The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-25
A RAW RECRUIT.

city and expressed desire TO go Tor O
soldier"
He was accepted and sent at once to joip
his regiment, and within week after his
enlistment was at work In uniform learn
ing to be soldier. He was slow In &C
yliring knowledge of his duties and was
constantly doing absurd things He got
into the generals tent one day by mistake,
end on repeated occasions got lost In the
other regiments of the division. His cap
tain was somewhat irritable at best and
much inclined to be exactinR. He con-
ceived violent dislike for the "new man."
as he was commonly called, and for a
month or more made his life miserable.
Nothing that the recruit could do pleased
him. He did not stand square in the
ranks, nor sit erect at his meals, nor do
anything in fact, as the captain wanted 1t
done The "new man. bore it all patient
ly, but sometimes 1t was observed that his
face grew pale under the captains reproof
and that his eyes burned like Goals of fire.
He got through somehow at last with |
his preliminary training and was taken up
finally on the morning report as private
and on the next day marched on guard.
Unfortunately his captain marched on the
same morning as officer of the day. The
"new man" was placed on an outpost of
the camp guard and mt once began walking
his beat industriously in the hot sun,
repeating quietly to himself as he went
back and forth the special instructions
that had been given him in order that he
might be ready to 'rattle them off, " he
said, if any of the officers should come
around and ask for them. Some time late
in the afternoon the officer of the day APP
preached him, and after acknowledging
Ia. l.. 60, hia tn
structions.
81 allows no one to monkey around
here" said the "new man.
whats that?' exclaimed the officer of
the day severely.
81 allows no one to monkey around
here" repeated the sentinel in much
louder tome 81 allows'-
"What's that? What's that" repeated
the officer of the day, his voice pitched at
a high key.
The sentinel instantly dropped his rifle
to the order, and rising on his toes fairly
screamed:
81 allows no one to monkey around here.
told you so before. I've forgot the rest
of it, butt
"That will dol That will dol" exclaim-
ed the officer of the day sharply. "Call
the corporal of the guard"
81 don't know his name, 4" replied the
sentinel
Call the corporal Of the guard, persist
ed the officer of the day, and after some
further emphatic instructions from the
captain cry went up for the corporal OF
the guard, post No. 4. ~
The corporal came promptly, and the
sentinel soon after found himself disarm-
cd, stripped of his equipments and pris-
| oner in the guard tent. On investigation
it was found, principally through the state
ment of the prisoner himself, that the in
structions he had attempted to give to the
officer of the day had been communicated
to him as correct by some roguish COM
rade He was therefore released from con-
finement at length and again trusted with
a sentinel's post. 1t was nearly midnight
when the officer of the day again approach
| ed him. He very promptly challenged, and
on receiving the reply, "Officer of the
day." again astonished the captain by a
cordial "Tbank you; please advance, sir,
and be reconciled."
This was too much of draft upon both
the dignity of the captain and the disci-
pline of the service, and the sentinel found
himself speedily prisoner once more in
the guard tent. Again, on investigation it
was discovered, principally, as before, on
the prisoner own evidence, tnat the COM
rades of the "new man" had been playing
tricks on him, and approaching his post
after dark had announced themselves rs
the 'of1icer of the day or the command
ing officer" as suited their fancy. He was
therefore again released and once more
placed on post
just before daylight the officer of the
day made tho rounds" of the sentinels,
and on approaching mo A" found the
"new man" on the post AS he advanced
to give the countersign the sentinel brought
his rifle down upon him, and in very
quiet, decided tone of voice directed him
to hold up his hands or he would Kill him
where he stood. The captain turned about
instantly and started to run He hac
scarcely taken dozen steps, however, be
fore the sentinel overlook him and seiz
ing him by the collar threw him violently
to the ground.
81 don't want to shoot YOU" he said
"It would make too much noise. But
IL.