The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-14

RI s+on fine row until it had burned itself
and the shack inside out. The people
rallied to the support or the saloon Keep
er-he at least, was a man and Droth-
er a voter and, when he couldn't lie
out of it, a taxpayer. The offlcers at
Frayne, on the other hand, in the op1n-
ion of the citizens Of that section OF
wyoming were none of the four. AND
Bunko Jim'S new resort across the
Platte was a big improvement in point
of size, though not in stock or Sanctlty,
over it's predecessor. Jim ran Terry
boat for the benefit of customers from
the fort 1t was forbidden to land on
the reservation, but did so nevertheless
when the sentry on the bluff couldn
see, and sometimes, it must De owned,
when he could. The boat was used when
the water was high, the fords when IL
was low and the ice when 1t was frozen,
and it was the curious thing in winter
to see how quickly the new-fallen snow
would be scanned with paths leading by
devious routes from the barrack to the
shore and then across the ice-bound
pools straight to Bunko Jimss. Bowling,
as became the soldier of the Republic,
to the supremacy of the civil law, Fem
ton swallowed the lesson. though he
didn't the whisky, but Jim had his full
share of customers from the fort, and
the greatest of these, it soon transpired,
was the big recruit speedily Known
throughout the command as Tough
Tom" Graice.
September, it was less than month be-
fore he was as we'll, though not as IA
vorably. known as the sergeant major.
There is more than one way of being
conspicuous in the military service, ana
Graice had chosen the worst. Even the
recruits who came with him from the
depot, the last lot to be shipped from
that once crowded garner of food for
powder" could tell nothing of his ante
cedents,. though they were full of grue-
Int- Of =, &c IDrr1C VOC Cd
ment. He was an expert at cards and
billiards, said they, for they had found
it out to their sorrow, and demon when
aroused by drink. Twice in drunken.
rage he had assaulted comparatively in
offensive men, and only the prompt and
forcible Intervention Of comrades had
prevented murder on the spot, while the
traditional habit of the soldier of telling
no tales had saved him from r1chIy
merited punishment. Within the month
of his arrival Graice had made giant
strides to notoriety. He was powerful
fellow, with fine command of language
and an education far superior to that
of the general run of noncommissioned
officers, and it was among the youngest
set of these he first achieved a certain
stand. Processing to hold himself above
the private soldier, proving himSeH an
excellent rider and an expert in drill,
with carbine or sabre, he nevertheless
declared 1T was his first enlistment ana
gave it to be understood that difficulty
with the sheriff who sought to arrest
him had been the means of bringing
him to the temporary refuge of the
ranks. For the first few weeks, too, he
drank but little, and wearing his uni
form with the ease and grace of one long
accustomed to the buttons, and being
erect and athletic in build, ne presented
very creditable appearance. The
bloated, bloodshot look he wore on his
arrival, the result OF much surreptitious
whisky en- route, passed somewhat away,
and it was only when one studied his
face that the traces of intemperance,
added to the sullen brows and shifting.
restless eyes, banished the claim to good
looks that were at first accorded him.
From the first. however, the older
sergeants and such veterans among the
corporals as Terry Rorke looked askance
at trooper Graice. Another guardhouse
lawyer said the first sergeant of
Leale's troop as he disgustedly received
the adjutant's notification Of Graice's
assignment. another wan of thin Jail
birds like Mr.. American Blood. the news
paper pet" said Rorke in high disdain.
Wen have a circus with him, too, as
they had in the Eleventh. or I'm a Jew
Where have ! seen that sweet mug Of
him before?" he added, refiectively, as
he watched the newcomer surlilyS scrub
bing at his kit, and the newcomer,
glancing sideways at the Irish corporal.
seemed to read his thoughts, although
too far away to hear hts muttered
words. 1t was plain te every man in G
Troop that there was apt to be no love