The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-07-23

| snoring passenger, sung out: Coates
ville," and let himself out with an en-
phatic bang of the door.
Two days later, when asked at Quit
man what sort of fellow the new lieu
| tenant seemed to be, Mr.. Scroggs. the
conductor, himself soldier of large eX-
perience and no little ability-a man
who had fought his way from the ranks
| to the command of the remnant of a reg
iment that laid down its battered arms
among the very last, man not fiveyears
Lambert's senior in age, but lustrums
| ahead of him in the practical details of
his professionally. Scroggs, the con-
ductor, promptly said: Hes dam lit
| tie fool" and never dreamed how much
ne should one day deplore it.
"Newt" Lambert, as he was known
among his intimates, was far from be-
ing a fool. He had seen very little of
the world, it is true, and, until this De-
cember night, next to nothing of the
sunny south, where at this particular
period in our national history it was no..
every man who could so conduct himself
as not to fall into error. More especial
ly in the military service was an old
head needed on young shoulders, and
strong head between new shoulder
straps, for army life soon after the
great warwas beset by snares and temp
tations it rarely hears of now, and many
fellow, brave and brainy both, in
the days that tried mems souls 'twiXt
Big Bethel and AppomattoN, or Bel
mont and Bentonville, went down in the
70 in
sidiouS than faced him in the field. but
which met him day and night now that
peace had come. 1t was at a time when
the classes graduating from the mill
tary academy were being assigned main
ly to the staff corps and to the artillery
and cavalry regiments. Lambert fan
cied that he should prefer the associa'
tions and much prefer the stations OF
the artillery to those of any other corps
but an old friend of his fathers. himself
a veteran gunner. advised the young
fellow to seek his fortune elsewhere
IF you are commissioned a lieutenant
of artillery" said he, sit may be 20 years
before you see your captaincy." And
though this was within three years
after the reorganization of the army
in &c. not one of Lambert's contem
poraries who trusted to luck and APP
piled for the artillery had vet come
within hopeful range of the double bars.
lambert amazed them all when he
asked for the infantry arm and took
his commission thankfully.
He had been detailed for summer
duty at the Point, as was then a custom
hnt l., ~ oh - I,
months did not begin until the 2Sth OF
August. He had been assigned to q
regiment whose ranks were sadly de
pleted by the yellow fever, and which
was still serving in the south. You
won't have to hoof it out to Idaho OF
Montana, anyhow" said a sympathetic
friend, land you'll have no end of fun
at New Orleans"
But Lambert's company was not a;
New Orleans Under recent orders il
had been sent up into the heart of the
country, where some turbulent spirits
so it was alleged, had been defying the
civil officers of the general government
and by the time the short southern win,
ter set in more than half his regiment
together with three or four others, haG
been distributed by companies or de
tachments all over the gulf states, anC
experienced officers were scarce as hens
teeth. The duty was unwelcome and
CALLING. Lambert's captain lost no time
in getting on staff duty. and G Com.
pany went into camp at Tugaloo under
command of, its first lieutenant. AR.
irving at New Orleans. Lambert report
ed himself at the headquarters of the
general commanding, who knew the
boys father, welcomed the son for old
friendships sake, and told his chief OF
staff to keep him there a week or so
that he might see something of the
southern metropolis and of his friends
down at the barracks before going &c
his exile "up the road" Dining the
very next evening at Capt. Grams, with
Waring and Pierce, of the light battery.
and perhaps rather ruefully agreeing
with them thatshe had made beastly
flulle of it, going into the doughboys,"
Lambert was asked: who's in com.
maud of your company now
"Our first lieutenant" said he. ~
don't know much about him-Brevei
Capt. Close"
Whereupon Waring laid down his
knife and fork. angels ard ministers
of grace" he exclaimed. "Well, II
that isn't the oldest contre-temps ]
ever heard off, And then they all be-
gan to laugh.
You evidently know him." said Lam.
bert, somewhat nettled and trifie ii
at ease. "Why did you ask me about
him? Somebody told me he had beer
commissioned for heroism - special
bravery in action, or something of that
kind-during the war"
Gospel truth" said Pierce. ."Close
is the most absolutely fearless man
ever met. Nothing even Warning could
ever do or say would ruffle him" AnG
then. though Mrs. Cram declared it
shame, she, too, Joined in the general
laughter. Close was evidently celeb
rity.
And now, as Lambert found himsel!
within few miles-though it might be
several hours-of his destination, he
was thinking not little of the officer
to whose presence he was so soon to re.
port his own, and whose companionshiI
and influence, for good or for i'll, he was
bound to accept for the simple reason
that. so far as he could learn there WAS
absolutely no one else with whom he
could associate-except, possibly, tn,
@cOntract doctor"