The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-07-09

bad been rece1yed With cordial and
avowed esteem by Ed rnham and Kinsey
and with open arms oy Lambert. The
manly fellows in the regiment Followed
suit, and they had Zone much to rub
oft the uncouth edges, to polish the
rough exterior, and so reveal the value
of the gem within, and Close was plod-
ding contentedly along as quartermas.
ter of a four-company post, when the
blow fell. Minor, now lieutenant
colonel, was in command of the
-teenth, the old adjutant and quarter.
master in command of him. There was
no need Of asking whence the unseen
allegations came.
An ill wind it is indeed that blows
nobody good. In the general shake
up" there came colonel TO the regi-
ment whose first official act was to ac-
cept the designations of the two staff
officers and to appoint Lambert adj
jutant. Il wish you had gone in for
a commission" said he to Floyd, whom
he had known in his sergeant days in
Texas, but Floyd replied that if this
treatment of Close was a specimen Of
army justice he reckoned railroading
would suit him better. Whereupon the
new colonel swore that if Close were
only back again he'd make him GuartNr-
master and let his oppressors see the
other side of his story; but Close never
came.
With certain other wronged and as
tonished men, he had gone to Washing
ton and pleaded his case before a most
harassed and unhappy cabinet official
who was no longer able to undo the
mischief, the senate having confirmed
the nominations to the vacancies thus
created
He allowed that he guessed a few
mistakes might have been made long
of his putting too much faith in what
some officers told him." wrote Close
to Lambert, ''but that in nine cases out
of ten the thing was all right. / told
him l hadn't come to talk about any
body's rights or wrongs but my own;
what / wanted was the captaincy 1
was clean bilked out of. He said that
he couldn't fix that anyhow. The only
thing was to take a second ieutenancy
and start back at the bottom of the
ladder again. Some of them-poor fell
lows who'd been so long in the army
they didn't know any other way of liv
ing and supporting their families-was
fools enough to do it, but I'd see him
damned first, and nigh onto told him
so.
Il guess I've had bout enough of it
any how, Lambert. 1 did my best for
the government in the days when il we
fellows hadn't done our best there
mighty soon wouldn't of been any
government 'cept jeff Darts, ami if
this here's a specimen of the best the
government can do for rszn that
got plugged pretty full of lead Fighting
for it, why. next war that comes szound
] want to be a sutler and nothing else.
Lucky / amt as bad, off as the rest.
The boys are doing first-rate, ana the
girls are we'll hitched to very decent
farmers, both Of 'e1G, and bout ali I've
got to look alters my property.
They're running two railroads throagh
there Row, and it won't be long before
can be a senator or secretary, e
can't be a sutler. Now, I'm going lhck
to Spirit Lake, where Tn SrilisiT.g the
prettiest home in the Hawkeye state,
and it'll be all ready to welcome You
and Mrs. Lambert and-well-just as
soon as she feels like travelling agai2e-
and you must come and spehd is2g
leave with me. l. amt got any chill
dren of my own, and my kindred are
kind of wrapped up ID theirs, and took
q shine to you the first day you set
foot in that old mudhole of a camp
at Tugaloo. SO don't you fret about the
future, Lambert. You stood by me
when L hadn't friend, and-my Wills
adj made, boy, and don't you forget it.
Yours truly, J. p. CLOSE"
''P. S.-Dam the Cap"
THE END.