Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-05-24

lyt Il am Observation-Disclosures OIQCer In
command Of q company out for drill,
and there is my company, as you well
know"
Don't know nothin about that com.
pany. It's outside the lines, and you're
inside. Don't look much like company
anyhow"
Indeed the sentinel's sarcastic allu-
sion to the company was justified, as
the men danced and roared and fairly
hugged one another to see the difficulty
into which their stern sergeant had fall
en-. He made no further attempt to cross
the lines, but turned and strobe swiftly
toward headquarters, followed by fresh
burst of derisive laughter from his In.
subordinate command
In q short time he reappeared, and
exhibiting a pass to the sentinel ad-,
vanced toward his demoralized COM,
pGuy, and resuming his rife uttered the
single word, Attention.
Every face instantly sobered, for ev.,'
cry man felt that not only was Tom
deeply offended, but that retribution'
was close at hand Very quietly he
gave the order: "By the right flankl
Right face. company! Forward, marchp
and retribution began
1t was December. Snow had fallen
some days before, then rain, followed by
day or two of unseasonably warm
weather The country roads, tramped
by troops of drilling cavalry and plowed
by teams and loaded wagons, were all
slush, water and very tenacious. deep
mud
Straight to this abominable highway
Tom marched Company L Directly into
the middle of the road, where the mud
was thickest and the water deepest, the
boys wheeled in obedience to his stern
command. Then, as unconcernedly as
though on the most perfect parade
ground in the world, he issued his or
ders: n
"By company, into platoonsl Left in
to line, WHEEL On right, by file into
lineP' and through all the evolutions. q
At one moment Company charged
bayonets down that fearful road at dou-'
BILE quick, at another wheeled in circle
through slush, while Tom noted defects
and corrected them Us nonchalantly as
though on a grassy lawn. q
For full hour and halt. long after
recall had sounded, without halt or rest,
Tom maneuvered that weary company.
At last wet, weary and half exhaust.
ed, the mud bedraggled company was
led to quarters by its inexorable COM
mander. Throughout that remarkable
drill the only words Tom uttered that
indicated the state of his feelings were
spoken as he gave the command of dis
missal Il
Company, right facet" he ordered
"Arms aportl When you fellows would
like to defy discipline again. let me
know. Break ranks, marchP' J.
And so ended the proceeding. which
was known as 'Tom Crandall' 8 march"
as long as Company was an organiza-
tion. 3
In the days which followed the boys
of Company I came to know their order
ly sergeant better and learned to respect
and appreciate his military qualities
for if his literal Interpretation Of orders
sometimes tended to their inconven-
ience it oftener led to their comfort
and well being, and in more instances
than one to the preservation Of some Of
their lives. p
Poor Tom sleeps today in the silent
camping ground, and many Of his old
companions are with him. but with each
returning spring the floral emblems Of
his surviving comrades are laid upon
his grave as tenderly as though that gro
tesque march, of which he was the hero,
had never been.-George Fl. Hosea in
Youths Companion. q