Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-03-09

England forts, as well as during his
brief stay at the barracks, he had noted
the scrupulous Difference of the veteran
sergeants when addressing their Off
GERS. He could understand awkward
ness and clumsiness among the recruits,
but the idea Of a corporal chatting him
on the cut of his clothes and-the idea
of a two months recruit being a COR
poral, anyhow! Never in the tales told
Of the Fire zouaves of 81 had he heard
Of anything much more free-and-easy
than the manners of this camp of regu-
lars. Never in his widest dream had
he figured such specimen of The COM
missioned officer as ne found in Capt.
Close. In the contemplation of this
character the go-as-you-please style of
the enlisted men sank into insignii-
canoe. Long years afterwards Lambert
used to go over this meeting in his mind,
and for two years, often importuned,
be would convulse his brother officers
by vivid description of it. But there
came a time when they no longer
laughed and he no longer told the story
save to those he loved and trusted ut
terly.
Aroused by some unusual chatter
among the men, the first sergeant of
company G, smoking pipe while work.
ing over ration-return, stuck his head
out of his tent and saw a young gen
tleman in a light-colored suit, courte-
cusly raising drab derby in his kid
gloved hand, while he stood erect with
soldierly ease before the company COM
mander. Sergt. Burns also noted that
some of the men were tittering and
all of them looking on. One glance
was enough. The sergeant dropped pen
and pipe and came out Of his den with
single bound, buttoning his blouse
and glazing about him as he did so.
flush your id CAB, you!" he fierce
ly growled at the nearest group. Get
into your coats, there!" he swore at
another, while with menacing hand he
nlotioned to others still, whose costume
was even more primitive, to scramble
back to their tents. In ten seconds 81
lence reigned throughout the camp al
most as complete as that which was
maintained. for that time, at the tent
Of the commanding officer. Lambert
actually did not know what to say in
response to his superior's announce
ment. It was full ten seconds, or more,
before he determined in what form to
couch his next remark. He had in
tended to say: II have the honor to
report for duty, sir;" but a vague sus-
ricion possessed him that this might
be some game at his expense-some
prank such as old cadets played upon
'plebes.' lie compromised, therefore,
between his preconcepticn of q strict
~ soldierly report and his sense of
what might be due his own dignity.
"My name is LAMBERT said he. "And
I am here for duty as second lieuten-
ant"
Slowly the man in the camp-chair
laid down his work.. sticking the needle
into the flap of the tent and hanging
the thread upon it. Then he heaved up
cut of the chair, hung the damaged
trousers over it's back and came pom
derously forward. Not vestige of a
smile lightened his face. He looked the
Young gentleman earnestly in the eye
and slowly extended his big, brown,
hairy hand. Seeing that it was meant
for him, Lambert shifted his hat into
the left, leaning his sword against the
tent-pole, and his dainty kid-a wild
extravaganza so soon after the war
was for ali instant clasped, then slow
ly released. Capt. Close unquestionably
had powerful grip"
How'd you Gomez" he asked. "Kind
of expected you Monday evenin'-out
from Quitman."
''The general kept me over day
or two to let me see New Orleans. He
told me that you would be notified. sir.
hope you got the letter2'
"Oh, yes. Thatwas all right. There
was no hurry. I didn't know as they
could get passes over the Northern. l
s'pose the chief quartermaster fixed it
for you, thought" And the brown eyes
searched questioningly the young
officers face.
"Passes? No, sir; I bought my tick
ct through"
mo! Why, you needn't have done
that. The Quitman roads biddin' for
all the government freight it can get
now. They'd have given you pass in a
minute. 1 suppose you want to be
quartermaster and comm;ssary? And
again the brown eyes looked almost
wistfully into the blue.
II? No, indeed, sir. don't know
anything but a little tactics. What l
most want"-with a glance around
and an apologetical laug.1-''is a chance
to wash off the cinders- something
to eat. I'm hungry as wolf"
The captain looked troubled. 1--WE
had my grub; so've the men, 'cept those
that come back late in the night-been
up to Buckatubbee with the marshal.
Did you try over at Toog'loo?"
Everybody was asleep over there. l
left my trunk at the railway station and
walked out"
why, told the sergeant to send a
mule in last night on the chance of your
comm by the OWL Didn't anybody
meet your"
''There was mule, but no body"
laughed Lambert, Except a darby
, e1ooro -, y fro;rh% oor Tho Yo1,1o WINS