Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-01-16

"prairie Chicken" as soldiers then
were who ''took on anywhere west
of the Mississippi. We all had good
many reasons for believing, however,
that Wilson was not quite SO much OF a
recruit as his Seattle enlistment record
showed on its face. None of us could
remember having soldiered with him
anywhere, and his fare was unfamiliar
to all Nevertheless, from the day lie
arrived at Candy in charge OF the Sc.
attle batch of recruits, of which: &C.
cording to the list he handed to the
officer of the day, he was one, he car
ried himself too much like soldier to
fool those of us who had been in the
outfit long time.
Old Sergeant Fisher took the re.
cruits out to the parade ground, the
morning after their arrival, to begin
to lick them into shape in the awkward
squad. Wilson was among them. He
tried to assume the recruits clumsi-
ness, but we could see that the job was
little too much for him. He Was too
naturally graceful n man in his carriage
for that, and his shoulders were too
square. At The command of execution
he forgot himself every time, and
stepped out with the left foot. A re-
cruit never does that. 1t takes at least
six months to teach a recruit that he
is possessed of left foot. Old Fisher
gave "To the rear, march !" suddenly,
and it caught Wilson mapping. Alone
of the squad, he whirled on the ball OF
his left foot and took step rearward,
while the rest of the squad ignorantly
ploughed on. 1t was bad giveaway,
and Wilson's dark, handsome face
flushed. Old Fishers eye was sharp,
if he had been canteen sergeant for
six years.
"Hait!" he commanded the squad
of recruits, and in their own time,
one by one, thew halted. "Wilson,
fall out" Wilson fell out, and for a
time stood by watching old Fisher
drill the rockies in the fncinss. After
awhile the sergeant, having brought
tho squad to rest, walked over to
Wilson, looked him over for minute
with sort of half smile, and said /:
"What's the use?'
"None,' said Wilson, probably see.
ing that the game was up so far as old
Fisher was concerned.
All the same, not to make the off.
GERS suspicious, the drill sergeant took
Wilson out with the awkward squad
every day for a time. 1t was fine
thing to see Wilson handle his rifle
when the guns were dished out to the
rockies for the first time. A young
lieuteno j, fresh from West Point, hap.
pened to drop into the day room, and
he stopped for while to watch the
new men trying to get through the
manual. His eye naturally drifted to
Wilson, who would have attracted Mt.
tention III the middle rank of regi-
ment, for he certainly was n fine
looking chap. Nilson was trying to
handle his gun as if he had never seen
one before. We couldn't help but
grin Enthusiastically as we stood around,
although we were careful not to lot
the little West Point shavetail see us
do it, for we all liked Wilson and
didn't want to see him get into any
trouble. Wilson tried so hard to make
it appear that he didn't even know
what rifle was made for that lie
dropped it while the squad was stand.
ing at II rifle parade rest. 1t made II
terrific clatter, aud the little lieuten.
ants eyes snapped.
"Gawk !" he muttered, while Will.
son, red and nervous, reached out and
picked up the gun.
"Attention!" !" shouted the drill SER
geant. Wilson alone of the batch was
like ramrod before the echoes of the
command died away in the day room.
Fright shoulder-hums !" Wilson's
gun came to his shoulder with a snap,
the three movements perfect, while
the other fellows of the squad were
sluggishly coming to port, present,
carry, everything but right shoul.
der.
''Fix-bay. o nets!" Wilson's was
fixed with the rapidity and precision
of an expert.
"Well," said the little lieutenant
under his breath, rs he turned away
with kind OF puzzled twinkle in his
eye.
Wilson was put to duty the next
day, and caught commanding officers
orderly the first time he went on
guard. All OF uswho occupied hunks in
the old-timers' squad room lad to con.
fess that Wilson was as fine soldier
as We had ever seen.
None OF us ever asked him what
outfit he had been in before he came to
our layout as recruit. Wilson was n
very quiet man, we'll educated-we
used to see him reading queer.looking
books IN foreign languages, as he lay
on his bunk on rainy atternoons-and