The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-03
NO SOUP MONDAY.
The Cooking Stove Too High and the
Axe Lost.
A Joke for the Privates AMI a Serious
Matter for the Officers of the United
Train of Artillery.

The chap that tied the horse thought it
was joke, but the man that the horse
was tied to looked at the situation differ
emily. This Is about the relation
that exists between the officers and
privates OF the United Train OF Artilleryat
the present time. Some of the privates
think it's quite lark. How long they
will think so is aquestion.
Many a harum- -scarum prank has been
recorded of members of this
oldest military organization since
King George OF England granted
its charter. That was about the
time that George Washington was sharp
ening his hatchet, and before they burnt
the tea that the tablet on the Board OF
Trade building commentaries today. In
fact it was before the war.
When the result OF the pranks became
whole blame to "Brady and Null
ligan" and the officers looked
up Brady and Mulligan only
to find that they had died two or three
years before the act was committed, for
which they stood charged.
"Brady and Mulligan" are sal TO be
responsible for little racket that hap
pened in the old armory on Canal street
last Wednesday evening, but the officers
are inclined to let the deceased rest in
peace this time and look for
the real cnlprits. When they are found,
perhaps the State will have another court
martial on its hands.
The police are interested in the matter
too, for they have an old grudge to liquid
the blue coats strongly suspect
their soldier neig hbors across the street
from the Central station of having stolen
watermelon when watermelons were
in season.
1t il recorded that policeman "bor-
rowedr watermelon from a Canal
street wholesaler and took il TO the
| castle. Leaving ii on the sill
of an open front window the
"peeler" went into the officers room TO
invite the head men TO tho feast. When
they came back they found that Mother
Hubbard history had repeated itself-the
window was bare.
The front door of the armory across the
street was open. A few privates looked
as though they had taste for Watermelon,
but no proof was ever obtained that
they "hookcd" the fruit.
Now the police propose to get
even. They have received n
complaint that on midnight, We'd
nesday, members of the United
Train, forced open the front door OF the
armory and committed serious malicious
mischief. Names of suspects have been
furnished and the guilty ones are being
shadowed.
PrIice on the lookout.
When the armorer closes the broad en-
trance, generally about IL 80 O'Clock each
night, the rifle shop is considered shut
up. To push the door open after that
hour is looked upon as breaking and en-
tering.
Anyway, Wednesday night, the front
door was opened after the sr0orer quit
10 q a
stairs and toyed with the nishings.
The top floor is supplied with lot
OF Kitchen utensils suitable TO
cook rations for siege or march,
and dishes that will accommodate old
"hoss" or bean soup. The midnight
ware in conspicuous pyramid
and then with stout cord raised the cook
ing stove to the rafters overhead and tied
it there. Then they took the axe, erst-
while on peace footing, and made ii
weapon OF destruction by cleaving the
rather-wors for-wear floor.
1t must be remembered that this is a
very old armory, and it is an open question
whether some of the privates dislike the
armory or the armorer most. IL is said,
however, that the nrmorer is not popular
and this method is taken to
annoy him. A short time ago,
presumably the same offenders scattered
the accumulated winters ashes over the
armory and the armorer had deuce of
a time cleaning up. Previous TO that the
belligerents sawed out a beam supporting
the roof which led to the impress
sion that they hated the premises.
These several depredations, were
at the time, investigated and BRADY and
"Mulligan" were held responsible. A first
sergeant, formerly acquein inted with tho
two mentioned said that they Woulu have
a hot time finding them.
However, be that as IL may, this last es-
capade is not to be overlooked, and those
who had no respect for that stove
and those plates and that axe are in iui-
minent danger of being cashierCd. II the
police get them they VIII understand that
the way of the watermelon transgressor
is very tough.
The pyramid and floor gashes are Just as
cooking stove still dangcs frcm
the rafters. There they will
remain rs evidence that somcore was in
the armory sometime last week who
wanted TO be sociable with
the surroundings. Monday even
and Colonel Van Slyck will probably pre-
side over as serious a meeting as been
held i'm the old pace for many days.
Come TO think OF IL there was TO have
been battalion soup Monday even
ing. These soups have for years been
oases in the dreary lives of the privates,
and the one scheduled was 60 be stun
ner; q regular financial panic, hard times,
suffering, poor soup that would have
reached the marrow Of the now shivering
privates who We're seen on Canal street
Wednesday evening. These soup events
have been regarded as unique.
About 30 per cent. oi the battalion re-
solves itself into n committee % the whole
when night j. set apart for festival
Of this character. You see they are
i'm prolific free raw material
neighborhood. Each soldier" makes him
/ self a foraging expedition. AT niehtfall