Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1895-02-23

in loneliness, for it was impossible,
save at rare intervals, for his old com
rades to reach him now. He wondered
how Connie could sing so hap
PLY about the house. Surely
she and Bertha, the middle-agcd
maid-of-all-worll, had accomplished
wonders with the little sum he
could devote to household ex-
penscs. Lot and Billy looked hearty
and rosy and well-fed and clothed
when they came tunbling noisily in
from school, Comics sweet face and
slender form were rounded. The dark
circles under the big brown eyes were
gone. Here he was, hardly daring to
eat, thinking how soon they might be
left without bite, sup or cent Yet
Connie smiled and sang, and was pick
ing up little household words and
phrases in German, and blushingly ac-
costed Schramn in his native tongue
when Schramm came, as he rarely
failed to come, twice, thrice, or oftener
during the week, to pay his respects to
the gnadige Fraulein, and to see what
he could do for the Herr Rittmeister,
tons coming, had vainly protested
against the further use of the name
Schramm, had insisted that the time
had come for the German sergeant to
drop his punctilious observance of the
Difference due all superior officers, and
had informed Connie that he should be
addressed as Herr Won Rhetz; but it
was all to no purpose. Schramm for
babe. 81 left my name with my past
when came to enlist in this army"
said he Il had to win q future for
myself, and SO took my mother S name
meantime. Call me by that SO long as
| wear the blue" Indeed. he couldn't
bear to have the gnadige Frauiein ad-
dress him as sergeant" at all He
said that from the first he loved to
| watch her lips as she struggled with
| the combination that finally gave ut
| teranee toa Sch-r-r-ramm. There could
be no question that he loved to watch
her lips, no matter what she might be
saying, and small blame to him either.
| But out at Ransom Schramm was
| becoming notability in earnest.
| Despite his plea to Col. Thornton to
keep secret as yet the story of his diff
| ference with his stern old father, his
retirement from the German service,
| his practical Punishment from home,
and then the proffered forgiveness and
| reconciliation, there were SO many
| suspicions that the Thorntons were
| piled with questions they could not al
| together dodge. Everyone knew hy
| this time Schramm had money IN
| plenty, and that it was deposited in a
| German bank in the east YES" said
| Thornton, that was his mothers for
tune, which had become his own" but
/ the colonel refused to tell more, saying
the soldier had perfect right to serve
out his time as Schramm and nothing
else. Everybody saw, however, the
courtesy and distinction with which
the Thorntons, father and son, treated
him-Perry, in fact, waxing hot and
wanting to fight an ill-conditioned,
cross grained subaltern who sneered
| at him. Schramm's box was kept in
the vault of the First national now,
where the cashier and other officials
would fain have treated him with
greater Difference than they showed
his officers, had Schramm permitted it.
! He would never enter the bank
1 when an officer was there, and should
one happen in, even the veri-
est cub in the whole garrison,
Schramm would spring back ). from
the counter and stand attention and
at salute, never presuming to come
forward again until the shoulder straps
had vanished. This naturally gave um-
bragg to the public, which, very prop
erly, preferred moneyed sergeants to
mortgaged subs. but no one at the post
could trnthfully say that Schramm
ever in the faintest way failed in the
respect and Difference due his superiors
In grade.
On the other hand, there were those
who saw that Schramm's new captain
was taking frequent opportunity to
treat. the young German with scant
courtesy; it was apparent from the
moment Of the return of the troop
from the field. They had already be-
gun the homeward march when
Schramm was ordered by Tintop te
await their return to headquarters
but Capt. Bragg declared that Schramn
had shirked his duty with the troop
The medal of honor awarded him was
presented by Tintop and pinned on
Schramm's breast in presence of the
4 whole command, and Bragg sneered al
the colonel's commendatory remarks
and sneered again in Thornton's pres
/ ence as the troop marched In from
parade. Perry was already disgusted
with having to serve longer in d troop
but no transfer could be. obtained
Schramm's duties in barracks and
stables were most scrupulously per
formed, but never to the extent of win
ming expression OF satisfaction from
Bragg. Schramm rarely asked to be ex
cnsed from duty, but often put in for {
pass to goto town. There was no goot
reason for refusing SO good man, Sc
Bragg growled and, grumbled, ant
finally said he couldn't have his horse!
ridden all over creation, and Schramn
must walk thereafter or hire coacf
and-four. Schramm never by word o.
sign showed irritation. He receivef
! the blunt; ifl-natured reply with silen'
salute.s he hired Gurranas buggy, and
then, an evening or two thereafter
! just before stables, came Looping bacl
/ from Butte on q splendid bay, Lieut.
g Edwards favorite horse, which that OF
fcer had vainly asked three hundred
i for when he needed money to go cas-
Ion sick leave, and falling to obtain hi