The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-09-02

antagonisms. But Corporal Bond, who
was 4 soldier from love of it, and whose
chief pride was in the daring efficiency
of the old regiment, did not reckon
from instinct alone. lie observed tilt
Private Myers accepted the petty an
noyanccs attendant upon joining with
a meckness that WAS not becoming. He
had even shown no disposition to fight
when he found his blanket knotted
ropc-wise. This, Corporal Bond argued,
could be true of only a mcau-spirited
creature. He was sorry such a recruit
had gotten into the regiment, but being
there he must be educated up to the
regiments standard. This Corporal
Bond regarded as bis own mission; he
set himself apart for it, and devoted
himself to it And he proceeded to de-
velop the military essentials of the
weak nature by ''deviling' the unfor-
tunate Myers at all hours, thereby in
dicating to him the necessity of n fight.
And the two men did not love each
other.
81 don't care for these peace soldiers
myself-thesc chaps that get into the
army for the sake of board. clothes and
lodgings" said the corporal. "A man
don't eat much unless he's hungry, but
Il soldier should always have a stomach
for fighting. That is what he's nero
for" Then he would try to work up a
proper appetite on the part of Private
Myers: but his efforts did not meet
with the success he longed for.
One singing mid-yinter day the
guard detail from II company included
both Corporal Bond and Private Myers.
The first sergeant, being busy with the
monthly returns, was excused from
marching on the detail at guard mount
ing, and that duty fell to Corporal
Bond. After performing this slight
function. he would take his place in the
line of fle-closers and become himself
a member of the guard. He was care
full to inform himself of the position OF
the detail in line; and then indicated
to Private Myers his particular place.
To the superficial eye of the ad-
jutant, shivcring in front of the line
and devoutly wishing the ceremony
was over, the disposition of the detail
seemed to nave been made with due re-
gard for symmetry IN sizing up" But
when the guard had been marched to
its post and had been told off into re-
liefs it was found that Private Myers
had post No. 3 of the second relief.
The older soldiers, chuckling at their
own escape. grinned anticipatively at
the idea Of miid-mannered Myers suf-
fering on that exposed beat. They
were denied the satisfa :tiol of know
ing if Myers understood the situation,
for he said nothing, did nothing hat
could be construed into an admission.
When the hour came for posting the
second relief for its first tour of night
duty, Corporal Bond assumed command
of Private Myers, and relieved the old
sentinel on No. 5; and while he wan
dered away by himself in the direction
whence cleaned the far red lights of
the guardhouse. the corporal remained
TO instill into the mind of Private Myers
a wholesome fear of the perils of his
calling on that particular occasion.
"You know the limits of your post at
night" said he. From the corner of
the ordnance storehouse around to the
lower end of the corral, along the bank
of the cut. It's n nasty place, and
you'll have to keep your eyes open.
Myers. A mar that's no mor of a
scrapper than you are could be killed
twenty times over along the cut; a
belt over your head, a knife under your
chin, and then you &c tumbling down
into the waterway. There's plenty
would do it, too. for the sake of the
stealing they could get OIL your post
I'm telling you this for your own good.
There's the woodward. Those sticks
would make handy weapons for a man
creeping up behind you. Cord-wood
costs money, too, q here. Govern
ment can afford it, but folks can't. II
they get any at all, they steal it. and
they don't object to a little thing like