Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-03-01

A Long NJ There Was Five Do1lars nay
In It For Him.
The nearest friends of Opie Read, the
novel writer, would not suspect that
he had achieved military rank. He is
q most unmilitary- looking man, who
can not be induced TO wear 30 much OF
CANDY trapping as \ printed badge ON
any occasion no matter how great
Besides, with the exception that he
was born in Tennessee and lived sew
eral years In Kentucky and Arkansas,
it is not generally known that there Is
any reason why he should have mill
tary title.
But Read was once major under
commission in military service.
What was known rs the .tPerryville
war" in Arkansas in 1882, was riotous
strike that had to be controlled by the
state militia A large body OF the ma
tional guard was sent to the scene nm
der command of Gen. Bob Newton. and
these troops were encamped there sew
eral weeks
Opie Read, who was then a reporter
for Little Rock daily newspaper, was
sent to the front as that Journals
official correspondent in the field, and
being close friend of the commanding
officer, that gentleman sent for Read,
and in order to give him the comforts
and advantages of headquarters, APP
pointed him to be major and aide-de-
camp, with all the honors and emoln-
ments pertaining to such a position.
OF course Maj. Read paid no atten-
-, NJ
service, and doubtless slept soundly
long after '.reveil1e," and played poker
and wrote his newspapr letters with
out regard to tattoo" and TAPS"
One day during the war" Read had
been writing one of his letters for the
Daily Gazette in Gen. Newton's mar
quee and was in the act of folding and
enveloping it to send away in the mail
when the general said to him:
Here, / want to read that letter be-
fore it goes"
You read it?" qneried the news
paper major.
Eyes, sir. I want to see if it con-
tains anything contraband of war"
s.But don't intend to let you read
it,
81 demand it, sir, rs your superior
officer"
Il don't care what you demand. You
can't see that letter until it is printed
in the paper
I'll have you court-martialed for
INSTRUMENTATION, Mai. Reed"
Dun ing this dialogue Gen. Newton
had maintained very serious face,
and he fairly bristled with military
dignity.
Read began to regard the matter Sc
reriously also. as Gen. Newton was
usually jolly and unconventional
To the last remark of the officer the
CORES pondent replied interrogatively:
.Jourt-martial me? How can you
have me court-martialed?"
To which Gen. Ne wton replied:
You are major, sir, and aide-de
camp on my staff, under pay of s5 per
day from the state by virtue of this
commission presenting parchment
rolf, and yet You refuse to obey my or
ders. and / am commandant here.
shall prefer charges and have you
court-nartialed, SIR
That was the first intimation Read
had received that he was on any other
payroll than that of the newspaper he
was serving. But now he blurted out:
Say, Bob, am / to get IS day as
| major on your staff?''
That is your pay" said Gen. Bob.
Read broke out all over in big and
audible smiles. pushed the manuscript
across the table toward the officer, and
said:
Take the stuff. Read it and let the
war go on.--Chicago Inter-Ocean.