The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-09-10

Alexander should 90 to school. But
when he went 10 school Osborne. saw
the truth.
"Alex. the account Of you is very
bad. You've barely scratched through
on two things. and you've failed on
mathematics altogether I've told you
that mathematics is the test at the
Point" Osborne admonished.
"Oh. come, say, let up, Herbert.
I'm trying to learn this piece" He
picked ON with beautiful absorption at
the guitar the lieutenant had given him.
"Put up that thing and listen to me.
Alexander obeyed, as all men did
when Osborne willed.
II am going to get you into West
Point at 20. When I say am going to
do it, you know it is going to be done.
Don't you? None Of it depends on you
except the study. I can't make you
drink, but I'll take you to water and
keep you there until you find it will be
ranch if you like, but I'm not afraid
you'll like it. / don't want to treat
you as small boy unless you act the
part of one.- You can learn and you
must learn or the theaters will stop,
and the hops will stop, and the guitar
will stop-also the tennis. You have
been cutting time, but henceforth you
will study four hours day and will
sit with you to help you and see that it
Is done"
So four hours out Of every "a Osborne
put to the use Of teaching one who did
not wish to learn. Density can be bored
through with patience. 1t is the india
rubber of Indifferent cleverness that re-
sists. After some of the struggles o.
borne would lie awake for the rest of
the night from sheer nervousness. The
boy slept with unruffied brain. The
lieutenant almost came to forget the
girl, but never quite. A letter would
come when Alexander was most inert,
and Osborne would stare straight in
front Of him and grit his teeth and
wonder that man could live with both
sides of his nature thwarted and put
back. But he had his reward. Alexan-
der went into the academy at 90. He
| was the handsomest and most popular
cadet in his class-and he failed in the
| first year.
Just how such things are done no one
is ever quite sure, but in Osborne's case
| it must have been sheer force Of deter
mination. Alexander was reappointed,
and he himself was made instructor at
| the Point.
He stood over the cadet with the
singing lash of his ambition, and Alex
ander was graduated. Osborne un-
wisely took some credit to himself.
"Nonsensel' said Alexander "I'd
have done it alone. The first miss was
only bad luck. Don't think it's your
circus.
"It doesn't make any great difference
to me whose circus it is so that you
come out all right. I'm only glad you re
| getting some ambition.
Ambition be hangedi It's the one
word in your lexicon. I'm sick Of the
sound Of it. 1t is the sin by which the
angels fell Look out you don't fall,
angel brother.
"I'm not likely to fall, but should
not mind it IL it put you on mountain
height"
"No heights for me. can't breathe
rare air." answered the younger.
Now in the course Of army events it
came to pass that strange fate made
| Alexander Osborne second lieutenant in
the troop Of which his brother was first
lieutenant, and the first lieutenant
continued his ambitious goading. Alex
ander was independent at present and
resisted to some purpose. He would not
spend his nights in study and his days
in wire pulling. The war department
did not reward that sort Of thing, he
said. 1t was action it approved. Wait
until his time for action came. Then he
would satisfy his brother.
And the time for action did come,
but the action was disappointing. They
marched 200 miles and then marched
back again. Alexander complained loud
| ly that he had had no occasion to dis
| play his prowess in battle
| He should have been quite safe in
this, for that evening they would be
once more in Grant But the Indian
set, within ten miles of the post, the
Apaches caught the battalion in ra-
vine and kept it there until we'll into
the night
The moon came up and showed to the
bucks hiding behind the cedars and
scrub oaks OH the rise the soldiers pen
ned in the gully below them. Il was
merely for the latter question of hold
ing out and having a few men killed.
The danger was not great unless the
Apaches should be re-enforced or the
oouriers should not reach the fort. So
the men took shelter behind bushes and
| rocks and fired at the flashes of light in
the darkness above them. The officers
walked about in the deep shadows, fir
ing, too, and giving orders.
First Lieutenant Osborne was with
his sergeant and another lieutenant
when he came upon Second Lieutenant
Osborne crouched down between two
rocks, his arms clasped over his bent
head and his carbine dropped on the
ground beside him.
There was no mistake to be made.