The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-12-14

germans in tho horror of this morning 8
tidings Bat Sibley is miles and miles
away. and, as Mrs.. Wheeler says, aren e
you glad ii ygasn't ours?
Out at tie fort there is different
scene. The morning journals and tho
clicking tclc Graph Send atlrill through
out the whole command The train has
barely whistie,i ont Of sight when tho
ringing notes of officers call resound
through the quadrangle and over tho
broader drill ground beyond. Wonder
ing, bat prompt, the staid captains and
eager subalterns come hurrying to head.
quarters, and the band, that had como
forth and taken its station on the pa
rade, all ready for guard mount, goes
quickly back, while tho men gather in
big squads along tho shaded row Of
their quarters and watch the rapid as
sembly at the Office. And there old
Chester. with kindling eyes, reads to
the silent company the brief official or
der Aye, though it be miles and miles
away, fast rs steam and wheel can tako
it, the good old regiment in all its
sturdy strength goes forth to join the
rescue of the imprisoned comrades far
in the Colorado Rockies Have your
entire command in readiness for imme-
diato field service i'll the department Of
the Platte. Special train will be there
to take you by noon at latest" And
though many u man has lost friend and
comrade in the tragedy that calls them
forth, and though many brow clouds
for the moment with the bitter news of
such useless sacrifice, every eye bright
ems, every muscle seems to brace, every
nerve and pulse to throb and thrill with
the glorious excitement of quick assem-
bly, and coming action. Aye, we arc
miles and miles away We leave tho
dear old post, with homes and firesides,
wives, children and sweethearts, all to
the care of the few whom sickness or
old wounds or advancing years render
unfit for hard, sharp marching, and,
thank God, Wen be there to take q
hand and help those gallant fellows out
of their corral or TO have one good
blow at the cowadly hounds who lured
and lied to them!
How the assembly rings ON tho
morning air How quick they spring to
the ranks. those eager bearded faces and
trim blue clad forms! How buoyant and
brisk even the elders seem as the cap.
tains speed over to their company quar-
ters and the quick, stirring orders are
given: Field kits; all the cooked IA
lions you have Oh hand; overcoat,
blanket, extra socks and underclothes;
every cartridge you've got; haversack
and canteen and nothing else. Now get
ready--lively! How irrepressible is
the cheer that goes up! How we pity
the swells Of tho light battery who have
to stay How wistful those fellows look,
and how eagerly they throng about the
barracks, yearning to %, and, since that
is denied, praying to be o. use i'll some
way! Small wonder is it that all the
hustle and excitement penetrates the
portals of Mr.. Jerrold's darkened quar-
ters and the shutters are thrown open
and his bandaged head comes forth.
"What is it, Harris?" he demands Of
a light batteryman who is hurrying past
"Orders for Colorado, sir. The regi
ment goes by special train. Major Thorn
toms commands been massacred, and
there's q big fight ahead"
My God! Here, stop one moment!
Run over to Company B and see if you
can find my servant or Merrick or
somebody. If not, you come back quick
/ want to send note to Captain Armi
tage.
Il can take il, sir. Wore not going.
The band and the battery have to stay.
And Jerrold, with trembling hand
and feverish haste, seats himself ut the
same desk whence on that fatal morning
he sent the note that wrought such dis
aster, and as he rises and hands his
missive forth, throwing wide open the
shutters as he does so, his bedroom door
flies open, and whirling gust of the
wind sweeps through from rear
to front, and half score of bills and
billets, letters and scraps of paper, go
out upon the parade
by heaven" he mutters, that's
how it happened, is it? Look at them
go!" for going they were, i'll spiral ed
dies or fluttering skips, up the grassy
quad and over among the rose
bushes of Alice Renwick's garden. Over
on the other side of the narrow, old
fashioned frontier fort the men We're
bustling about, and their eXultant, eager
voices rang out on the morning air. All
was life and animation, and oven i'll
Jerrold's selfish soul there rose respon-
sive echo to the soldiery spirit that
seemed to pervade the whole command.
1t was their first summons to active field
duty with prospective battle since he had
joined, and with all his shortcomings
as "duty" officer in garrison and his
many frailties of character, Jerrold was
not the man TO Turk in the rear when
there was danger ahead. 1t dawned OH
him with sudden and crushing force
that now it lay in the power of his enc
mics to do him vital injury; that he
could be held here at the post like q
felon, mark for every fin
ger, q target for every tongue, while ev-
cry other officer of his regiment was
hurrying with his men to take his
share in the coming onset 1t
was intolerable, shameful. He paced
the floor of his little parlor in nervous
misery, ever and anon gazing from the
window for sight of his captain. It was
m him, ha had xvri tto,, ,,,,,;,r, thot I,o