The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-24


down to civil life. The first sergeant,
while qualified for the executive part
of handling the troop, was no clerk,
and Captain Gresham, the troop COM
mander, was in despair. For several
weeks he had himself made out the
troop returns, quarterly acquisitions for
all kinds of needed supplies and num-
berless other official papers. In week
or so the master-rolls which had to be
made out carefully six times year FOR
the paymaster, would be done.
The captain sent for First Sergeant
O'Brien. Sergeant, said the captain,
"have you got a man in the troop who
is capable of making out muster-rolls?
l have made them out in years past,
but l am not equal to it now
well SIR said the sergeant stand
ing to attention and assuming a refiec-
tive air; there's no wan 1 know of, eX-
cept Private Schuyler, and he is drunk
all the time. He got sixty days and
twenty dollars blind the lasht time he
was tried, and he only came out to-day.
If he would only keep sober enough ne
could make them out.
as he good at army papers, SER
geant?"
"Shure, he is the finest in the regi-
ment, sir-if he is sober" answered the
sergeant.
"Well he has just got to be sober un-
til he makes out those rolls. You con-
fine him to the orderly ROOM and nave
his meals brought to him from the
cook-house. Put a sentry on the door
until the rolls are all made out, ana
the troop is mustered on the 30th
Mind, now, | shall hold you RESPONSE
BILE for him. and if he gets anything to
drink till this thing is over I'll have
you reduced.
The sergeant saluted and turned
away, with a very serious face, as
though the task was almost too much
for him. Going into the barracks, he
found Private Schuyler engaged in
cleaning his kit preparatory to going
on guard the next day
Schuyler, get your blankets and
come with me-"
whats the matter, sergeant; are
you going to confine me? 1 am only
out this morning, and haven't drank
anything yet" said the soldier, de-
spairingly.
mo, | won't confine you. captain
Gresham says you've got to make out
the muster-rolls. I'm a-going to lock
you up in the orderly-room and put a
sentry over you so you won't get no
whiskey till they're done" said Ser
geant O'Brien. Schuyler breathed a
sigh of relief and accompanied bin.
Reaching the orderly-room, the ser
geant posted guard, with strict or
ders to see that no one held any con-
versation with Schuyler, and that I'M
der no circumstances was he to have
any liquor. These orders were accom-
panied with the menace that. in the
event of any lax discipline, into the
guard house the offending sentry
would 60.
The plan seemed to work very well,
Thanks to the vigilance Of the sentries,
there seemed no possible way in which
Schuyler could get anything to drink.
His meals were brought to him from
the troop kitchen three times day,
and he worked steadily on the muster
rolls. Captain Gresham visited the or
derby room several times daily and no.
ticed, with much satisfaction, that
Schuyler's work was progressing ia
vorably.
Four sets of muster rolls were re-
quired-one for the troop records, one
for regimental headquarters, one for
the paymaster and one for the adju-
tant generals office. 1t was impera-
tive that the rolls should be clean and
accurate, and, as they are written on
parchment, they SHOULD last for ages
Schuyler seemed in every way equal to
the task, and the work went steadily
on. His craving for liquor increased
the longer he was away from it, and he
urged the sentries to get him some
thing to drink, but they sternly drove
him back to his work. The paymaster
was to appear on the Goth of April, and
the rolls had to be ready on that morn
ing,
Captain Gresham went to the order
ly-room on the evening of the Goth and
found the muster rolls completed with
the exception of some trifling details.
which could only be inserted on the fol-
lowing morning.
fotuuy ltl, llUSt are TIE lledleSl MUS
ter rolls / ever saw. Why can't you let
whiskey alone? If you only could I'd
make you troop clerk at once" said the
captain.
Captain, | can't. I've tried and
tried but liquor has got such a hold on
me that I cannot give 1t up" and
Schuyler, what with the weakness due
to his accustomed abstinence and, pos
sbly, some recollection of his wasted
life, broke down completely and began
to cry.
The captain looked at him keenly for
a moment, then said: '"Schuyler, I'm
sorry for YOU" and went back to his
quarters.
The morning of the Goth dawned.
The paymaster was due at the post at
ten o'clock Shortly before guard
mount Sergeant O'Brien took the
morning report book to Captain Gre
sbam's quarters for him to sign, as was
his daily custom.
''fhose rolls are done, sergeant?"
"Yis, sir, all except one or two
changes to be made answered the
sergeant.
well, I'm going on officer of the day,
and I'll come over after guard mount
to sign them. After the paymaster
comes you can take that guard off and
put Schuyler on duty again,
Guard mount came, Captain Gresham
reported to the commanding officer as