The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-05-02
der stoppages. You must be logged

der stoppages. You must be logged
again.
"Beg your pardon, sir. Can't we say
nothin in our own defense, sir 2" shrill-
ed Jakin
sHeyl what9 Are you going to
argue with me?" said the colonel.
ssNo, sir, said Lew. "But if man
come to you, sir, an said he was goin
to report you. sir, for 'avin bit of
turn up with friend, sir, an wanted
to get money out O. you, sill"
The orderly room exploded in a roar
of laughter. 'sWell?" said the colonel.
.'That was what that measly jarnwar
there did, sir, an ed "a done it, sir,
if we admit prevented i'm. We didn't
it i'm much, sir. E admit no manner
o. right to interfere with us, sir.
don't mind bein logged by the drum
major, sir, nor yet reported by any
corp'ral, but Im-but I don't think
it's fair, sir, for civilian to come an
talk over a man in the army"
A second shout of laughter shook the
orderly room, but the colonel was grave.
''What sort of characters have these
boyss" he asked of the regimental SER
geant major.
ssAccordin to the bandmaster, sir, !"
returned that revered oficial-the only
soul in the regiment whom the boys
feared they do everything but lie.
cir.
'sIs it like we'd go for that man for
fun, sir?" said Lew. pointing to the
plaintiff.
"Oh, admonished- admonishedi"
said the colonel testify, and when the
boys had gone he read the bazaar SER
geant's son lecture on the sin of I'M
| profitable meddling and gave orders
that the bandmaster should keep the
drums in better discipline.
eff either of you comes to practice
again with SO much as scratch on
your two ugly little faces, Numbered
the bandmaster, "I'll tell the drum
major to take the skin off your backs.
Understand that, you young devils. :"
Then he repented Of his speech for
just the length of time that Lew, look
ing like seraph in red worsted embel-
lishments, took the place Of one of the
trumpets-in hospital-and rendered
the echo Of battle piece. Lew certain
ly was musician and had often in
his more exalted moments expressed
yearning to master every instrument
of the band.
"There's nothing to prevent your be-
coming bandmaster, Lew" said the
bandmaster, who had composed waltzes
of his own and worked day and night
in the interests of the band
"What did he say?" demanded Jakin
after practice.
"Said might be bloomin band
master an be asked in to ave glass O.
sherry wine on mess nights. .
"Ho! Said you might be bloomin
noncombatant, did e? That's just
about wet e would say. When I've put
in my boys service-it's bloomin
shame that don't count for pension
I'll take on privit. Then I'll be
lance ina year-knowin what / know
about the ms an outs O. things. In three
years III be a bloomin sergeant. i
won't marry then, not /. I'll old on
an learn the orr GERS ways an apply
for exchange into a reg ment that
doesn't know all about me. Then / IL be
bloomin OFFICER. Then I'll ask you to
ave glass O. sherry wine, Mr.. Lew,
an you'll bloomin well ave to stay in
the hanty room while the mess sergeant
brings it to your dirty 'ands. j."
"S'pose I'm goin to be bandmas-
ter? Not I, quite. I'll be orr Ger too.
There's nothin like takin to thing
an stickin to it, the schoolmaster says.
The reg ment don go ONE for another
seven years. I'll be lance then or
near tc. I"
Thus the boys discussed their futures
and conducted themselves with exem-
plary piety for a week. That is to say,
Lew started Irritation with the color
sergeant's daughter, aged 13-ssnot,'
as he explained to Jakin, with any in
tention O. matrimony, but by way o
keepin my and in" And the black
haired Girls Delighan enjoyed that fiirta-
ton more than previous ones, and the
other drummer boys ragged furiously to-
gether, and Jalin preached sermons on
the dangers of 'bein tangled along O.
petticoats -
But neither love nor virtue would
have held Lew long in the paths of pro-
priety had not the rumor gone abroad
that the regiment was to be sent on ac-
tive service to take part in war which
for the sake of brevity we will call .sthe
war of the lost tribes"
The barracks had the rumor almost
before the messrooln, and of all the 900
men in barracks not 10 had seen shot
fired in anger. The colonel had 20 years
ago assisted at frontier expedition,
one of the majors had seen service at
the Cape, confirmed deserter in e
company had helped to clear streets in
Ireland, but that was ALL The regi-
ment had been put by for many years
The overwhelming mass of it's rank and
file had from three to four years serv-
ice, the noncommissioned officers were
under 80 years old. and men and SER
geants alike had forgotten to speak Of,
the stories written in brief upon the
colors-tae new colors that had been
| formally h1acca1 Inv an orch1icbo,,