The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09
THE MARK OF THE VETERAN
A YEAR or DIsAPPOINTMENT NO a
PATRIOTIC ToUNG MIN.

His Final solution of the DtherenCe bSS
tween the Recruit and the Veteran.
II Ind been a year OF disappointmonts to the
patriotic and very young man. His patriotism
had fred BILE soul to Agl:t. hut 1t WINS an npsc-
int essential that he should do his lighting
with the aid and comfort OF horse, and MS it
happened lie was too atc all along the ''nh
When the troop was mustered In there was
not a vacancy There were practical reasons
not entirely unconnected with TRANSPORTATION
which made Il out OF the question to get to san
Antonio on the of chance that there might DO
room In tho Rough Riders. There was no bait
terry accessible. and after all the artillery IS noo
much better than infantry on the lighting line'
There is precious little dash about the guns.
whether great or small, when youth and pa.
triotic exu berance have picked out the SABRE a.
being the real thing in war
After the first disappolntments there was
gloom upon the young man until rumors oeRan
to spread that there would be another large
cn for volunteers. Recruiting became once
more a possibility. Out OF the vague rumof
crystallized the news that n citizen who had
title which might be military was about to orr
ganize squadron OF cavalry and young men OK /
dash might be accepted. Whya squadron was
the limit it is hard to say. That would make I,
the organizer no more than a Major. It's
just MS easy to win Colonel's rank by talk
ing about recruiting n regiment. Never =
theless. tine young man ran the report down TO
Its source and enrolled himself as the nucleusot
a troop Of the Marauders. Then the thing
sort OF hung fire. The Major OF Marauders
and the nucleus OF Troop went sedulously'
every night to their borrowed armory. bue
there seemed lack OF interest in maraudinR.
At last the Major became irregular in his at '
tendance. At first he explained 1t by the ex-
cuse TINT he had been out trying to get the
men interested. The nucleus Of Troop A
stuck II out a little longer. for he had the en-
thusasm OF youth. Finally he lost confidence
In the Marauders. and ceased the futile visits
to the borrowed armory. 1t was reckoned up
as one more disappointment OF the military
career. When the Marauders thus mustered ,
themselves out. the Major brevetted himself
Colonel and went on the retired list.
The next chance came in double-lettered
troop. This began with great promise. Troop
z was careering around Virginia in q search
sr goGd was ~ On was
have the first opportunity to fll the casualty ,
there 'V was the chance that the Captain Of zz
had enough political influence to get the troop
faH III TrooS sp %nf h h' evsnnrs
n1 nrof I'D as Far tho
81 brass hat device Of crossed sabrSs with the
Il the @i oweT E y It's youth Then came camp
S t. SS%s sss S% Il ~.
out; for there was really now no use for them
and they Tf5e only IN the at the n
patriotic young man was not to be s1uelched by
this steady succession OF disap sointments. II
reasoned, and he determined 10 lose no time in
{99ining, the National Guard. the horse kind.
emissaries Of the Signal Corps or course when
you are In the army you know all about the
the signal Corps men can make it very aliur-
Ing Win tn%r fa les Gr 6einE on the over
hight well did they sing their seductive
whsh hey
fore him, and hastened to be recruited. Then
they put him on the bare back OF horse IN a
him out with soldier clothes drapsd with a
great deal more orange braid and orange
horsehair plume than would be at all advisable
action was at least open to comment and pos
found enjoyment in mixing him up with the
district telegraph messenger service and
affected TO give him messages to be delivered
without delay In Gowanus or Harlem. promS-
Secure in his own position. he treated these
Light gibes with the sc9rn which they merited.
fhs Sy hn ss s h h Fra"
WAS rough; it was really too much that an in
'sS ps w tho %ofd
that the infantry do"s not get horses even for
it's officers until they reach field rank,
The enthusiastic young recruit still carries
the belief that the Signal Corps is the best that
the State service holds Personally he admits
Sat ps over %snGF It's rnn
only cause of envy is found in the men who
the tawny climate of Cuba, 1t has been a
mater matt , OF much interest TO compare himself
i could not e The khakithat made the differ
even Rough Rider khaki, complete with ali the
# Sod nd Se t h s
ttye medal by qualifying as very accurate sig
out at CreGdmoor. II could not be the military
rps brides itself and it t" viii Hf e c elasss
that i is outdonee il that particular even by the
TO find out. The discovery came really by acct
gent: hnt It was not on that account any the
It al same ont on "a, recent occasion Of iestv-
with those who are Qualifying to become D'" he
Veterans Of the next war that may happen.
%s% sH D ys 5 the socS
began. There was rapid signaling to All out
dance &c s1rd; and the nrmory floor was the
was ma 10 manifest When tho parade was dis.
missed the State officers scurrlcd OF to get rid
o. their swords. some rushed upstairs 70
the table, or, slowed thcm in the lock-
era; ST others hunted out corners in
would be out, Of the way in the evolutons Of
the dance. Every on" Of the officers in the
state service shed his sword, While this dis s.
armament was progressing the officers who
had seen service stood at ense and watched
proceedings. In their own State career thew
had done tho same thing many time but now
they looked on with n sunerior air and twrlcd
their mustackoS nftcr the accepted custom al
heroes. In the waltz that followed the rpai
thing soldiers whricd and reversed and went
through ever5 manner 81 evolution and in no
cas-" pirped over their swords Therefore the
last recruit came to the conclusion that the
outward sign OF the hero is to wear a sword
without coming to griot over il