The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
COMPANY G'S REHEARSAL.
Special DRILL THE SEVENTH BOrs
ARE ANXIOUS 10 REPEAT.

----
Il Was In Preparation for the New Esaiand
women's Historical show. nnd = Hundred
Giri- Assisted. ne wives, Htothers, sisteTn.
Covsins. but Mostly svveethenrta
Compensations for National Guard service are
not lacking entirely, as the mon of Company q.
Seventh Regiment, are realizing at present.
This company was selected to represent the
regiment In tho historical entertainment to be
givon at the Metropolitan Opera House on Nov.
80 by tho National Society Of New England
Women. All that Is required Of the soldier boys
is to march across the stage in representation Of
the Seventh leaving Now York to take part in
the civil war. At first some of the men were
inclined to object.
1T takes too much time" they said. Have
TO get round to rehcarsals. and every rehearsal
will spoil an evening""
1T won't be compulsory military duty" OK
plained Capt. Underwood. "lf the company
goes into II. however, we must show up strong
enough 10 make q good representation. But 1t
won't require more than a couple of rehearsals.
And I'll tell you. fellows, it's something Of an
honor to DO picked out for this sort of thing"
On confederation tho company decided that
there might be some fun in It. Accordingly the
invitation was accepted. Announcements were
sent to the members of the company that after
the regular company drill on last Monday night
tho first rehearsal would be held. Everybody
supposed that the rehearsal would be merely o
matter OF marching In a certain formation; con-
seQuently thore was some surprise when q hun
drod young women arrived ut the armory dur
ing tho drill and massed on the floor.
Word soon went about that these were
girls who had volunteered Ito appear In
the historical entertainment as the heartbrokon
mothers. wives, sisters, cousins, friends and
sweethearts OF the departing soldier boys. None
Of them appeared to be OF such age as to be in
cluded in the first class, and nearly all seemed
to possess the necessary qualifications for the
last. Every man of tho company put on just a
little extra soldierly bearing, and the drill was q
conspicuous success.
At the conclusion Of the drill a professional
director from the Metropolitan Opera House
and Thomas Mast, after whose picture Of the de-
parture OF the Seventh the scene was TO DO
modelled, CONSULTED with Capt. Underwood.
"You will march your men through the
crowd" said the director; land the girls will
throw flowers at you as You pass. The march
will be in broken stop.
In no way did he prepare tho Captain or his
mon for tho shock that was coming. The girls,
however, had received more explicit directions,
and the gene raj air OF suppressed excitement
and nervousness. together with intermittent
symptoms OF ~giggling and %blushing. should have
warned the warriors that something unusual
Nao up. AZ lLe NOTu OF COHlluHnu tic company,
which had broken ranks after the drill. formed
in line. Down the floor they came, then wheeled
and marched straight for that bunch OF 100
girls, who separated to give them way. There
WAS a wavering OF the lines of femininity. Then
q voice in the rear said:
go on. girls. You're not carrying 1t out q
Bit"
Somebody start 1t" said another voice, land
we'll al! follow"
You do It, Emma. said a girl in the second
line. pushing gently the girl who stood in front
"Gracious, wouldn't begin II for the world
MeHntime the progress Of the WONDERING sol
pen ,, What meant those mysierio U.S." remarks
Was there = m %r, to this rshearsai ,h.n they had
the front, but all of them were busy with vari.
ous suppositions. and here and there q head
turned fora hnsty glance. Eyes front was not,
The director called ont.
Don't march like a dress parade, gentlemen.
war. and iSssso arc your frleasds about you. Look
around and bid them good-oy;"
broke the ice. A tall girl. with a look of martyr:
We'll, If ali the rest OF you arc sfra4d-'
Then s no fell upon the neck Of tie soldier hoy
Another courageous maiden tackled one OF the
Neutenants. and the next instant that side OF
1as s'A9 At TT the % same sim En- tho { rus" aro% St " os the o thir
side broke In. and there probably isn't a man in
the Whole company who % can tel to-day jus,
the crowd. Some Of them remcmbcr hearing
the voice of their Captain casting severe and
vehemenee that The entire lot ought to be court
martialled and drummed out of the service.
{ That's because you didn't get n girl your
. self" said a corporal; and you're sore"
tho head Of the line. had gone through befor,
the girls had mustered up their courage to max
although be had some criticisms to make.
( "EXcellently done, he said. but do not for
get. please, young ladies. that this il a mournfu
occasion; that sou are bidding good.by 10 you
soldier boys. perhans forever. N"a must wcn
the effect materially"
They don't help us out a bit" pipcd up
treble voice from somewhere in the crowd. It"
kissed O man that I've never set eyes o. bcfor
IND In a - deeply injured tonol he didn't seem t
The company meanwhile was catching 1t from
their q snc r., ' ot as as fo dr Q c,n,, = o..
what's required Of youl For the love Of heaye
and the reputation Of the regiment behave Tx
mits, to see tho way you SHE'D Mt those girls
: You'll be the laughing stock of the regimen
chorus Of appeal and expostulation answers
TT Was our first time under fire."
Z "Givo us another chance
Just let us have a show 10 retrieve oui
selves
W.. need more rehearsals. Start her u
- again"
derwOod. Fall In there"
Instantly there was n great scramble 10
places on the ends OF the lines. resulting /
pushing and scuffiinR, Those whose regula
places we're on the ends maintained that ther
was no occasion for any change, while the les
4 fortunately placed men declared that in the "
= tercsts OF general fairness there ought TO DO
Encouragement 80. that they could have thei
turn. III one line. however, "a private notoriou
for his bnshfulness was unanimously elected I
the choice position and kept there by force.
Now, d II with spirit, eNh0rtcd tho dircctC
rs the march began, AMI many n noble resoly
was made and deep breath taken by those "a
" LIANT defenders OF the nag.
There's a long.lOst sister OF mine with blu
y eyes and pink cheeks In that bunch" snid a dee
bass voice In the ranks, land If she. don't CON
s. out to bid me good.by I'm going in after her"
70 "Silence in the ranks" ordered the Captail
and the little army wheeled and advanced upo
= the crowd.
N Then the crowd pressed forward and Comp.n
G.. which has a reputation for excellence III DIR
- to maintain, Instantly forgot that and resolve
Is itself into a hundred stragglers bent upon inc
n. vidual and guerrilla warfare. The Captain WI
80. oln,.l tha Iiautnpuntg unrp Etint hnra