The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-07-26

| schuyler Dreatne0 sign or rellef and
accompanied him.
! Reaching the orderly-room the SER
| geant posted a guard, with strict orders
to see that no one held any converse
ton with Schuyler, and that under no
circumstances was he to have any
liquor. These orders were accompanied
with the menace that, in the event of
any lax discipline, into the guard-hor.se
the offending sentry would go.
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 a day,
and he worked steadily on the muster
rolls. Capt. Gresham visited the order
ly-room several times daily, and no.
| ticed, with much satisfaction, that
Schuyler's work was progressing favor
| ably.
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 adjutant
SShSl al OlICC. II was tldt
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 something to drink.
| Int fhau cfo hin, hoo 11 10 &c
work. The paymaster was to appear on
the 3oth of April, and the rolls had to be
ready on that morning.
Capt. Gresham went to the orderly
| room on the evening of the Goth and
found the muster-rolls completed.
with the exception of some trifiing de-
tails which could only be inserted on
the following morning.
Schuyler, those are the neatest mus
terrolls l ever saw. Why can't you let
whisky alone? If you only could I'd
make you troop clerk at once" said the
captain.
Captain, I can't. I've tried and
tried but liquor has got such hold on
me that / can't give it up;" and Schuy
Ter, what with the weakness due to his
unaccustomed abstinence and, possibly,
some recollection of his wasted life.
broke completely and began to cry.
The morning of the 3Oth dawned.
The paymaster was due at the post at
ten o'clock. Shortly before guard
mount Sergt. O'Brien took the morn
ing report-book to Capt. Gresham's
quarters for him to sign, as was his
daily custom.
''Those 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 pay
master comes, you can take that guard
off and put Schuyler on duty again
Guard-mount came, Capt. Gresham
reported to the commanding officer as
new officer of the day, and started for
the orderly-room. The sentry was
pacing to and fro in front of the door,
and, as the captain approached, faced
out and came to present saber," which
the captain acknowledged by slight
motion of the hand toward his helmet.
Sergt. O'Brien approached at the same
time and followed the captain into the
room.
A strange sight met their eyes.
Stretched upon the floor, near the desk,
and with the chair lying partly under
him, was the inanimate form of Private
Schuyler. His face, neck and hands
were covered with bright, reddish
fluid.
my God! Sergeant, what's this?
Has the man cut his throat? He seems
to be Dead" exclaimed the captain.
Blood apparently covered everything.
The precious muster-rolls were lying
upon the desk, drenched and dripping
in apparent gore, and on the floor was
large red pool. The captain went to
Schuyler. felt his pulse and listened for
the beating of his heart He's alive"
he said, in a relieved tone, "but what's
all this red stuff? 1t isn't blood" Just
at this moment he got Whit of breath
from Schuyler, whose mouth was open.
whisky, by thunder! or something
very like it. Sentry!"
Sir" came through the open door.
HAS this man had anything to
drink?"
mo, sir. He was writing there not
half an hour ago." answered the sentry.
"WelI this beats me. Sergeant, what
do you make of ito"
Sergt. O'Brien had been pursuing his
investigations, and his first discovery
was that quart bottle of red ink,
which he had drawn that morning for
office use, was lying upon its side on
the desk, except for some rivulets of red
which still flowed over the muster