The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1898-03-26

! listed men are having a better time
/ than the captains used TO. For G troop
/ 1as seen some of the hardest service
known TO the regular army. Ii has
served all the way from the fiery plains
/ )f Arizona to lie moisture and frost OF
/ Washington. II has gone to more old
/ forts and there bullded new ones than
/ any other organization that ever rode
/ horses. But II has been well command
/ ID from the far away time when X. L.
Bernard was captain and Happy
/ lack" Kyle was second lieutenant--not
| 10 mention Mr.. Winters, who was first
lleutenant-down to the present, when
gentlemen as modest and a whole lot
better accoutered take care of the for
tunes of company G."
All that has nothing to do with the
romance. The man In the case was call
ed big Smith," The first name be-
longed to him of rights, for he was just
as tall and just as heavy as the maxi
mum cavalry limit would allow, and he
er had been his name.
Big Smith was from Dallas, aud he
was about rs good a type Of the genu-
Inc Texan as Il man would find in u
months travel lie was handsome af-
ter vlrlle and un- Bostonese way, aud
his voice was of that deep and mellow
quality which suits itself to nonsense
songs for the pleasing OF women. He
knew enough 10 get along with the In
telleetual and was able TO buy enough
10 get along with the other kind. lie
was. at his home, an altogether accept
able fellow.
Her name IS another matter Besides.
Il Is another name now. anyway. And
there Is no use bringing her into the
romance Of G troop any further than
she Is willing 10 come. 1t seems there
was some sort of understanding fol-
lowed by a misunderstanding. between
them, and Big Smith shook the dust OF
Dallas from his shoes. went down TO
Galveston and enlisted In the regular
army. He must have regretted their
quarrel good deal, for the regular
army In 1871 was composed In large
part of about the hardest lot of men
that have got together for military pur-
poses since MIR. Falstaff Joined the
forces OF Henry ". Once In, however,
there was nothing for 1t but TO stick.
and Big Smith addressed himself to the
task of waiting.
He made a good soldier and was pro-
NOTED. AS corporal aud later as a
sergeant the only complaint against
him was made by the tailor, 1t took
TOO much bun flannel to make his chey-
rons. But he was very good fellow.
given to drink pay day, as became a
frontier warrior; given TO fighting occa-
sionally, when that seemed the proper
escape valve for abundant energy.
However, he never failed In the one es-
sential. He did his duty. lie could
always be relied upon. His fort was
Yuma, In the hottest oven Of Arizona,
where the Colorow Apaches frequently
made the camp still hotter.
Sunday Inspection was the same there
rs everywhere. After the roll call and
scrutiny on the parade ground the men
repaired to their squadrooms, and each
one stood ut the foot of his bunk while
the officers walked through, glanced
about for signs of carelessness and cor
reeted or commended, as the case might
require, and then walked out again.
often citizens visited the officers NJ
Fort Yuma, and the privilege of attend
ing in the squadroom inspection was
priced. The soldiers were so Interest,"
lug.
That Sunday an unusual numbar Of
women were on the balconies In otti
GERS row while the routine went for
ward on the parade ground, and there
was a general offer of an even bet that
some OF them would come down Tho
line with the captain"
And some OF them did. They were
very Interested. The soldiers stood
there so absolutely obllvlous of any
presence, so erect and formally MILL
tary. so painfully clean, with their
hunks behind them rolled up and the
folded blankets ranged on top; the little
personal vantles of each man on the
wall ut the head of his bunk, AMI his
kit box open at his feet.
Big Smith had number of books
that were not often lent. One was
collection of verses with Dallas book
sellers card for mark The other was
a very stilted and tedious account of
the wanderlngs of n queerly fortunate
person with habit of abiding TO him
self ms much enduring man" No
L., IT, hal l.. oil.
deeply into either.
The first sergeant came down through
the squadrooms at the head of the
group of officers and women, his brass
and braid as line rs skill could make
them. his saber clanklng In n very ON
inous way.
'Tenlion" he called. as he appeared
at the door of Big Smiths squadroom.
And every soldier added little starch
TO the general stiffness OF his bearing.
The officers did their customary quick
sweep of the room and Its details but
the women. unused to such things, tar
rled n little longer
"Why. there are books" said one of
the visitors. Big Smith, looking
straight ahead. as a soldier standing Mt
attention should. heard the voice and
the red blood ran down and his face
grew white ms a raln-washed bone"
But he did not wayer.
"Yes. they read" assented the cap
tain. little proud of his men.
"Whv. It's Homer exclaimed the