Daily camera., 1897-01-18
CAPTAlN CHA[2hE@ KING. ; ~
[copyrsht, 1904, by J. B. Lppincott company.l

health, appetite. and "ynlc.s-r-rccoy
cred from his desperate illness and re
sumed his duties. When Dec mber and
the new colonel came, drills and dress:
uniforms were ordered, and Close got
leave of absence and tried to get back to
bureau duty, where they did not wan :
him. Then he appealed to Farnham.
and through him to Gen. Sherman.
His wounds made him stiff ard sore: he
couldn't drill or parade. It transpire
that he had no full uniform, and his
| first and only frock-coat had been let out
to the last shred and was still too tight
for him. Then some qucti yarns began
to be told. BE was QUASI CNecutor foJ
three officers who had died intestat"
and who had little to bcqueath any
how lie rad nurscd them in their last
illness, and such items of their property
as had rot by medical orders been con
demned and burned he had for sale
Under the regulations the ma jor was the
proper custodian of the effects of de
ceased officers. but the major was him.
self almost a victim and had been sen :.
| north to recuperate after a long and
desperate struggle. On an occasion when
he simply had to appear in full uniform,
Close turned out in plumed felt hat,
sash, and epaulets which, wher ques
toned. he said were the late Capt
Stones. and so was the ccat If nobody
could be found to buy them, he would,
but he did notImean IN -. ::sstleh truck"
until it was absolutely necessary.
Respect for his lighting ability in the
field and his fearless service during the
epidemic prevented any ''crowding" Of
the old fellow, though there was no lit
tie talk about the habits he was disclos-
ing. The bachelors anil "grass wild
overs" of the infantry and battery
started "A mess, but Close declined to
join. He explained that he preferred
to board with French creole family
short distance away, as he'"wished
to learn the language" They gave a
big dance Christmas week and taxed
every officer ten dollars. Close had
! nursed Pierce through the fever, and
Pierce was treasurer of the fund. Close
was accounted for as paid" both for
the original ten and the subsequent as
sessment of five dollars that was found
necessary, but it came out of Pierce's
pocket, for Close begged off one and
refused the other, and Pierce would not
tell until it was dragged out of him by
direct questioning months after. II
transpired that Close went only once a
day to the humble dwelling, four blocks
away, where he preferred to board. He
assiduously visited the kitchen of Com
pany &C" at breakfast and dinner time
to see that those meals were properly
cooked and served, and there could be
no question that he personally sam
pied" everything they had. He wore
; the clothing issued to the men, until
the colonel insisted on his appearing in
proper uniform, and then had to rebulle
him for the condition of the paper col
lar and frayed h!ac!s bow that were at
tached to the neckband of his flannel
shirt. He wore the sokilcr shoe, and
swore that no other kind suited his foot.
He had 10 write letters occasionally, but
when he did so he repaired to the COM
pany Office or that of the post quarter
master, and not one cent did he spend
for stamps.
Indeed it became subject of unofh-
cial investigation whether he spent a
cent for anything. He bought nothing
at Finkbcin's, the suffers, where, in
/ L. II I .-,l. L I.
war record and fever service to the
contrary Notwithstanding. He never
touched card, never played billiards,
and never invited anybody to drink,
leven when his brother officers called
upon him in squads of two or three to
see if he would. That he had no preju
0ice against the practice then as uni
versal in the service as it is now rare
was apparent from the tact that he
never refused to take drink when in
yited, yet never seemed even family
.Xhilarated. you might as well poul
whisky in a knot-hole," said the sore
headed squad of youngsters that with
malice prepense had spent many hours
and dollars one night in The attempt te
yet Old Close ''loaded."
| He had to go to town occasionally OF
board of survey or similar duty. ano
always sought a seat in somebody's am
bulance TO save the nickel for six-milt
iide in the tram car. When he had tt
take the car he would wait for some Of
the youngsters, well knowing they
would ply his fare. Once when three o1
them ''put up a job on him" by the
! declaration after they were well or
their way, that not man in the party
had less than five-dollar bill, he of
fered to change the five, but refused te
lend a nickel unless they gave theil
word, on honor, that they were not
striving to make convenience of him
But the "closest" figuring he had eve
done was that which he carried out fo
several months at the expense of Ger
tain bank. Most of the officers on get
ting their pay check towards the enc
of the month would take it to the near
est bank or broker and get it cashed
| Those were easy-going days in the pay