Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-12-13

and 50, when finally they reached the
wild romantic hills and were distrib-
uted among the regiments there await
ing them, Schramn looked with won
derment in his soul, if not in his eyes,
at the slouch-hatted, rough-shirted, un-
shaven officers, at the ragged mob of
tons of horses, and marveled that his
strange fortunes had made him sol
der in so strange service.
Wisely he kept his views to himself,
making no comment even to the Ger
mans, who were disposed to be So
ciable and to question him as to his an
tecedents. In two days a strong col
umn marched away-all broken-down
men and horses and all raw recruits
being left behind-but with Schramm
evidently an educated cavalryman, rid
ing buoyantly in the ranks of d troop
on the spirited roam he had bestridden
all the way from the'railway. What
ever they look" thought he, ''these
fellows are nightly at home on the
frontier" Sergt. Schultz explained
that they always left their uniforms in
garrison when in the field after In
dams, but called his attention to the
fact that they never lived better in the
old country than these rough-loolSing
fellows were living now. Already the
ills of the summer were forgotten.
Whether he forgot or not, Schramm
made no reply. lie was well content
with his rations for field appetite is a
wondrous sauce, and soldier coffee,
with bacon, beans, Clutch oven"
bread and antelope steak have a relish
in the keen October air known only to
the frontiersman. Schramm, from
looking pale, peaked, and a trifle pa
thetic when he stepped from the crowd
ed train at the railway, had sprouted
fuzzy beard, blistered the skin of his
checks and nose in the hot MONDAY
sunshine, scared his eyelids by in
temperate additions In allxali water,
and was making commendable prog
ress in plainscraft and plains English.
In three weeks scouting down the
South Cheyenne, with the Bad Lands
on the right and worse lands on the
left, he became so proficient in the cav
airy art of pre-empting a good patch of
n ass for his horse that his troop com
mander, closely watching his new re-
cruit, remarked that that young fellow
would be valuable non-commissioned
officer some day, If he hadn't been al
ready. Like the Germans of his het-
erogeneous troop, the captain was of the
opinion that Schramm had a history.
One evening, far down the valley
where not an Indian had been seen or
heard of, the outlying sentries report
ed bunch of black tailed deer In the
foothills to the northwest Lieut.. Nor
gan was in command Of the guard, and
his captain was officer Of the day. Nor
gan took a squad of three or four men,
mounted and rode away down the
wind, while a party Of officers seram-
bled up the bank to the edge of the
broad prairie to watch the sport. 1t
was just then that Schramm, his blue
eyes ablaze, clicked his heels together,
stood bolt upright, and began, color
ing even redder In combined eagerness
and embarrassment, "Bitte, Herr Ritz |
meister," then, desperately plunging |
into troopers English as he had heard |
1t spoken: kin | go along NIT dem fell |
lers alretty?" and as Manning nodded |
he saluted with marked precis-
ion, bored hole with his heel in the
nlkali dust in punctilious execution
of the "kehrt," sprang bareback on his
horse and rode away, carbine in hand, |
after his trooper comrades. Half an
hour went by, and the herd, still I'M
continued TO Craze. The
hunters were out of sight among the
iepressions of the surface. The cap
tain sent for his field glass, and other
officers joined him and levelled their
on the distant quary-just
a deer family having quiet dinner to-
yether in sheltered ravine opening
out into the broad bottom of the
stream Presently, one after another.
threesor four black objects crawled
around a poiEt. Wonders Morgan
said the watchers. Suddenly the deer
family tossed high their heads. then
larted away into the hills and were
,ut of sight In an instant. Two or
.hree of the younger officers set up
augh of derision: Pretty hunting,
hat isl' But the elders looked grave
What scared them" was this query.
The black dots of hunters had halted,
in surprise. There seemed
% be a moment Of consultation, and
hen all three could be seen running
,ack in the direction in which they
anne.
'-Going for the horses to chase the
Ieer," laughed young Leonard, who
neered at Morgan's claims as a deer
talker.
''Chase be hanged Look therel the
eer are chasing them"
Then up rose every man in mad ex-
itement, for their senior lieutenant,
fr. Ray. had sprung to his feet and
ushed for his horse. Deer, you
ahmed fooli It's Indiansr' he cried;
nd, shouting for some of the guard TO
ollow him, Mr.. Ray threw himself
pom his nimble sorrel and darted out
yer the prairie to the rescue. In
minute half a fozen men were string
lg along aftet him, while the alarm
ounded among the cotton-woods and 1