The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-01-07
HAD AN ARMY APPETITE.
sim's Brother ccmea hack from the
War with an Aching and
Limttieas Void.


"Beats ALL" said the Third Bookkeep
er, carefully wiping the old linked pen
he had been using in the carroty locks
of the Fourth Bookkeeper, who was
used 10 1t by this time and didn I. mind !;
beats all the appetites these fellers
bring back from the army"
He laid down the pen and revolved
the top of his stool until he faced the
Second Bookkeeper, and then pro-
ceeded to explain:
my brother-got head for figures,
you know, like me; runs in the family
enlisted in the engineer regiment from
New York and went to Porto Rico
Came back the day after Thanksgiving,
you know. was mighty glad to see
him safe and sound, you bet; but ae
didn't give me no surprise rot till
Sunday. Spent all day Saturday get
ting off his sea legs, but Sunday he
cut loose. and you'd oughter seen that
feller eat!" And the Third Bookkep-
er lost himself in rapt memory for
few minutes, till the Second Bookkeep
er dropped ruler and brought him
out of his trance.
I'VE had stuffed fresh ham for din.
ner, and II was lucky my wife and |
don't eat much, because my brother
eat ii all anyway, and sent his plate
up for four helps of the other things.
He said he hadn't been starved in the
army, but had got in the habit of eat
ing pretty hearty when he had chance
In case it would be long time before
he got another. told him to keep
right on, but he didn't need any en-
couragement. He kept. The hull aft
ernoon he loaded in popcorn and pea.
nuts and candy, so as to fill in the
chinks. he said, He said you didn't
go in for nourishment in the army,
only for filing. What a man wanted
was TO get so that he couldn't put bis |
belt on. but that he hadn't got that |
way any too often. wondered IL he
hadn't used up all his reasons now for
gorging himself But he hadn't.
Along about $3.50 in the evening.
a couple of hours after supper-anl
upper wasn't no mean meal. either
he said TO me: Jim, / used to lie on
ny back down there in Porto Rico
md try TO think and think of the things
d eat when / got back home. but |
lever got much past ice cream.
lated to say anything about ii all day.
'ecause lis showing and blowing. and !
amt ice cream time But, Jim. all
hose times I thought of ice cream
own there in those tropic heats have
ust accumulated. and can't stand il.
We got to have ice cream or bust.
)on't you know good place near
y where you can 60 out and get ne
ome?'
Il told him he was more likely TO I
ust il he got it. but il wouldn't do. lie
MD his tongue was going to protrude
} another minute If didn't get start {
!. so | went, and never felt so much
Ike blamed fool as did that night,
lowing through the snow and strug- +
ling against the wind, hunting for ]
e cream. But I'D made up my mind !,
lat my brother should have two Or
iree good days after al his sacrifices,
i'd just swallowed my pride.
II thought he was done for the day
hen he got that cream down, and
ong about II o'clock we were abed /,
ID asleep. But do you think he was
,ne? Not bit Of It, A little after b
idnight | heard what sounded like c
piping on my door, and got up to
e what II was, and there was my
other In his stocking feet and a \
ndle in his hand Jim he says. d
i'm, where does Bella keep the or !
Iges? I've been hunting for them al !.
er. ! didn't want to disturb you. /
Il | just must have those oranges. t
icy were the only good things we had '
eat down south. and the recollection
is too much for me. I've been banker.
2 for them for the last hour h
II felt little as though he was b,
azy. I didn't know but what his q
perience in the army had been too y
ich for him. and ] didn't know but
lat he'd kill himself eating. But II
hought he might as well die happy. I
I prodded up the oranges. and ! :,
Int hear any more out of him that n,
,ht. er
Was he sick? He'd oughter been, ,e
ghtn't he? Well he wasn't. Beats N
how he pulled through. suppose th
, simple life of the army gives mar ca
stomach of an ostrich. Anyva~.
brother came back with ane," add