Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-09-05

datlOns OF bellef were shattered by the
single command which showed the SER
geant that captain who did not know
his duty was, after all, a possibility.
The color went out OF Pfeifer's face,
and he grew deathly pale. Then he sa-
luted and said:
"But I beg your pardon, sir 1t is not
the regulation. should salute from the
quarter deck"
If he had received blow in the face,
the captain could not have been more
surprised It was a serious thing in
deed, when Pfeifer protested at an Or
der. But the se1geant's objection was
we'll grounded. 1t recalled the regula-
ton to the captain, and he knew his
order was a mistake. Nevertheless it
was his order and he would not reverse
it. He hesitated an instant and then:
"You heard the ORDER" he said.
"Obey it."
They were standing on the main deck
just outside the executive officers Of
fee. The executive was at his desk fin
ishing up the last Of his work before
going ashore. The window was open,
and he heard all that was said by the
captain and the sergeant. When he
heard the order repeated, the executive
looked out of the window. He saw
Pfeifer standing, white faced and deter
mined, facing the angry captain The
sergeant breathed in quick, short gasps,
tohn ho fa6
his hand again in salute and said:
1.-THE moment my men and l are
ashore, sir, we are no longer under your
command. My superior officer then is
the commandant of the marine bar
racks. If I 60 ashore, sir, I cannot obey
your order to salute the flag, for my
duty then is to report at once to my
commanding officer
The captains face went red and
white, and he lost his grip on his tenn
per. His voice rose to an angry shout,
and he exclaimed:
"Take your men ashore and salute
the flag from the wharf. "
Without a word Pfeifer saluted,
wheeled ON his heel and went away.
Presently the bugle summoned the ma
rines to fall in. Pfeifer was at their
head. Down the gangplank they march
ed, and on the wharf they formed up.
"Right facet" shouted the sergeant.
His we'll drilled men wheeled as one
and stood facing the marine barracks.
Forward, march, commanded
Pfeifer, and off the marines Of the war.
ship swung to report to the comman-
dant Of the barracks, leaving an amazed
and angry Jacky standing by the hal
yards, with no one to salute the flag as
he hauled it down.
The captain was furious. He had
been defed by sergeant Of the marines,
and he meant to make Pfeifer smart for
it, but he did not know that the execu.
tive had seen and heard it all. Pfeife1
did.
Pfeifer went to the marine barracks
and reported, but said never word Of
the captains order. His men were not
so silent, and the barracks hummed
with the story. The men knew there
would be reckoning, and they waited
impatiently for the result.
The captain went to the admiral and
told his story. The next morning Pfei.
fer was summoned before the admiral.
There the captain confronted him. The
captain was still angry. He knew down
in the bottom Of his heart that he had
made mistake, but he hoped to be able
to force his complaint through by blus
ter, perhaps, if he couldn't make it ap'
pear bad enough for Pfeifer by his mar
ration Of the sergeant's refusal to obey
his orders. So he told his story, and he
counted that his word would stand
against that of an enlisted man.
Then it was Pfeifer's turn. He gave
a simple, straightforward account o.
what had occurred, and his honest face
and soldierly bearing lent it strength
When it was finished, he added:
Sand the executive officer was in hi
Office, sir, and he heard all that was
said"
Orderly" said the admiral, "asl
the executive officer to come here. :
The captains jaw fell, for he saw
that he was caught in double trap
He had failed to observe the regula-
tions, and after that he had lied about
it. He waited uneasily until the execu
tive officer came. The executives story
was as Pfeifer had told it. A scow
came over the face of the admiral.
"You may 60, sergeant" he said tt
Pfeifer, and when the sergeant had sd
luted and gone the admiral turned
upon the captain and exclaimed:
Captain Allenson, am ashamed o.
you, sir. You are the damnedest fool il
the United States navy. You are dis
grace to your uniform and the flag ant
the service. I am amazed and chagrinet
that you should require to be taught
the regulations Of your service by ser
geant of marines, and that man not {
native Of your country. You are dis
grace, sir, and I am ashamed of you. "
Pfeifer walked back to his quarter
with his head erect and smile undel
his long, tawny mustache, but in hi
heart there was a shade Of regret, fol
he liked the captain, who was gallant
sailor, after all, and besides, although
he had triumphed, it was through {
disobedience Of orders. So the matter
never went any farther. New Yorl
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