Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-11-28
MISCELLANEOUS.
Sergeant Stone.


what was the matter with Sergeant
Stone.
For the last three months he had
been moping. He would seek out
Of the way corners and sit with
his chin resting in the palm of his
hand, his eyes staring vacantly al
space. He cared nothing for the So
ciety of the rest of the soldiers of
the fort. Even those who tried to
be friendly had their advances rudely
repulsed
"Oi know wot's tn matther," re-
marked Private Finnerty to a crowd
OF idlers on the barracks gallery one
night. eth bye's i'm love, an his
gal has gone back on 'im. Thot's
it." And the crowd agreed that
such was the case.
The long, hot, August days drag
ged their weary length slowly along.
Each morning the sun rose in ex-
actly the same spot, and passed over
head like some white-hot, brazen
ball, casting its rays pitilessly down
on the fort situated in the midst of
the New Mexico desert. All around
was sand, sand, nothing but a yell
low waste of gray rock and withered
tufts of buffalo grass. Not a tree
In sight, not hill or a mountain :;
only that monotonous plain and the
same unchanging prospect. The
heat was intolerable; it radiated
from everything-a dry, scorching,
burning heat.
Seargeant Stone was a mystery to
the rest of the garrison. He had
been at the fort for nearly a year,
having been sent from one of the
recruiting stations in the North, and
further than that no one knew
That he was a gentleman by birth
and breeding was evident. He was
rather tall, and had a fine head, we'll
set upon a pair of square, manly
shoulders. From under an over
hanging brow his eyes, big black
ones, shone, sometimes with q bale
ful light that betrayed a devil incar-
nate In his soul; again they were
dreamy and had far-away look in
them, but always an expression of
mute suffering. His mouth was
finely chiselled and his teeth we're
small and even. But his chin de-
noted weakness. He might have
been anywhere between 25 and 80
years of age.
He took his place In the ranks and
by strict attention to duty was soon
promoted to corporal. The one time
the troop was In the field since he
was with them he fought with such
a savage delight that his comrades
wondered If he had a private grudge
against the Apaches. Two of the
redskins were in the act of scalping
Private Finnerty, when q well l-di-
rected bullet from Stones carbine
sent one of them to the happy hunt
ing grounds, and chance shot from
his revolver disabled the other
For this he was made sergeant. In
response to Finnerty's profuse ex-
pressions of gratitude he merely
growled:
81 wish that it had been me they
had instead of you, and no one had
interfered."
Seldom did he enter into converse
tion with the other soldiers. He was
quiet and very morose. He had been
moping all summer. He performed
his duties In a mechanical sort of
way and when they were finished
he sought solitude again. The ad-
vances of his comrades were met
with chilly demeanor that very
effectually checked them, and Ser
geant Stone became very unpopular
and was left severely alone.
"I'll tell you what think" said
Private wilkins, who was from
down East' somewhere 81 think
he Ia one of these id fine Southern
gentlemen who has joined the army
and got sick Of 1t. Pm sorry we
amt good enough for his nibs to as
sociate with"
"You kape thot hole in yer face
shut, will you" remarked Finnerty,
In threatening tone. "Oi wop'l
hov anybody run 'im down behind
us back. Th' bye amt stuck up
he's 10 trouble, am Oi'll lick the
mon thot says he ir stuck up" And
Private Finnerty stalked of with
great dignity 20 the post canteen.' 81
But wilkins had unconsciously
spoken the truth, partly.
And 80 matters went on from day
to day, The dreary monotony OF
scenery, the unchanging samenes.
Of each day to the other, and tht
routine OF garrison life seemed Il
bear hardly upon Sergeant Stone.-
He became more restless, more sui