who was
waiting for me. He did not attempt to
mount that limo hut PiiDo nod ba
with such speed that disinterested specta-
tor would have thought that he had been
caught stealing watermelons and was try
ing TO escape the owner of the patch.
soon got tired of the dizzy dance and got
oil. How did so need not be recorded, but
L brought up in a sitting position i'll the
sand.
The horse was caught and I made the at
tempt again and, Pursuant TO instructions,
held out one hand and foot to the man who
desired to escape the enemy in my COM
pany. | think that we would have sue
ceeded IN doing the trick had not the horse
SHE'D and landed US both on the sand,
locked in each others embrace.
This ended the drill and we went back to
the stable and put away our steeds. | was
never so tired and so hungry before in nv
life as | was that night and l went TO bed
at O'Clock.
The next two mornings we practiced in
the manual of the carbine aud saber dis
lHOunISht huh III Lic dlbttuUUl Win llle
same implements mounted; that is after
we had spent another hour learning to
mount ana diSmouut with a saddle. The
dism0unted drill is easy enough. but what
time we had with the mounted saber drill.
The mysteries of draw saber" were eX-
planned, and in fact the whole manual, and
there was not any special trouble; but
when the exercises came we were not so
fortunate. There is knot on the saber hit
which is fastened around the wrist ana
. ,fr oil rf.V.
the moulinejs. The right and left were
all right but when the one to the rear came
L knocked OFT my cap, and, in trying to save
II. jabbed my horse IN the back with the
point OF the saber. OF course he bolted, and
/ went with him, for the reason ! was afraid
to fall off. finally succeeded in calming
the poor beast ana returned to my place.
He suffered more that day than | did, for
while executing the command Right cut" |
nearly executed the horse, and had he not
lowered his head he would now have been
minus n portion of his ears. The Against
infantry, right point" was very disastrous
experiment to me. In this movement the
rider leans over TO the right aud points his
weapon at an imaginary foe on foot, and
when | made the attempt to do this | lost
my balance and fell upon tie spot where
my foe was supposed TO be. II he had been
there he would have surely been killed as |
lit in very ungraceful position, and drove
my saber into the ground over eighteen
inches.
This ended the trials for that week, as the
next day was Sunday and there was no
drill except in cleaning the horses twice.
After this the manuals of the differ emit
weapons came easier TO me and l could ride
several hours without feeling sore. and al
though knew that | must be in the sauad
for three months | began to like the life
and | do yet There is but little hard work
in the cavalry tro0r, plenty of good food,
all the accommodations of home in the bar
-, No. -, =,
building.
There is also reading-room in the build
ing, in which there are all the papers of the
city. the funny papers of New York, ETC.,
and first-class billard-table for the use OF
the troopers. On cold day there are sew
eral large stoves 10 gather around, when the
men can listen to stories by the old soldiers,
for this is the troop that captured Geron-
limo, the noted Indian, and some of these
stories are worthy of print.
On rainy days there is no drill, and If a
man is on guard he gets into the sentry box
on his beat instead of walking past and the
whole life is one in which man can have
good time generally. II he is sick or gets
injured, thing which seldom occurs, he is
taken to the post hospital where,he receives
the best Of medical attendance and care
from the stewards, and draws his pay Tor
the whole time.
In fact il man is careful in the army he
need not spend cent of his pay, even for
his clothes, and can save the whole S13 per
month, against rainy day when his time
is served out. In addition TO his pay he gets
81 per month as retainer after his first
three years have passed. and still another
81 after four years of service, and the term
Is only five years
This makes total of SS16 that a man can
save during his term in the army. OF course
he can make even more if he is a good
enough soldier to receive the appointment
of a nUn-commissiOued officer,