The times., 1897-05-25
CADETS ROUTED BY RAIN
Drill of the COlored Soldier Boys
Rudely Interrupted.
Field Day at the Baseball Park
Spoiled by Deluge-P tponed
Until This Afternoon.

That the time-worn proverh. 1T never
one can be truthfuily attested to by Com
panies A, B, ana of the Colored High
School and the Z 900 people who gathered
atthe Washington Baseball PARK yestercay y
afternoon to witness the competitive dr!l.
IL WAS the first time that the colored
people Of the city ever assembled at the
park 1t was the first time that the
colored soldier boys had ever met in com =
petition, and everybody expected a good
time and were just in the right mood TO
cheer upon the slightest provocatIon But
they were doomed TO disappointment, for
In the tnislst OF the enthusiasm d deluge OF
rain hroSe over the city and compelled the
soldier 80 retreat before the drill was half
over
Long before the time scheduled for the
program 70 beginthe grand stand was filled
The whole assembly presented very
pretty picture, and every conceivable color
could he seen in the moving mass Of pretty
dresses. new spring bonnets, and company
colors.
Here aud there the spectators waved
flags, some of yellow and purple, the cclJrs
OF Company c; some of yellow and blue,
the Colo-s Of Company A, but the gre It
majority were of white and blue, the badge
of Company B.
Shortly before O'Clock the sound Of
martial music was heard, and amid cheers
the three companies, headed by the Capital
City Band, doing full justice 10 sousa S
washington High School March, entered
the grounds.
The Judges, Major C. H ourand, inspector
Horton, OF Gen. Ordway's staff, and Capt
E. C. Edwards, of Company "A, Second Regi-
Inent, d. c. n. G.. entered the field Just
as the cadets were finishing their intro
ductory march. and were loudly cheered
Capt. Arthur Brooks, the military inspector,
was also or hand, and came in for his share
OF popular approval.
The first company 10 line up tefore the
Judges was Company a, and as apt. Bur
gess brought his command to present the
air fairly vibrateI with the gels OF delight
sent up pfromthouSandso ofrhroats. The arms
were at once stacked, and the examination
hegun. The boys were put through the
seventy-one movements, and if there Were
any mistakes made very few outside OF the
judges were any the wiser for it, Every
maneuver was gone through with pre-
cision that would have done credit To the
regular army.
The marching was excellent and was ex-
ecuted without an error, and when Com
pany A was dismissed by the Judges there
was pleased and confident look Oh every
face.
Then the band struck up a lively air
and Company h came marching across the
green field and took it's place to make a
bid for favor.
If the reception accorded to Company A
was great that accorded Company b was
simply stupendous, and it was evident that
great things Were expected from Capt.
Rays men. 1t was noticed a S soon as the
drlil began that Capt. Ray had nc copy of
the orders in his hand and he was heartily
cheered on that account He put his men
through the routine, and it was evil
dent that they had worked faithfully and
were striving hard to carry off the honors
which their many friends were confident
would be theirs.
And then it began to rain; at first only
few drops fell, then those on the tleachers
began TO seek shelter, and then il began to
ppuf, hhO SUN Vic bols htpt Ou
and not till the judges gave orders 10
break ranks did they finch. Then there
was a wild scamper for cover by Judges,
officers and men, as though all the armies
Of Europe We're after them.
The drill was postponed until today at
O'Clock, when the boys will be called
together again and the drill taken up
where Company left off.
Meanwhile the audience began to put
up their umbrellas, and the scene of joy
was at once changed into an eager, though
orderly, crowd of water-drenched people,
anxious to get home. But the rain seemed
to have no mercy, and 1t was long after
O'Clock before the grand stand was empty
There were many prominent people
present, among them Ex-Governor T. B.
s. Pinchback, of Louisiana; ex-S enator B.
X. Bruce, trustee: Superintendent of Schools
w. B. Powell. Superintendent Of Colored
Schools G. F. T. Cook, Supervising Prin-
cipal H P. Montgomery, DR.. F. j. Shadd,
j. II. Meriwether, Robert II Terrell, F.
W. Brown, Principal Of High School Dr. w
s. Montgomery, John w. F. Smith, Hon. II.
=. Cheatham, recorder of deeds; CharesC
Thomas. W. II. Smith, formerly librarian
Of the House of Representatives; L. a.
Cornish, w. II. A. Wormley, James T.
WorInley, Dr. John R. Francis and many
others.