Mower County transcript., 1898-08-10

shaved, throat powsrfd1, open 81 i anu bx7s.
tor the rolling collar of 4 brand new.
blue flannel shirt was confined only bv
70 loosely knotted tie Of silk. The ooat
ne wore was a sort Of double breasted
pea jacket Of dark blue beaver. now
thrown open in Difference to the warmth
OF the room, but the first significant il
/, !: not suspicious thing the young man did
las he entered was to begin buttoning it
throughout Snugly fitting trousers Of
dark blue, belted at the waist. stout
slender, we'll made shoes and soft
black crush hat completed his attire. AS
Dana looked at him in some surprise
the newcomer brought his heels togeth
er, and between him and the foremost
noncotnmissioned officer in the -th the
expert eye could hardly have told which
was the more soldierly in build and car
riage.
! For moment no one spoke. Itwas
Dana who finally broke silence.
! "Why-you've served before"
: "Only in militia regiment, SIR"
| "Where?''
"1n New York city,
/ The adjutant had dozen more ques-
tions on the tip Of his tongue, and the
visitor saw it.
~ have answered that, sir, because
presume I have to account for standing,
attention, but there are many questions
fn hot
wish to answer. If may speak with
Captain Ray, I think I can satisfy him
without going into particulars
Dana whipped his wooden chair
around and squarely confronted the:
speaker. That he was man Of educa-
tion and social position in the past, at
least, Dana saw at glance, and just as
quickly did the companion thought
flash across his mind, "Another case Of
the prodigal son." Inoredulity as to the
motives Of a man in enlisting in those
days was not cOEtiucl 60 the rank and
file.
"Captain Ray may or may not be sat-
isfied, but in either event, as recruiting
officer of the regiment, I have to be-"
said the young officer, with touch of
asperity in his tone. 1t was not good to
his ears to be told that would be re.
eruit declined to answer questions.
The newcomer, far from looking dig
concerted. smiled affably and frankly.
His blue eyes twink(ed, his white teeth
cleaned. 1.-THE best looking scapegrace
! that ever came to US. Confound his i'm
pudence for grinning,' said Dana to
himself.
"That is vhy l wish to speak with
Captain Ray, sir, - said the civilian.
"He might be able to satisfy you when
I, probably, could not.''
II don't know how you make that
OUT said Dana, curiosity betraying
him into half argument with the ap-
plioant, which Dana very we'll knew
was infra dig.
"Possibly Captain Ray will explain
! it, was the answer, and the serenity
Of the applicant remained unrufaed.
"Oh, very well," said Dana, nettled
in spite of his better nature. '"Go see
Captain Ray if you wish.'' fr
But even as he spoke the hall door
i! opened and in burst Major Mainwaring.
There is no other way of describing the
majors method Of entering q room. It
has been said that he was blunt both in
speech and in action. A soldier for years
! Of his life, no amount of domestic pol
| ish had ever succeeded in smoothing off
the rough edges of the camp. Mainwar-
ing prided himself on being direct in
everything he said and did. Men and
women who knew him we'll knew there
was q mine of genuine kindness and
goodness under the rugged surface. Men
and women who heard him speak for
the first time declared him brute.
"What you got here?" blurtsd Main
waring, glaring at the sergeant major
and his silent companion.
"Man wants to enlist, sir, F" was the
reply.
Now, Mainwaring was not the re-
oruiting officer of the regiment. He was
in nowise responsible for their seleo-
! tion. He had been but few months
member Of the regiment himself, hav-
ing, as has been explained, been pro-
, NOTED to it from another when Major
: Barry became lieutenant colonel, but it
was popularity Of Mainwaring's that
he considered it his inalienable right to
have say in everything going on, and
it wasn't so much what he said as how
he said it that made it obnoxious. He
soowled at the very presentable new
conner as though words were inadequate
to express his disapprobation, then
gruffly demanded:
where you from?''
A flush went up to the forehead of
the young man, and there was an in.
stant's hesitation, then in very quiet
tone he replied "The east -.
Major Mainwaring was studying him
sharply, a suspicious light in his black
eyes. Haven't seen you before?'' he
presently asked, the words tumbling all
over one another's heels.