, 1896-12-30
A RAW RECRUIT.

W. "'" s"fh'FTTNa " tCElte W ~ vi u
soldier"
He was accepted and sent at once to join
his regiment, and within q week after his
enlistment was Mt work in uniform learn
tng to be u soldier. He YVES slow in &c
nuiring Il knowledge of his duties and was
constantly doing absurd things. He got
into the generals tent one day by mistake.
and on repeated occasions got lost In the
other regiments Of the division. His cap
tlin was somewhat irritable at best and
much inclined to be oSnoting. He con
coiveG n violent dislike for the new man."
as iu was commonly called, and for a
month or more made his life miserable.
Nothing that the recruit could do pleased
him. lie did not stand square in tho
ranks, nor sit erect at his meals, nor do
anything, in fact, rs the captain wanted IL
done The new man" bore 1t all patient
ly, but sometimes 1t was observed that his
face grew is!a under the captains reptuof
and that his eyes burned like Goals of fire.
He got through somehow at last with
his preliminary training and was taken up
finally on the morning report as n private
and on the next day marched on guard.
Unfortunately his captain marched on tho
same morning rs officer of the day. The
new man" was placed on an outpost of
''' HN'''' 80" go '"'' - 'aAi -
his beat industriously In the hot sun.
repeating quietly to himself rs he went
back and forth the special Instructions
TINT Ind been given hin in order that he
might be ready to rattle them of, " he
said. II any of the officers should come
around and ask for them. Some time Int
in the afternoon the officer OF the day ap-
preached him, and alter acknowledging
his salute directed him to repeat lis in.
structions.
Il allows no one to monkey around
here, - said the new man.
What's thats' exclaimed tho officer Of
the day severely.
Il allows no one to monkey around
here, " repeated the sentinel In n much
louder tone. II allows
WHAT'S that? WHAT'S that" repeated
the officer of the day, his voice pitched at
a high key.
rhc sentinel instantly dropped his rife
To the order, and rising on his toes fairly
screamed:
Il allows no one to monkey around hero.
/ told you so before. I've forgot the rest
of it, but
"That will dol That will dor eHclaim-
ed the officer Of the day sharply. Call
\ the cor lnrnl Of tho guard"
Il don't know his name" replied the
| sentinel.
Call the corporal of the guard, " persist.
ell the officer of the day, II after sons
| further emphatic instructions from the
captain n cry went up Tor tho corporal Of
1 the guard, post No. A.
The corporal came promptly, and tho
sentinel scnn after found himself disarm-
cd, stripped of his equipments and II rris
oncr in the guard tent. On investigation
1t was found, principally through tho state
ment OF the prisoner himself, that the in
structions fe had attempted to give to the
officer Of the day had been communicated
to him rs correct by some roguish COM
rade. He was therefore released from con
tinclncnt at length and again trusted with
n scntincl's post. 1t was nearly midnight
when the officer of the day again approach
ed him. He very promptly challenged, and
on receiving the reply, "Oiiicor of the
day, again astonished the captain by a
and be- reconciled."
This was too much of II draft upon both
the dignity of the captain and the disci-
pine of the service, and the sentinel found
himself speedily IL prisoner once moro in
the guard tent. Again, on investigation 1t
was discovered, principally, rs before, on
the prisoners own evidence, that tho COM
radcs of the new man" had been playing
tricks Nh him, and approaching his post
after dark had announced themselves rs
the officer of the day or tho "command-
ing otliccr,' as suited their fancy. lie WIS
therefore again released and once more
placed on post.
just before daylight the officer Of the
| day made tho rounds of tho scntinels,
and on approaching "No. 4" found the
new man" On the post. AS he advanced
| to give the countersign the sentinel brought
| his rifle down upon him, and in n very
quiet, decided tone of voice directed him
to lold up his hands or he would kill him
where he stood. Tho captain turned about
instantly md started to run. He had
scarcely taken a dozen steps, however, be.
fore the sentinel overlook him and sci2-
ing him by the collar threw him violently
to the ground.
81 don't want to shoot you. no said.
at would make too much noise. But |
want to tell you before l bid you goOdby
what u miserable, contemplate piece of
humanity You are. l can scarcely resist
the temptation to stick my bayonet into
you. You are u hcartless, lefty tyrant
and deserve hanging. l kill you,
you know" he went on, because it
wouldn't be fair. Sonnet time we can have
it out on more equal conditions. My nome
is in Georgia." he said, "just two miles
from Milledgcville. My name is Dawson,
and any one in town can tell you where |
live. have paid you Il visit in the inter
est of the Confederate cause, and you will
have to get another soldier in my place,
Goodby, old man; goodby."
He turned about and quickly disappeared
In the darkness. The captain sprang at
once to his feet and called Justify for the
guard. A lieutenant II squad of men
came running to the spot, and by direction
of the officer of the day moved forward
rapidly in search of the sentinel. The
commanding officer of the camp was hur-
riedly informed OF the occurrence, and II
strong detachment of cavalry was dis
patched to join in the pursuit. The whole
day was spent in the search, but no trace
whatever of the man could be found.
The ~colonel's black riding mare was
missing from the picket line in the morn
ing, and near where she had stood IA plain
white card was found fastened to II fence
poce by n Ii, IN the hack of which had
been writer in N plain, bold hand: Good
by, Yanks. We shall meet again. Chi
cago Tribune.
Dressing . Cod.
The dressing of Goldfish is an operation