Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-08-12


the whisky, not I. You are the best
abuse you?" And the horse looked at
him sympathctically out OF his large.
intelligent eyes, and laid his head on
the shoulder of the trooper.
Drink always made demon OF him
for the time being. but when the eff ,
fects had worn away he was repentant |
and sorrowful He was more especial !
" remorseful during the 30 days he /
usually spent in confinement in charge /
of the guard, after the garrison court |,
martial had finished with him. for then |
he could get nothing to drink. On his
discharge at the end OF each enlistment
he would take the sum coming to him
from the paymaster on his final state
merts," usually amounting to several
hundred dollars. repair to the nearest
town and have a royal debauch as long
as his money lasted. 4 soldier can get
higher pay during that enlistment
called "reenlisted pay'-if he enlists
within 30 days after discharge; but in
| every instance he had overstayed the
| limit, and now, at the end of 2s years
service, was only drawing $13 month,
the same as the youngest recruit.
He wrote clear, legible hand and
was one of the best clerks in the regi-
ment, but could never be depended
| upon, as he was liable to go wild at a
time when his services were most
needed. The former troop. clerk, who
had held that billet for several years,
was steady man as well as compe-
tent clerk. he had been discharged by
expiration of term of service" and
had taken his departure for the east,
intending to marry the sweetheart
who had been waiting for him to set
tie down to civil life. The first ser
I Igeant while GSalified for the executive
part of handling the troop, was no
clerk, and Capt. Gresham, the troop
commander, was in despair. Forseveral
weeks he had himself made out the
troop returns, quarterly acquisitions
for all kinds of needed supplies and
numberless other official papers In a
week or so the muster-rolls, which had
to be made out carefully six times a
year for the paynaster, would be due.
The captain sent for First, Sergt.
O'Brien. Sergeant" said the captain,
have you got man in the troop who
is capable of making out muster-rplls
have made them out in yeans past, but
am not equal to it now"
''Well, sir" said the sergeant, stand
; ing to attention and assuming q re-
! Elective air; there's no wan know of
except Private Schuyler, and he is
: drunk all the time. He got 60 days and
$50 blind the lasht time he was tried
and he only came out to-day. If he
/ would only kape sober enough he could
make them out"
) ''Is he good at army papers, ser
) geantT'
/ "Shure he is the finest IN the regi-
: ment, sir--if he is sober" answered the
l sergeant.
, "We1I, he has just got to be sober un
; til he makes out those rolls. You con
: fine him to the orderly-room, and hav,
his meals brought to him from the cook
e house. Put sentry on the door unit
a the rolls are all made out and the TROOP
i Is mustered on the 30th. Mind, nov
e shall hold yop responsible fol
him, and If he gets anything to drinl
Z till this thing 10 over, III have you re
q duced."
/, The sergeant saluted and turnes
"
q though the task was almost too mucl
G for him. Going into the barracks h
e found Private Schuyler engaged b
e cleaning his kit. preparatory to goinI
Q on guard the next day.
Schuyler. get your blankets an'
come with me-"
9 Whats the matter, sergeant; ar
. you going to oonfine me9 am onl
y out this morning. and haven dram
y anything yet" said the soldier, de-
> spairingiy.
II mo. won't conAne you. Capt Ores
y ham says you've got to make out tn
" muster-rolls. I'm agoin' to lock you u
g in the ordherly-room and put a Rentr
o1 over you so you won't get NO whisky ii
'r they're DONE" said Sergt O'Briel
3 Schuyler breathed a sigh of relief an
accompanied him.
~ Reaching the orderly-room the sc
:. geant posted a guard, with strict order
nc to see that no one held any convers
- ton with Schuyler, and that under I
circumstances was he to have al
- liquor. These orders were accompanit
with the menace that, in the event
any lax discipline. into the guard-hou
-, the offending sentry would go.
The plan seemed to work very we
r. Thanks 10 the vigilance OF the sentri'
IL there seemed no possible way in viii
Schuyler could get anything to drir
His meals were brought to him fro
the troop kitchen three times ds
- and he worked steadily on the must'
rolls. Capt. Gresham visited the ord'
> >, ly-room several times daily. and I
ticed, with much satisfaction, I'll
Gov Schuyler's work was progressing fav'
go ably.
Four sets of muster-rolls were
! ., quired-one for the troop records, c
tbe for regimental headquarters, one
vev the payynaster, and one for the adults