The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-10-29

larrar, to be second lieutenant vice
Watson, promoted, Troop c. Lcalc's
troop, Queen Mother; blessed old NAL
colin Lcalc. What moro could | ask or
you ask? What captain in all tho limo
can match him: And kitty's unclo in
command of tho regiment and post
just think Of 1t, madre, dear, and you'll
all como out, and wc'u havo grand
Christmas times at Fraync, and wcll
hahg fathers picture over tho maatcl
and fathers sword. I'll wiro Lealo this
very minute and writc my respects to
fcnton. What's no like anyway, moth
CT? l can't remember him at all. nor
can Kitty"
Bat Mrs. Farrar could not tell. It
W"S years, too, since sho had seen him.
put II" was always II faithful friend OF
sour father, Win, and ho wrote me Il
hcaut:tul, beautiful lcttcr when we
came away"
And SO, late in September, tho boy
lieutenant left his mothers arms and.
followed by her prayers and tears and
blessings, w.lS bOrno away westward TO
revisit scenes that were once familiar
as the Old Durrack walls ut West Point,
Then it required long days Cf travel
over rough mountain rOatls TO reach tho
railway far south of the Medicine Bow.
Now the swift express train landed him
at the station of the frontier town that
had grown up on the site OF the prairie
dog village he and his pony had often
'StampcdCd' in the old days. Here at
the station, come to meet the son of their
Old commander. ignoring the fact that
the newcomer was but the plrhc lruten-
amt OF tho Twelfth, were the ruddv
laced Old colonel and Willis own troop
."%drr, Captain Lcalc, both hcurtily,
cordially bidding him welcome and COM
mcntinS not q little on his stalwurt
build and trying hard not to refer to tho
vcly downy mlstacho that adorned his
boyish lip. And other and younger OIL
GERS were tEcrc to welcome tho lad to
his now station, and huge was Wills
comfort when ho caught sight Of Ser
geant Stein, the veteran standard bear
er OF tho regiment, and that supcrbly
punctilious old soldier Strengthened up
like Norway pine and salutcd with
rigid precision and hoped the lieutenant
was we'll and his lady mother and Miss
Fnrrar. "There's nothing" thought
Will, "liko tho discipline Of tho old
regiment, after ALL" as tho orderly
camc to ask for the checks for the lieu.
tenants baggage, and nll went we'll
until tho lucklcss moment whom the
colonel and Lealc, with somo OF tho cid
era turned aside to look at Il batch of
recruits sent by tho Same train, and
Farrar, chatting with somo of his follow
youngsters, was slowing his bags in the
waiting ambulance, and thcro III the
driver Will recognized Saddlcr Dono-
vans frccklc faced Mickey, with whom
he had had many u hunt for rabbits in
the old, old days, and then ;.n mctuous,
caressing Irish voice fairly blubbcrcd
out, 'Hivcn save us if it Isn't really
Masthcr Will!' and there, corporal 3
chevrons on his brawny arms, was old
Terry Rorkc, looking wild to embrace
! him, and oven rs Will, half ashamed OF
his own shyncss, was shaking hands
with this faithful old retainer Of his
fnthcr's household in years gone by, tho
squad Of recruits came marching past.
The third man from tho front, hcav-
lily bearded, with u blOatcd. III CrNcmCd
face and rrstlcssly Blnncinx eyes, gJvu
n quick, furtiyc look at the nov l.vI-
tenant as he passed, then stumbled and
plunged forward against his l. io leader.
Ihc squad was thrown into mOmcntury
dlSalray The sergeant, aM1crcu at the
mlsllAp at Such II tnur, strobe quickly
up to the offender and SavuHcly NUT
tered, 'ltccp your eyes to the front,
Gfraicr, and you won't be stumbling up
decent mems haCiS." And the little de-
tnclm"nt went hrisltly on.
81 Thought I'd seen that man be-
fore, " said Lcalc an instant later, ".nd
now know it. and | know where"
(CONTINrrD NEXT wEEK.)