The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-07-07

mates already on duty with their bat
teries among the New York and New
England forts, as we'll as during his
brief stay at the barracks, he had noted
the scrupulous Difference of the veteran
eergeants 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 81 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
he 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 insignif-
cgnce. Long years afterwards Lambert
used to go over this meeting in his mind,
and for two years, often importuned,
he would convulse his brother officers
/ by vivid description of it, But there
came time when they no longer
laughed and he no longer told the story
save to those he loved and trusted ut
terly.
Aroused by some unusual chatter
among the men, the first sergeant of
company G, smoking pipe while work.
ing over ration-return, stuck his head
out Of his tent and saw young gen..
tleman in a light-colored suit, courte-
cusly raising drab derby in his kid
gloved hand, while he stood erect with,
soldierly ease before the company COM
mander. Sergt Burns also noted that
some of the men were tittering and.
all of them looking on. One glance.
was enough. The sergeant dropped pen
and pipe and came out Of his den with
single bound, buttoning his blouse
and glaring about him as he did so.
Hush your id CAB, you'll" he fierce.
ly 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
4 actually did not know what TO say In
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: II have the honor to
report for duty, SIR" but vague sus-
picion 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 preconception of strict
ly 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 lieuten.
ant"
Slowly the man in the camp-chaiI
laid down his work, sticking the needle
into the flap Of the tent and hanging
the thread upon It. Then he heaved W
out Of the chair, hung the damaged
trousers over It's back and came pom
derously forward. Not vestige OF {
smile lightened his face. He looked thu
young gentleman earnestly in the eye
and slowly extended his big, brown
hairy hand. Seeing that it was mean
for him, Lambert shifted his hat int
the left, leaning his sword against th'
tent-pole, and his dainty kid--a wilt
extravagance 80 soon after the war
was for an instant clasped, then slow
ly released. Capt Close unquestionablJ
had powerful grip"
. How'd you come?' he asked. "Kind
!. OF expected you Monday evenin'-out
|, from Quitman."
. "The general kept me over day
or two TO let me see New Orleans. HI
told me that you would be notified. sir
|, / hope you got the letter."
4 "Oh, yes. That was all right Their
' was NO hurry. didn't know as the,
/. could get passes over the Northern.
i. s'pose the chief quartermaster flxed il
! for you, though?" And the brown eye'
8 searched questioningly the yount
. officers face.
4 passes? No, sir; bought my tick
e ct through"
8 "No! Why, you needn't have done
4 that. The Quitman roads biddin' TO
: all the government freight it can ge
Y now. They'd have given you pass in
: minute. suppose you want to b.
quartermaster and commissary?" Ant
s again the brown eyes looked almos
!, wistfully into the blue.
e ~? No, indeed, sir. I don't know
s anything but little tactics. What
most want"-with glance aroun'
o and an apologetical laugh-"is chance
) to wash of the cinders-and something
o to eat. I'm hungry as wolf"
e The captain looked troubled. "I'v'
@ had my grub; so'ye the men, cept thos
IS that come back late in the night-beel
UP to Buckatubbee with the marsha
Did you try over at Toog'loo"
n Everybody was asleep over there.
e left my trunk at the railway station ant
J. walked out
q "Why, ] told the sergeant to send
: mule in last night on the chance Of you
comm by the owl Didn't anybod,
meet your"
"There was mule, but no body,
laughed Lambert, except dark
e asleep in freight car. The mule wa
n lying In the dirt, and snapped his head
l. stall when tried to raise him."
h "Whnt became of him? He didn'tge
; away, did he?N asked Close, in grea