, 1897-11-23

further orderg.'
YES, sir" Carswell saluted and led
my good timber away to obey that or
der, from which there was no appeal.
Rather Il had beginning for u maj /
had picked from the batch to make a
corporal l slniiingly said when we
were alone again.
"Oh, you cant tell" the colonel re.
piled. and then we talked about the
Whit saddle and the new calbine we
were trying and other post subjects un
til he left my stables.
Knowing that his order would be
obeyed, l paid no attention 10 il and
really forgot all about it among the de
tails OF life more affecting my welfare.
l wondered if we would get scouting or
dcrs Just as my next years leave CT alb
enc became due; if there was really
any chance TO get back that half months
pay l had dropped i'll the little game
last night; if she meant what she said
she was laughing so l could not make
out at the time if the mail would bring
me the check which my kind old dad
sometimes sent.
Meantime the day was lone and an
other was begun. III the semidarknesS
of morning stables | saw Laufer lying
Oh his straw in the stall. | believe l did
wonder if he was Geld, but knew if ho
had been | could not i'll any way remedy
it, and so two or three days and nights
passed, one very like the other.
Again l walked down to afternoon
ctnIl., ,,;tI, A.. .-. III -.
been i'll my stables since lie had ordered
Laufer tied up. We slowly Sauntered
down the long siGe-Oplosite the one
the new horse was in-asl,ing questions
here IL there Of the men, the mon
CONS and the farrier and looking over
the horses. Ihen crossing over VT wan
dered up the other side in the same way
till we came to the last stall.
Sergeant, how is your new horse
coming along:' said the colonel as he
passed into Laufer's stall. where the pri-
vate was eating the supper which had
been chucked into the feed box. He
was apparently oblivious of our presence
Il paid no attention to the old man rs
he brushed his hand along his back.
Seems well groomed, serg-uh-nt-uh.
h-oh grunted the colonel as he fell all
doubled up out of the stall.
Lightning was not quicker or more
astonishing. That youngster had placed
both hands Oh the rail of bis hayrack
and with that springy foundation had
planted botll feet with electric vigor
fairly in the old mans stomach.
Sergeant Carswell had Laufcr fat Oh
his back in n second, probably to beat
the life out Of him. l helped the colonel
up, when he quickly called: Sergeant,
sergeant! D-n it man, don't you
hear me? Get away from there and let
that man ~aloue!"
But he kicked the colonel, sir, said
Carswell, who started as if to repeat
the operation Oh Laufer.
Sergeant Carswell, go to your quar-
ters!' reared the colonel, an order
which saved the lucky Laufer from fur
Their trouble. AS it was he had not been
punished at all, and l was utterly dun
founded when the colonel promptly or.
dered his release. Taking me to one
side, he said, Captain, You said you
had intended this man should be . cor
poral:"
"Ycs, SIR"
"Well, have his warrant made out
and send it into the adjutant.' Salut-
ing, he went into the next stable while
] dismissed my men. l noticed the men
all gathered about Laufer and was
pleased that lie, waving them aside.
went at once to his bunk and his books.
where he had spent all Of his spare
time that first day before he was tie
up. The next day his corporal's stripes
and chevrons We're issued t. him. He
was constantly kept on some special du-
ty which prevented his being ut stables.
After IA time needed a sergeant, and
at the colonel's suggestion sent in Cor
poral George Lauter's warrant. In less
than "a year afterward l received 1.-The
compliments Of Colonel and Mrs. Greg
CRY, who request the pleasure of your
company ut dinner, Saturday, Aug. l6,
1875. at 3 O'Clock p. H., to meet Second
Lieutenant date sergeant) George Lau-
fer of the Tenth cavalry, U. 5. A."
/ attended the dinner with pleasure.
Laufer never groomed his horse.-Rrs-
sell Francis in Brooklyn Eagle.