The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-20

SKATER TIE FIGHTERS.
ical exercise, and SO he set up in his cor
ner of the barracks, over his bunk, a
punching bag, which he worked at with a
good deal of ~assiduity. The buckle cor
poral got his eye on this young chap and
proceeded to step on his toes at the first
opportunity. This occurred at tho guard
house when both men were on guard. The
young recruit, when the two bad taken off
their belts after being relieved from guard,
stepped up to the corporal and said:
AZ can't very well thrash you here and
now while you've got your cheyrons on
your blouse. All the same, I'd be glad if
you'd give me an opportunity to get hunk
with &oR On even terms, SO that you
wouldn't Nave your cheap stripes on your
trousers legsto fall back upon" (.
This was what the bullying corporal
was looking for, and the fight was ar
ranged to take place that sane night. A
select few of the buck p~rivates and non
commissioned officers turned up at the
abandoned quartermaster's storcroom to
witness the battle. Seconds ard time
keepers and bottle holders and all Of the
rest of the regular officials We're appoint
ed, and the battle began. The recruit was
rather a scientific man, but he appeared to
DC LchU -oIttt1AoDt>Af W ttAV VA ROlS1ir
The latter, however, resorted to foul fight
ing tactics, and the recruits friends made
q howl over this. When the argument
was at its height the enormous figure of
Skater wa seen right in the center of the
thrcng of excited e~ontenders. Shafter was
always more or less of O night wandering
Haroun-al-R aschid, and he had happened
down the quartermaster's line of store
houses on this night just to sec what he
could see when the arriving gang of sol
diers informed him that something was on.
i've seen this thing almost from the
first round, !" said Shaftcr to the startled
gang Of soldiers-they were too paralyzod
with establishment to bolt for it-"and so
long as you two men have started in to
violate military regulations you might as
well finish the job. But there are to be no
more foul tactics. And, Doherty,'' adj
dressing the recruit, ''if you don't lick this
corporal within an inch of his life I'll
find some means to let you decently out of
the service. Go in and thrash him right"
Then Shafter withdrew. Commanding
1icers have means of finding out things,
nd when he heard the next morning that
the recruit had taken heart after he, the
commanding officer, left the scene and
mauled the buckle corporal to o proper fin
ish Shafter saw to it personally that the
recruit was transferred to another COM
pany Of the regiment and promoted.
When Lawton was in command of one
of the western posts, he had a peculiarly
pompous bandmaster, who was, however,
very obsequious when he played at the
dances given by the officers.
Ono day the enlisted men of the post de-
cidcd to give q hop themselves. A COM
mittee of the soldiers approached the band
master to ascertain if he would be willing
to furnish the music. The bandmaster at
first declined to listen to any sort of a
proposition, but finally consented to give
the services of tho band for a nights dano-
ing for the sum Of $40.
That's a whole lot o. money, my wind
jam,ning friend" said the soldier who
was at tho head of the music committee.
II am free to say that I think you could
take O heap of O reef in that figure. WHAT'S
your idea, anyhow, in soaking it to us fell
lows SO hard when you play all night for
the officers a couple o. times q week for
nothing2D
"But you ain'd officers alreaty. . replied
the bandmaster. You are noting but
buck privates, ain'd its Well, | sharges
you What I biease-fordy to]iars."
"A1i right, bunkie. replied the soldier,
"if you think you can make a hit in this
layout by putting it on to us this way it's
up to you 20 make it stick. Well pay you
TIE forty because we've got to, seeing that
there's no juniper (eigilian) band around
this ci.up. But / think you're making e
bad bleak all tho same"
TIL soldier who had done tho interview
Ing With the bandmaster was On old time
poneofn n issioned officer who had scldiercd
alotgsi9e Lawton on a number of critical
occasials. He went up to Lawton's quer-
tiers to have o word with sbhe bcak,, Z 9th
erwise the "old man, about this music
business.
Tho boss wind iaInmer, = said the sol
dicr TO LaEsaaan, surely is rubbing 1t in
on to us some " and be told the command
ing officer of the only terms the bandmas-
ter would accept.
docs he wan il in adyances" inquired
Lawton. rubbing his chin rcfectively.
got It b his paats pocket now"