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


John was obliged to confess that he
never had.
"Shure such ignorance l niver heard
of. we've heard of the Mexican war, l
suppose?"
Yes, of course" he replied.
swell, / didn't think we had, or We
would know about the First Dhragoons.
That's the regiment / belong to, and
there's no finer in the sarvice. | whit
through the Mexican war with me
throop, and many brave lad tumbled
out of his saddle by greaser bullets.
Do We see this?" and the sergeant
pointed to long, white scar, extend
ing halfway across his forehead.
IVAN of their lancers gave me that,
but a saber cut him down shortly
afther," and his eyes glared at the rec
objection.
when go in don't care how soon
death comes" said John, gloomily.
One night while on stable guard,
and with just enough whisky in him
to be ugly, he gave his horse Doug
las'-a beautiful bay and the best
horse in the troop-a terrible beating
with stable broom. The snorting and
thrashing of the horse in his stall, and
his half-human cry of distress, partial
ly sobered Schuyler and showed him
what he was doing. Dropping the
broom he went into the stall, put his
arms around the neck of the splendid
animal, and whispered. brokenly:
Douglas, old boy, forgive me! 1t was
the whisky, not /. You are the best
friend / have on earth, and how could l
abuse you?" And the horse looked at
him sympathetically out of his large,
intelligent eyes, and laid his head on
the shoulder of the trooper.
Drink always made demon of him
for the time being, but when the eff
fects had worn away he was repentant
and sorrowful. He was more especial
ly remorseful during the 80 days he
usually spent in confinement in charge
of the guard, after the garrison court
martial had finished with him, for then
he could get nothing to drink. On his
discharge at the end of each enlistment
he would take the sum coming to him
from the paymaster on his final state
ments," usually amounting to several
hundred dollars, repair to the nearest
town and have royal debauch as long
as his money lasted. \ soldier can get
higher pay during that enlistment
called ''reenlisted pay''-if he enlists
within 80 days after discharge; but in
every instance he had overstayed the
limit, and now, at the end of % years
service, was only drawing $13 month,
the same as the youngest recruit.
He wrote a clear, legible hand and
was one of the best clerks in the regi-
ment, but could never be depended
upon, as he was liable to 60 wild at
time when his services were most
needed. The former troop clerk, who
had held that billet for several years,
was steady man as well as compe-
tent clerk. He had been discharged by
expiration of term of service" and
had taken his departure for the east,
intending to marry the sweetheart
who had been waiting for him to set
tie down to civil life. The first SER
geant while qualified for the executive
part of handling the troop, was no
clerk, and Capt. Gresham, the troop
commander, was in despair. For several
weeks he had himself made out the
troop returns, quarterly acquisitions
for all kinds of needed supplies and
numberless other official papers. In
week or so the muster-rolls, which had
to be made out carefully. six times
year for the paymaster, would be due.
The captain sent for First, Sergt.
O'Brien. Sergeant" said the captain,
shave you got man in the troop who
is capable of making out muster-rolls?
have made them out in years past, but
am not equal to it now
swell, SIR" said the sergeant, stand
ing to attention and assuming a re-
Elective air; there's no wan know of
except Private Schuyler, and he is
drunk all the time. He got GO days and
$40 blind the lasht time he was tried,
and he only came out to-day. If he
would only kape sober enough he could
make them out"
''Is he good at army papers, SER
geant?"
'Shure he is the finest in the regi-
ment, sir-if he is SOBER" answered the
sergeant.
"Well, he has just got to be sober I'M
til he makes out those rolls. You con-
fine him to the orderly-room. and have
his meals brought to him from the cook
house. Put sentry on the door until
the rolls are all made out and the troop
is mustered on the 3Oth. Mind, now
I shall hold you responsible for
him, and if he gets anything to drink
till this thing is over, I'll have you re-
duced."
The sergeant salnted and turned