The herald., 1897-08-06

company streets to the tune OF a lively
quickstep, destroying the last possi-
bility of sleep, and the military day had
begun. In ten minutes fourteen COM
panies of hastily dressed young men with
sleep only half rubbed out of their eyes
were answering to their names as the
first sergeants growled them out from
the roll book.
After a ten minutes exercise in the
manual of arms to get the blood in cir
culation the companies were dismissed
to prepare for breakfast and twenty
minutes later every man was in just the
right mood to do full justice to the appe-
tizing repast to which the notes of
the bugle called them. Meanwhile the
cavalrymen were undergoing the bane
of a troopers exstence-stable work.
For the longest thirty minutes most of
them ever spent they polished the coats
of their mounts, who looked around with
mild surprise at being the recipients of
so much attention.
Breakfast over the old guard policed
the camp and everything was put in
ship shape for inspection which followed
soon after. Assembly and roll call
sounded at $40 and battalion drill was
X.
time the boys were put through their
PAGES in a lively manner under the
command of General Last, who, with his
staff, mounted, galloped hither and
thither following the various evolutions
AT the conclusion of most satisfactory
drill--to the officers-the majority of the
men were ready to admit that they had
had enough exercise under an August
sun for that morning at least. Mean
time the Signal corps and Troop D had
been maneuvering on the plain to the
left, the prancing horses, fiuttering
gudons and shining steel making a
pretty picture.
1t was 1880 before the command to
break ranks was given and the boys
tired and dirty returned to camp to di-
vest themselves of blouse and belt and
prepare for mess call From dinner hour
to o'clock, the hour for dress parade, the
men were free to enjoy themselves and
they did it in the Incompatible manner
of the exuberaut youth away from home
and out for a good time. The camp was
practically deserted save for the red
faced and bored looking sentinels, who
gazed longingly at the cool waves, then
III Hcd Ot thCii iSClS anu lIduupGQ OdCh
on their tracks and tried to look import
ant, visibly swelling in the awe stricken
and admiring gaze of few small boys
and smaller girls who gathered outside
the color lines.
Down on the beach and all through
the little seaside city the liberated $50
jers" swarmed. They filled the plunge
in the North Beach bath house, ducked
and splaShed each other, and when tired
Of these tame pleasures, adjourned to the
beach and playfully tossed few luck
less victims in a blanket-or rather a big
piece of canvas. Fast and furious the
fun became, and several foolish com.
rades who had neglected to provide them
selves with bathing suits but who took
a hand in the frolic, found their pretty
uniforms wet and bedraggled when they
came to after toss and a dip in the
briny, all unwillingly.
All afternoon the boys enjoyed them
selves in various ways and the pretty
town presented a lively picture, with the
moving masses of color. At o'clock
all returned to camp and dress parade
was gone through with before the admir-
ing gaze of the assembled popuface.
Supper followed and a quiet evenin G
was spent. A few played cards, sew
eral groups gathered and to the tinkie