Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-06-12

Tor the reason, yOuu see IL Wnen you |
open ranks for review and we come to
action 'front.' then our line will be ex-
actly that Of the infantry. Meantime, !
sir, it isn't for US to go ahead. We've |
gone as far as we can until your adju- |
tant makes the next move"
But Braxton had ridden away dis
gusted before Cram wound up his re-
marks.
go on, Maj. Minor; just run this
thing without reference to the battery.
Damned if understand their methods.
Let Cram look after his own affairs; if
he goes wrong, why-it's none of our
concern"
And so Minor had nodded ego ahead"
to Mr.. Drake, and presently the whole
command made its bow, so to speak, to
Minor as its immediate chief, and then
| he drew sword and his untried voice
became family audible. The orders:
prepare for review" and "to the rear
| open order" were instantly followed
| by a stentorian faction front" down at
| the left, the instant leap and rush of
some thirty nimble cannoneers, shouts
| of ''drive onl'' the cracking of whips,
| the thunder and rumble of wheels, the
thud of plunging hoofs. Forty-eight
| mettlesome horses in teams of two
abreast went dancing briskly away to
the rear, at sight of which Minor
dropped his jaw and the point of his
sword and sat gazing blankly after
them, over the bowed head of his placid
sorrel, wondering what on earth it
meant that they should all be running
away, at the very instant when he ex-
pected them to brace up for review. But
before he could give utterance to his
thoughts eight glossy teams in almost
simultaneous sweep to the left about
came sharply around again. The black
muzzles of the guns were pointed to
the front, every axle exactly in the
prolongation of his front rank, every
little group of red-topped, red-trimmed
cannoneers standing erect and square,
the chiefs of section and of pieces sit
ting like statues on their handsome
horses, the line of 1imbers accurately
covering the guns, and, still farther
back, Mr.. Pierce could be heard shout
ing his orders for the alignment of the
caissons. In the twinlzling of an eye
the rush and thunder were stilled, the
battery without the twitch of a muscle
stood ready for review, and old Brax,
sitting gloomily in saddle at the re-
viewing point, watching the stirring
sight with gloomy and cynical eye,
was chafed still more to hear in a sill
very voice from the group of ladies the
unwelcome words: ''Oh, wasn't that,
prettyv He meant with all his heart
to pull in some of the plumage of those
COMPOUNDED ''woodpeckers," as he
called them, before the day was over.
In grim silence, therefore, he rode
along the front of the battalion, tax
ing little comfort in the neatness of
their quaint, old-fashioned garb, the
single-breasted, long-skirted frocl
coats, the bullying black felt hats
looped up on one side and decked 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
/ onet scabbards. It was all trim and
so1dierly, but he was bottling up his
sense Of annoyance for the benefit
Of Cram and his people. Yet, what
could he say9 Neither he nor Mi
nor had ever before been brought
| into such relations with the light
l artillery, and he simply didn't
j know where to hit. Lots of things
, looked queer, but after this mi
t tial experience he felt it best to say
t nothing until he could light on a point
that no one could gainsay, and he
e found it in front of the left section.
"Where is Mr.. Warning, sir?" he
l. stern1y asked.
/, ct wish knew, colonel. His horse
came back without him, as you doubt
}, less saw, and, as he hasn't appeared,
}, am afraid of accident"
Il GLOW did he come to leave his post
e sir? 1 have no recollection of author
7. izing anything of the kind"
9 Certainly not, colonel He rode
g back to his quarters with my consent
d before adjutants call had sounded
is and he should have been with us agar
n in abundant time"
n "That young gentleman needs more
Il discipline than he is apt to get at thi
l. rate, Capt. Cram, and desire that you
5, pay closer attention to his move
ID ments than you have done in the past
n Mr.. Drake" he said to his adjutant
& who was tripping around after hi
a chief afoot, "can on Mr.. Warning to ex
plain his absence in writing and with
s. out delay. This Indifference to dut.
lg Is something to which am utterly un
l. accustomed" continued Braxton again
addressing Cram, who preserved mos
Is incorporating serenity of counter
I'd ance; and with this parting shot tn
Or colonel turned gruff1y away and soo1
at retook his station at the reviewing
IN point.
Id Then came the second hitch. Mino
y, had had no experience whatever, a
30 has been said, and he first tried t.
IN wheel into column of companies with
ry out closing ranks, whereupon every cap
n tain promptly cautioned "Stand fast,
lie and thereby banished the last remnan
'r- of Minors senses. Seeing that some
m thing was wrong, he tried again, thi
"a time prefacing with 'Pass in review,
and still the captains were implacable
In The nearest one, in a stage whisper
ad tried to make the major hear ''Clos
he order, first" But all the time Bra
ng was losing more of his temper an
ty Minor what was left of his head, an
Brax came down like the wolf on tn
In fold, gave the command to 'Clos
en- order" himself, and was Instant
he echoed by Grams powerful shout Lin