Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-02-01
AN INCIDENT.

! Virginia FRANKLIN, in Harper's Ba-
zar:-The colonel was visiting us. This
was in itself an event in our family
Since he had taken command of the
| important station on the Pacific coast
| his visits We're rare. For three years
his shadow had not fallen athwart
our threshold, his legs had not been
under our oak 1--WE did not possess a
mahogany. nor had his voice sounded
through our dwelling. But one No
vember morning the head of the house
| hold announced, on opening his morn
ing mail, THE dear old colonel is east
On a two months leave and will spend
| Sunday with u.s.
To be sure, it was only one day.
| but we made the most of that. Our
military friend had not altered one
whit in appearance since our last
meeting, except that he was. if any
thing. handsomer than ever before
| When we speak of him as "our dear
| old friend 1t is a token of endear-
ment not meant to convey the impress
sion that he is beyond the prime of
life. The years that had paid us I'M
| due attention seemed to have forgot
| ten him. The soldierly carriage. the
| quick, piercing glance. the deferential
and inimitable manner, were the same
as ever, as was also the flow of humor
ard pathos which made cOnv erSation
with him Il pleasure never to be for
! gotten.
1t stormed all day Sunday. and we
had our friend to ourselves, but after
our late dinner. in spite of the in
| several callers, " no had heard of
| Colonel Lawrence'S presence in our
midst. dropped in" We all drew our
chairs about the great fireplace in the
| hall. and enjoyed the .cozinesS all the
n ore because of rafting panes and
| dashing rain. The colonel sat at one
! side of the circle. his eyes resting
dreamily upon the leaping flames. He
was an appreciative listener as we'll
! as an excellent talker. Tonight he was
in his happiest vein. Among our call
ers was the doctor, unenthusiastic and
scientific; the lawyer, keen and a trifle
Opinionated; the merchant, practical
and observant. and the man-whO-waS-
nothing -in-particular. I believe that he
| is generally present in even the most
select circles.
After an hours chat upon various
| topics. the head of the house arose and
deposited upon the ruddy embers sew
eral huge sticks of wood. which caused
the fire to go leaping and roaring up
the chimney.
"'Pile on the logs, the night grows
chilli" quoted the colonel. ''To my
mind, there is nothing in all this world
more deliciously comfortable and more
suggestive of home warmth than a
wood fire on the hearth, especially on
a stormy evening"
Colonel asked the lawyer, cynical
ly, "does not such night as this,
in a coy home like this, in the midst
of things as we are here, make you
long for the life of civilian?"
The colonel answered with one OF
his thoughtful smiles. "You forget
that, lovely as this life is, the army
is my home Not" he added "as safe
a home as this, but none the less
home"
"And why not as safe?" queried the
doctor. There is much talk about the
dangerous life of an army officer. Oh
course once in a generation there oc
ours an army tragedy. like the Custer
massacre, but it never struck me thai
it takes a great amount of courage tt
60 into the United States army II
these times Of peace"
''But if war comes we are there,
was the quiet response.
For my part" observed the mer
; chant, 81 have always thought of the
life of the West Point graduate as ont
. of many privations, small remunera
ton and scant appropriations"
eff that be So" said the man-who
, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS "there ar,
. probably lots Of heroic deeds perpe
trated by these army men which would
make awfully interesting stories. Col
; onel. don't you know a tale Of the sac
death of some plucky fellow of you
acquaintance? I dote on frontie
: army sketches. and know I voice TIL
sentiments Of the rest Of this groul
) when I beg for stOry-a true story
: don't you knowp'
2 The colonel drew several long puff
on his fra grant weed.
II am not much Of story-telle
where my heart is concerned" he sail
slowly, so I shall not attempt to spil
t a yarn to prove that there are BRAY
/, men in the army, in spite of the fac
/ that they may seem to the civilian
/ to be the petted darlings Of the GOV
: eminent and of the gentler sex. O
g their courage on the field. Of thei
f enforced separation from all they hol
4 most dear in this life. I say nothins
f Let their lives and records speak flo
i themselves To my thinking. the fac
: that man is a gentleman and so
e der in all that these terms imply
sufficient guarantee that he did nc
enter the army and swear allegfanc
: to the dearest old flag on Gods cart
lust for the sake Of an easy berth.