The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-05-18


the scrupulous Difference of the veteran
sergeants when addressing their Off
GERS. He could understand awkward
ness and clumsinesS among the recruits.
but the idea of a corporal chatting him
on the cut of his clothes and-the idea
of two months recruit being cor
poral, anyhow Never in the tales told
Of the Fire Zouaves of '61 had he heard
of anything much more free-and easy
than the manners of this camp of regu-
lars. Never in his widest dream had
be figured such specimen of the COM
miSsioned officer as ne found in Capt.
Close. In the contemplation of this
character the go-as-you-please style of
the enlisted men sank into insignifi-
cance. Long years afterwards Lambert
used to 60 over this meeting in his mind,
and for two years, often importuned,
lie would convulse his brother officers
by vivid description of it. But there
came a time when they no longer
laughed and he no longer told the story
save to those he loved and trusted ut
teriy.
among the men, the first sergeant of
company q, smoking pipe while work
ing over Il ration-return. stuck his head
out of his tent and saw d young gen
tleman in light-colored suit. courte-
cusly raising drab derby in his kid
glovcd hand, while he stood erect with
soldierly ease before the company COM
oil ~
some of the men were titteTing and
all of them looking on. One glance
was enough. The sergeant dropped pen
and pipe and came out Of his den with
a single bound, buttoning his blouse
and glaring about him as he did so.
Hush your ID CAB, yOu!" he fierce
~ growled at the nearest group. Get
into your coats, there!" he swore at
another. while with menacing hand he
motioned TO others still, whose costume
was even more primitive, to scramble
back to their tents. In ten seconds ST.
lence reigned throughout the camp al
most as complete as that which was
maintained, for that time, at the tent
Of the commanding officer. Lambert
response to his superior's announce
ment. 1t was full ten seconds, or more,
before he determined in what form to
couch his next remark. He had in
tended to say: Il have the honor to
report for duty, SIR" but vague sus-
ricion possessed him that this might
be some game at his eXpense-some
prank such as old cadets played upon
''plebes." He compromised, therefore,
between his preconcepticn of a strict
" soldierly report and his sense of
what might be due his own dignity.
'My name is Lambert said he. And
| am here for duty as second heuten-
ant"
Slowly the man in the camp-chair
laid down his work, sticking the needle
into the flap of the tent and hanging
the thread upon it. Then he heaved up
cut of the chair, hung the damaged
trousers over its back and came pom
derously forward. Not vestige of a
smile lightened his face He looked the
Young gentleman earnestly in the eye
and slowly extended his big, brown,
hairy hand. Seeing that il was meant
for him, Lambert shifted his hat into
the left. leaning his sword against the
tent-pole, and his dainty kid-a wild
extravaganza SO soon after the war
was for an instant clasped, then SLOW
ly released. Capt. Close unquesiionably
had powerful grip"
How'd you Gomez" he asked. 'Kind
Of expected you Monday evenin'-out
from Quitman."
The general kept me over a day
OF two to let me see New Orleans He
told me that you would be notified sir.
l hope you got the letterf'
"Oh, yes. That was all right. There
was no hurry. | didn't know as they
could get passes over the Northern. |
s'pose the chief quartermaster fixed it
for yoU,, thought And the brown eyes
searched questioningIy the young
officers face.
Passes? No, sir; / bought my tick
Ell through"
No! Why, you needn't have done
that. The Quitman roads biddin' for
all the government freight it can get
now. They'd have given you pass in a
minute. | suppose you want to be
quartermaster and comm ssary" And
again the brown eyes looked almost
wistfuiiy into the blue.
Il? No. indeed, sir. ! don't know
anything but a little tactics. What |
most want''-with glance around
and an apologetical laugh-''is chance
10 wash off the cinders-and something
to cat. I'm hungry as a wolf"
The captain locked troubled. I've
had my grub; so've the men, 'cept those
that come back late in the night-becE
up to Duckatubbee with the marshal.
Did you try over at Toog'loo?
Everybody was asleep over there.
left my trunk at-the railway station and q.
walked out"
why, | told the sergeant to send
mule in last night on the chance of your
comm by the Owl Didn't anybody
meet you?"