The National tribune., 1898-10-13

| a great deal of uncton on the Sergeant. as if
he would generally communicate to Walter
| some of the pleasure he felt in the airing of
his new title1, Sergeant Armitage, you will
take charge of the company until me return,
sir'' and he stalked off to Headquarters with
the stiff dignity of Field Marshal.
| He returned in a little while. his JOY more
| palpable on his kindly, honest face even than
its freckles The interview at Headquarters
had been very satisfactory His name would
| be Immediately sent on to the Governor for
a commission as Second Lieutenant, and
upon the receipt of the same he would be
regularly mustered as a commissioned officer
| and begin to draw pay as such.
"If there's any one thing Oi despoise
above another said lie confidentially to
| Walter. as they were going to bed after tat
too, it's man becoming overproud list be-
cause he's got a little lift in the wurrld. A
man-and especially if he's got that in him
to make him worthy to be an officer and jim
| tleman should have {: timper so ayvln and
foinely regulated as to be supayrior to the
accdints of fortune and take the good and
bad wild ayqual calmness. Now, Dim quote
determined that me putin on shoulder
straps shall not make the sloightest change
in ME conduct towards anybody, unless it'll
be that O'll be still more tolerant an patient
wild all de min."
| At this moment the tent flap was raised.
and the bushy head of Sam Biffin, the worst
grumber in the company, appeared through
the opening. He said
See here O'Ncil, I'd like to know who
| in blazes is in charge of the company? If
you're pretendn' to be, as | hear you are, /
wish you'd tend to your business and see
that we git some blankets, sometime. Now,
Co. ID has officers that mount to something,
am they have all the blankets they want,
and more, too. If / set up to be an officer,
an went round putin on frils on that ac-
count, I'd try to be one, an look out for my
men, instid of layin' on my back in a tent,
AM
Here. Serg't Armitage, git up instantly,
an put OF your soids-arnis, an take this
spalpane to the guardhonse, roared O'Neil
i'll n perfect tempest of rage; did you iyer
hear such insolencc to supayrior officer?
BE me loie, he's the most disrespectful
villain Oi iver saw He talks to me-rne,
the officer in command of his company, as
if Oh was his ayqual-the ayqual of black
guard loike him. BE the Vargin, its rank
mutiny Min have bin shot for less
Away with him Mebbc n noi.ht in the
guardhouse will tache him to spake wild
proper respect 10 lis commandin' officer If
that don't. Oh know Something that WILL"
The next day Private Biiiin atoaed for his
i'll timed Structures by digging up q pecu-
liariy-dif1icut red oak stump at the edge of
the regimental parade ground.
Kall's case did rot progress as hopefully
as the Regimentai Surgeon wished, and that
gentleman began 10 fear that unless 1T we're
treated better than it could be in the uncom-
Portable and poorly supplied recinental
hospital it might develop into some fatal
brain disorder, so he ordered him back to
Cairo for treatment. much to the disgust of
Kari, who was neither inclined 10 leave his
comrades, whom he believed were now on the
eve of delivering the last crushing blow to
the rebellion, TO be followed by Il trium-
phant return home, nor yet 10 abandon his
chances for another meeting with the fair
rebel who had captured his affections.
The Surgeon was despot, as all Surgeons
had to be at times, and Karl was carried to
the hospital-boat by his comrades The
dignity of a commissioned officer would not
admit of Lieut.. O'Neils taking hold OF the
corner of the stretcher, but he rendered still
more essential service in stalking alongside
of it, and whitening with an enc, getic, eex-
pletive one of the bearers who stumbled in
a hole. and by so doing gave Kari a severe
wrench.