The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-25
H Modern n1erccndry.
By E. H. HERON Authors of DUEL Etc

take too much upon himself. The en-
| tire administration of the state is in
his hands, and yet he is not satisfied
with that position, No. he aims even
higher; he desires to nominate the
! officers Of his higness' guard"
Every man present had his own
popularity. The colonels reputation
would not have stood so high as it
actually did but for his insensate tenn
per. Perhaps the anecdote told of him
that. when discussing the point of hav-
ing been ruled out of action during
certain army maneuvers he became so
enraSed that he pursued the umpire in
QUESTION with a wooden tent hammer,
had added more to his popularity than
all his thirty odd years of service and
his immense genius for fortification.
Some of the continental armies are
always marking time, and they do not
prize the most the man who marks
time best, but the man who can bring
some humor or touch of romance into
the dullness of routine, and they prefer
the humor to be led up to by the wind
ing road of eccentricity. 1t was never
dull with the guard They possessed
officers who kept their world on the
move.
Gentlemen" said Wallenloup at
length, when his last remark had been
received with approval. Il have the
y
has seen fit to appoint. vice Captain
Insermann, deceased, Lieutenant John
Hollywood of the frontier cavalry"
\ silence followed this announcement.
Upon whose recommendation has NJ.
Selpdorf taken this step?" inquired
Captain Colendorp gravely.
Reasons of state-mere reasons of
state. He had the audacity TO tell me
So
Il understood. sir, that You had other
views," said Adiron.
We'll, yes, W. had virtually aSreed
upon our choice. I may say, gentlemen.
Certainly, sir. And YOU made that
clear to the chancellor"
L did so-Derfectlv clear. [ told him
in the most reasonable manner that we
wanted no condemned rabhle in the
Maasaun guard l told him that we had
practically decided 81; Abenfeldt in case
of a vacancy occurring. j even went
SO far as 10 remind him shat trtrs had
been Abenfeldus lnlo1G US tor fudr CEN
turtles
'he cc5:dn1 meet that arguu ent:'
exclaimed Aidron-
mo. he parted it gracefully, 1 ad-
nit. He reminded me, in turn, that
there had been Selpdorfs also in the
guard, and swore that had he soE of
his own to nominate, he must still. at
this moment, have given the preference
to this Englishman. 1 left him to re-
consider the matter, however. and rode
home, to find that already waiting for
me in my quarters and he pointed To
the parchment III Adolfs hand.
Adolf looked up with Il smile.
He will not Join Immediately, sir,
this Rallywood?" he said, with his
gentle lisp.
Not for week"
Then it really doesn't matter, you
know" added the young man.
Wallenloup's red-shot eyes cleaned
upon him suddenly.
las your commanding officer, SIR
he said, grimly, L don't understand
your meaning; but''-and an odd smile
fiickered about the savage lips.
las a private gentleman, colonel
put in Colendorp.
las private individual. understand
your meaning very well. But if l We're
here as your colonel Lieutenant Adolf.
by heaven, sir, not all the officers of
the guard, past or present the rose TO
his feet as he spoke, and. grasping the
hilt of his sword, glared round upon
them should dare to hint at insult
to a contradict" and he drove the blade
home with d clatter to its Scabbard. and
strobe out of the room as he had come,
like a thunderstorm.
The men waited in silence until the
echo of his footsteps died away, and in
the mind of each rose a vivid memory.
1t happend, from causes which might.
in the case of the guard of MaaSau. be
called natural that the three present
lieutenants. viz: Unfair. Varanheim
and Adolf, had Joined on the same
day, and. by way of supporting the
traditions of their immediate predeces
sors, each instantly agreed to challenge
each of the others, the result of which
nr116 in oil bal n D.
speedy occurrence of three fresh va
cancies in the list CT officers.
Wallenloup heard of this. and sent for
the lieutenants, whom he considered too
valuable to be thus easily lost.
"Gentlemen,' he said. Il am about to
enforce an old order that expressly for
bids quarrels amongst the members of
our corps. If you want to fight, fight
some one else. There are plenty of
men who stand badly in need of being |
killed. Turn your attention to them. !
But if any trouble should arise be- !
tween any two of you, come to me.
There has been enough of this kind of |
scandal about us lately, and, therefore, |
for the future we will do the thing |
quietly with a pack of cards, or, if |
you prefer it, with dice. The man who |
loses can-go. There is the river or, |
for choice, his own pistol. You under |
stand me?"
Varanheim looked at Unfair. and IN
ziar looked at Adolf, and they smiled. !
II Think said little Adolf, I'VE |
might find others to brawl with"
THE river is abominably cold" added |
Unfair.
And the same dish is served for us
ALL" concluded Varanheim.
Wallenloup laughed.
Il have laid the alternative before
you, gentlemen" he said; the cards or
The dice
This was the story that rose in the
minds of the men round the mess table.
md a minute later they Joined in a
shout of laughter. Adj
'on's big face was flushed as he called
or a special brand Of champagne
wherein to drink the colonel's health.
Hes magnificent-the old mani he
aid when he could speak. Let him
llone. He's equal to any mortal occa-
ion, He reminds me of the day when
lis imperial majesty over the border
,omplimented him on the appearance of
he guard, saying he should feel proud
o number US among the regiments of
he German army. And / can assure
our majesty that the feeling of adj
niration is entirely reciprocal, says
he c. o. We should be happy to in
Corporate your army in ours.'"
The men had heard the story often
'efOre, DuI II WAS greeted Win all the
elish of novelty, quality which lives
ternally in any anecdote that tells on
mes own side.
Before the laughter had subsidized an
Their man entered the room. He was,
erhaps. nearer 80 than 20. and the face
nder his dull, colorless hair was sin
uiarly pale. but there was promise of
reat strength in the long, angular
ody.
MY congratulations. Unfair" Col