The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-03
RAW RECRUITS.
The awkward Squad" Have Lots OF
Trouble with Their Hands and

Trouble with Their Hands and
Feet.
From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
One of the proudest times in young
mans life is when he first wears a mill
tary uniform. Nothing gives him so much
pleasure as when he Is marching up and
down the armory and especially when
there is occasion to go out on the streets.
Still, there is a wonderful lack of conf
dence in himself, and he imagines every
one is looking intently at him. And these
are naturally numerous. AS a rule, when
a young man applies for admission into
company he does not fully appreciate
what is before him. He thinks it is only
play soldier" affair, and that his term
of three years will be one of continual
enjoyment. In a certain degree he is
right. There is a great deal of pleasure
in belonging to a military company when
all the comrades are agreeable, as IS gem
orally the case, and 1t is a pleasure 10
meet once a week for the regular drill
and twice a month for the battalion drill.
But then there are trials.
The hardest trial of all is when the
young man is a member of the 'awk-
ward squad" and that every raw re-
cruit' must go through with. The nrsl
thing that is taught him IS to STAND I
properly. That is a task which can not
be conceived of until the trial is begun.
Almost Invariably the corporal or SER
geant in charge of the squad Will nave
to warn the new man that one shoulder
is higher than the other, that ne IS stand
ing too stiff, or that his hands are hang
ing awkwardly by his sides. Then 700,
there is his head, an all important tnlns
TO look after; perhaps it is too far for
ward, or vice versa. The neck becomes
stiff under the training and the head al
most unavoidably falls to one side before
the beginner knows it. After the new
recruit has learned to stand fairly well,
he is taught the foot movement, and there
is a good chance to display his ungrace-
fitness. The thing that gives him the
most worry, perhaps, IS the execution ION
of the obliques, which are the slInplest
walking at the proper angle, and whle
he is thinking of these things he IS tramp
ing on the heels of the man in front OF
him. When marching IN a sualght inc
and the command ITO the rear, march,
is given, he generally has to run some
distance to catch up with the resi- OF NE
squad who have already executed the
movement, and are ready TOR the next
command. But the new soldier time is
after he has been through the MN aDout
a month and battalion drill is az haid;
The arrnory or drill hall is usually nled
with young women who look admlrlngly
upon all who have brass buttons down
their coats. The beginner is by this time
lust beginning to think he knows some
thing about the tactics, and the time mas
correction made by an older man. Yet
there still fingers the feeling OF douDt
as TO whether he exactly remembers the
few simple movements taught MN, anu
first Joined the company has not entirely
vanished from his countenance.
I OF course, if he should stop and reason
a moment he would come 10 the sensible
conclusion that the girls would not know
if he did make slight mistake, JUST SO
ii was not too noticeable, but ne uoes
not think of this until he has become an
old man in the company. Then ne looks
back with amusement at his fright.
..-s,, ctr no n a
the new recruits that have been taken into
the Louisville Legion. In one instance the
Legion was in camp among the CuInoer.
quell a disturbance. number OF new
men had Just been signed They, as well
as the older members, were anxious Tor
tbe trip, They did not think there would
be any fighting to do, so they looked on
the trip as merely pleasant outing; They
had not been out long before they learned
differently After having assisted in push
ing a cannon up mountain SIDE, the
men were willing enough Tor taps 70 SOUND
Some time after that glad sound had met
the ears of those who were fortunate
enough not to be on guard duty that night
a new recruit might have been seen walk
ing back and forth, solemnly doing guard
duty. Every few moments he would cast
anxious glances toward a little wood not
far distanct, as if he expected to see some
thing emerge from it. While it could be
seen that he felt the Importance of the
hour. yet his face wore an excited look
and ii was pale. The camp was as still as
DEATH The silence was only broken occa-
sionally by the hooting of an owl. The
guard stopped suddenly as he was wheel
ing to 20 in another direction. He thought
sure he heard a sound issuing from the
little clump of trees. He bent his head
forward to st f sure gnoug {her mere fnl
lowed a sound which appeared to be
of man walking in the direction of the
listener. The sound grew nearer and
nearer and the guard became more fright
''Halt! Who goes there?" cried the young
soldier, as he caught glimpse of dark
object moving toward him.
There was no reply. The command to
halt was given again, but the object
moved on. A third time the command was
given, and them with a vicious lah, the
frightened soldier ran his bayonet
through an object of flesh and bones
The next day an old farmer called at the
headquarters tent, ana, after a short con-
ference, left the camp with the price of
his dead hog in his pocket.
at Mammoth Cave, there We're a number
of new men in the regiment some Of
whom had joined more to Ps- the cd
vantages of the trip than any thing else
and they did not fail to come IN for their
share of guard duty. One night several
of the older men made 1t up among them
selves to remain over at the hotel until
late that night. They knew that some of
the new men were on guard. a bout mid
night one Of the new men on guard saw
where he was standing. They approached
without hesitation and when thew JreNv
near one or the men IN the crowd called
out before the guard had recovered from
his fright;
Halt Who comes?''
The new recruit gave his name
"All right, move on, replied the other
and all of the men hurried to their tent,
congratulatdng themselves on their sue,
cess.
The Legion was at Bardstown. ono Of
the new men was on guard at the i7ii
when a man walked uD and askeI him IL
he knew that the Jail was to be blown nm
dynamite
soldier looked at the man for a 1no,nen}
in silence and then said:
Look here, please don't scare me To
death before my time comes; l can hardis,
stand up now ny
1.-Editor gazing at his best's pieturel: