The National tribune., 1899-07-27

quarters to detail Sergeant and eight mer
| from the company to go out about eight o.
| 10 miles in the country, and take tIrr
guarding little mill they're running on
| there, grinding meal. There's gang o.
| bushwhackers around there, that occasion
tried once to burn the mill. / don't think
| you'll have much trouble, but you've got t.
keep your eye peeled, and not let any o.
your boys go to sleep on post"
'I'll look out for that"
Il know you will. You'll take Shorty
along, and your seven kids, whch'll make
| up the number. You'll draw three days
| rations. at the end of which time you'll be
relieved"
"Now, boys" said ST, returning to his
squad, "we won't drill to-day, but are going
out on some real soldierin'. The Kurne
has given US very important detail"
The boys swelled up visibly at the news
81 want you to all act like sol jers, now.
continued ST, "and be a credit to the com
pany and the riJimint. We're goin to be
all by ourselves, and everybody's eyes II
be on u.s.
"Yes," echoed Shorty, well be the only
part o the riJimint at the front, and we want
to git a good stiff brace on ourselves, be,
cause if we don't some O these other riji-
mint5 may git the grand laugh on u.s."
Shorty's tone was that this was a ca
lamity to which death was preferable, and
the boys were correspondingly impressed
They were rapidly learning the lesson that
the regiment and its reputation were the
most important things in the whole world.
Come along, and les draw our rations,
said ST. And you boys want to keep in
mind that this s all you'll git for three days,
and govern yourselves accordingly. The
'Leventh Commandment is 10 take all that
you kin git, and take mighty good care of
it after you git it
C.i,I 10, bn nf
interiected Shorty, initiating the Chap
lain'S tone.
no" said 81, who was irritated by his
partners irreverence; "but it's the way a
good soldier does. His first dooty's to take
care o his grub, because that's takin' care
shape TO do the dooty the Government ex-
poets o him. "Tain't servin' the Govern
ment right for him to be careless about him
self. Now here IS 81 rations o. bread,
meat, coffee, sugar, salt and beans-three
apiece for each of us. Harry Joslyn, you
and Gid Mack divide them up into nine
equal piles"
ST and Shorty turned to give directions
about packing up the shelter-tents and
blankets for carrying.
Now, Gid MackaIl," said Harry. "play
fair, if you ever did in your life. I won't
have none o your Shenanniging."
Don't talk to me about shenanniging,
YOU lllble imp, TtSDoillSi Via cordially.
"You can't do a straight thing if you try,
and you never try. You never fisted-up
with me on ball-bat that you didn't slip
your hand SOS to come out ahead"
"Now, there's three loaves o bread for the
Sargint," said Harry; laying, them down
Corpril there's three for me; there's three
for you"
"Here. what're you givin' me that broken
loaf for?" demanded Gid, stopping in his
distribution of meat Give that to Pete
Skidmore. He's the littlest."
Amt goin' to do nothin' o the kind
responded Harry. You've got to take
things as they come. That loaf fell to you,
and you've got to keep it,"
IF you don't take that nubbin loaf away
and put full one in its place. not speck o.
lean meat II you get-nothin' but fat six
inches thick"
You'll cut that meat straight across, and
give me my right share o lean. You puddin'
headed, Sand-hlll crane," Shouted Harry.
Whore you a-calling names, you bow
legged little shrimp?' shouted Gid. slapping
Harry across the face with q piece of fat
pork.
An angry mix-up, school boy rules. fol-
lowed. to the great detriment of the rations.
ST and Shorty rushed up, separated the
combatants, and administered shakes,
cuffs. aud sharp reprimands.
Nov, you quarrelsome little whelpS"
said ST, after quiet had been restored.
you've got 10 take them rations that you've
spilled for yourselves. You shan't have no
other Put that bread and that meat
you've kicked around into Your own haver-
sacks. Then go back there and roll up
your blankets-same as the other boys
Alf Russell, you and Jim Humphreys come
here and divide the rest o. these rations
into seven parts, if you kin do it without
fightin'."
The division of the rations proceeded. with
some jars between Russell and Humphreys
over the apportionment of fat and lean
meat, and angry protests from little Pete
Skidmore because they made his share
smaller than anybody else's.
"Yit," said he. I've got to march just as
far as any of you, carry just as big gun,
and do Just as much shootin'"
"You're wrong" said the medical-minded |
ALI Russell. You ought to have less than |
the others, because you're smaller. The
littler and younger the person the smaller
the dose, always"
NO" acceded the farmer Jim Hum
phreys. "Tain't natural. nor right. You
don't give colt as much feed as you do
grown horse. Anybody knows that"
"Pete's plea is sound" contraverted the !