The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-07-15
A ROMANCE IN CAMP.
Written for This Paper

| luc IIOOp SIIcSL uHIll tie TGdCUeu Tie quar-
tiers of the troop commander. He was the
| typical country boy, uncouth in personal ap-
pearance and poorly dressed. As he halted
elaborate salute with both arms and an
nounced that he had come to enlist.
"Where did you come from, my boy%
asked the captain.
"Well, now, cap'a'n, if you'd just as leave
| won't tell, cause you might tell dad and
he'd take me home"
Don't your father want you TO enlist,
then"
"Well, not exactly, and neither does the
girl; but I'm going just the same. and I
want you to take me-"
"And who is the girl, my boy-a sister,
suppose"
'Well, no, captain, not exactly sister,
although she once said she would be a sister
| if wanted her to, but didn't"
ri understand. She is your wife then"
mo, not yet, cap'a'n, but she would have
been if it hadn't been for this war. We was
goin' to be spliced next week, and now
she says she won't have me if go to war;"
"And you want to enlist even if it costs
you your girl?"
"Well, cap'a a girl what won't stand up
for her country amt worth cryin' over, ac-
cordin' to my estimation"
"Well, my boy, I will take you, but we
must find some way in which to get your
fathers consent, and l think we can work
that if you will give me his name and ad-
| dress"
81 don't know, ap'a'n; he was pretty mad
about it when / wanted to come, and said
shouldn't, so just walked off and kept on
walkin' till got here; but if you really
think you can fix it. dad lives at Pekin, up
here about 10 miles, and his name is Hoff-
man, Jake Hoffman. He calls me Jakey,
but d rather you'd call me just Jake"
well, that will do for the present, Jake,
and now you had better go to the mess tent
and get something to eat; you look hungry
That night letter went to Mr.. Jake Hoff-
man at Pekin as follows:
"Aly Dear Sir: To-day your son arrived
at this camp and has expressed desire to
serve his country as member of my troop.
From what he has said should imagine him
to be under age and that he left home with
out your consent. He also states that Ger.
tain young lady was much opposed to his
coming, and that she has practically refused
to marry him since he has done so. You, of
course, are u stranger to me, but have re-
quest to make, and that is that you give your
SOLScHI " Tie cLlLSlIueUl Vi your son, anu
also that you induce his sweetheart to &C.
company you on visit to the camp here next
Sunday"
That letter worked wonders with the old
man. 1t was letter from captain in the
army and was something more than any of
his neighbors could show. OF course if the
captain wanted Jakey he should stay, and
what was more, the girl should go to camp,
for he would take her.
Great were the preparations made for that
trip. The old gentleman insisted on buying
his sons sweetheart new dress for the oc.
casion, and also one for his daughter,1who
was to accompany them. The best that tho
little town OF Pekin could afford was mono
too good, for they were going to visit Jakey's
captain on the captains invitation. Prob
ably they would be invited to take dinner
with him.
The father, the girl and the majority of the
fathers family arrived on Sunday morning
and were introduced with all the formality
that it was possible for the captain to put
into the ceremony. The strictest of dis
cipline was enforced among the other men
of the troop, while Jakey was given all the
privileges possible, SO as to make him stand
out prominently as favorite.
His blue uniform bore no marks Of rank,
but that was unnoticed, for he marched on
the right of the line of his troop, and to his
uninitiated friends that counted for more
than shoulder straps.
Jake is not an ideal soldier. He never
has learned to keep step with the men either
in front, behind or on either side of him.
He has walk that is evidently of home
manufacture, and, so far as have seen, has
never been initiated. His salute is flour
ish of both hands about his head, and all the
training and schooling he received could not
change it. He reasoned that if one hand sa-
lutes were good, both hands would be bet
ter, and also that both his hands were in the
service of his captain, and both should be
used in saluting. He invariably faced the
wrong way, and he's never been known to
know his right from his left hand. What
few movements he executed correctly were
pure errors on his part, and always recog-
nized as such. 1t was not until Jake had
been placed on the cook detail of his troop
that his proper place was found, for he could
cook. But all this is far ahead of our story,
and in fact has nothing to do with it.
Jake's entire family and sweetheart were
invited to dine at the captains quarters with
was also included in the invitation, an I'M
had been posted by the troop commander.
During the simple camp meal the captain
drew from Jake's sweetheart the story of
their courtship and quarrel, and by diplo.
matte inference to the heroism of the sol.
dier boy In thus giving up all that was dear
to him that he might serve his country in its
time of need opened way for a statement
of the existing difficulties.
Before the father started for camp he had
lost all of his antagonism for the service; he
was perfectly willing that his boy should
serve his adopted Countrywide father was a
German.
1t took more than that, however, to con-
viace the young lady that Jakey did right in
forsaking her that he might serve his coun-
try.
But the captains argument convinced her |
that Jakey was right, and truce was soon |
established. The captain was prepared for |
this and had had Jakey procure a marriage |
license of the county clerk the day before; |
the services of the regimental chaplain were
rendered for the occasion, an invitation was |
issued to the entire command to attend the |
ceremony on the parade ground Immediately |
after evening parade, and Jakey and his |
sweetheart were made one.
The happy bridegroom was granted fur.
Tough for "a hours, and then returned to take |
up the serious side of soldering. Two weeks |
later the camp bride paid another visit to |
her husband, but the romance had been for.
gotten, her husband was but one of a thou.
sand in that regiment of cavalry. At that
time Jakey was troop cook, and the troop |
must eat. but Jakey had the girl.