The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-01-05

play IN the riding school, where. after
9 snort ride on the neck Of the riding
masters pet buck Jumper, he turned
oeathiy pale and cried aloud that he
might be allowed to dismount.
The horse at once gratified his desire
Dy throwing him on to the tan, where
ne lay trembling in every limb. much
to the diversion of couple of rough
riders who were standing by. They
We're quick to inform their respective
squadrons, and, his former occupation
being known, he was promptly chris
tened White Feather.
In those dark days 1t was the joy
OF the more hardy recruits to take him
aside solemnly and request the service
OF three-pence three farthings worth
OF white feathers. Any morsel of
down or fun that might float into the
barracks was promptly captured and
presented to him with due ceremonies
by Trumpeter Pipes. the low comedian
Of the regiment.
The older men forbore to toin in
with these somewhat firing repetitions
OF stale joke. They remembered
their own experiences in the riding
school and recognized that White
Feather was a quiet and inoffensiye
fellow, devoid Of the impudence and
bad manners peculiar to recruits and
respectful and helpful to his seniors.
The sergeant Instructor. too. after 4
time took a fancy to his timid recruit,
and took extra trouble to teach him
now to keep his heels out, his hands
down and his head up.
we made smart cavalrymen out O.
bigger buffers than you," he used to
remark encouragingly as he fiicked
White Feathers horse into a canter.
and I'll make a rider o. you, or I'll
break your neck!" White Feathers
neck remained unbroken so It is to be
presumed that the sergeant instructor
fulfilled his word.
Presently he began to lose the hang
dog look Of suppressed terror with
which he had been accustomed to en-
ter the riding school and to acquire
the easy swagger Of a cavalryman. His
chest, contracted by long hours at the
counter. developed under healthy train
Ing. Fresh air and much exercise
helped White Feathers development.
which had been sadly retarded by the
heavy, gas-laden atmosphere in which
he had lived. HiG nerves acquired tone,
and he learned to take q tumble now
and then as a matter Of course and to
fire his carbine without shutting his
eyes and blanching at the explosion Of
the cartridge III
Blow me, II he isn't going to shape
Into q man at last!'' quoths the SER
geant instructor.
Then q great blow fell upon him. He
received one morning q letter from
the girl to tell him that she had given
him up in favor Of q shopwalker who
had expectations Of being set up In
business BY his father. She admitted
that she had adored soldiers and that
she had caused him to enter the
army for her sake. But she had
omitted tc state that the soldiers she
adored were soldiers who possessed the
Queens commission and who wore
stars instead Of q worsted stripe.
II poor White Feather was Q physi-
cal coward, he was q moral hero. There
IS no chance Of a display Of feeling in
barrack room SO. like the Spartan
boy Of old. he Rugged his trouble to
him, slipping the cheap little engage
ment ring with which he had sealed
his troth into his pocket without 1
sign beyond the twitching Of his white
lips. Then, he lit his pipe. with the
letter, not out Of contempt. but because
there is little privacy accorded in the
correspondence that comes to the bar
rack room, and = private soldier 10 not
provided with desk wherein to keep
his faded flowers and other sentimen-
TIL tokens of the past.
The blow was 4 very heavy one. Tor
White Feather was without the world
" knowledge that should havs told
him long since that he had Axed hin
Affections upon vulgar, selfish ana
brainless firt, and he still believed a
lter.
Ior her sake he had learned to over
come his physical coWardice. He had
dreamed of 4 possible communication In
| the dim future and had re3oiced Ii. the
rscently acqutrsd promotion . = stsp
toward her. !,
Tor her sake. tco. he recesved the
news cheerfully when tie word passed