Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-01-17
THE COLONEL
A story Showing How Strict Dis
oipiinsrisn May Possesses .
Tender Heart.


gathered about them.
"Well, you chaps nre In hard luck"
said young trooper, who had been look
ing them over for moment.
why soY' asked one of the newcom-
ers, glnncing askance at the trooper.
Didn't you know what your detail
wnsF'' rejoined the latter. III you did,
you wouldn't have picked this regiment"
"Well, what Of it?" asked the new re.
cruit.
What of 1t? Didn't you hear that the
old man is the greatest hustler in the
line, that everybody's in the guardhouse
half the time and that he strings man
up for having his hair parted wrong?
Didn't YOU ever hear that"
Cant any did," replied the recruit.
"Well." said the trooper as he turned
and walked off, I'm sorry for you;
that's ALL"
Presently another trooper strolled by,
looked commiseratingly at the newcom-
ers, several Of whom began to wish that
they had applied for the infantry in
stead Of the cavalry.
I'm sorry for you, boys" he began.
"You want to look out for yourselves.
The old mans wound up this month, and
he's bound to take 1t out on you recruits.
What did you come to this regiment for
anyway"
How was we to know" replied one.
1--WE came where they sent u.s."
Four or Eve troopers now Joined their
comradc, all Of whom expressed their
sympathy at the Ill fortune Of the new
| men.
you should have seen the way he
served the last recruits" said one. Pre-
ferred charges against four fur gross
stupidity. he called II, and sentenced wan
fur Imprisonment fur life in Deaths val
ley. believe"
Some OF the new recruits began to
think that surely they had made mis-
take. They hat tibeleved that the life Of
a trooper was full of adventure and ro-
nance; they had never imagined there
was any likelihood Of falling under such
a tyrant as their colonel was painted.
That night they talked the matter over
in low tones. One was for deserting,
! but the nearest post was long distance
off, they did not know the way, and it
was bad Indian country. They finally
determined to bide their time and escape
at the first opportunity.
The following morning they were yis-
tied by other troopers, who professed to
be anxious to hear about the east and
what was going on In the great cities, but
took occasion to express their astonish-
ment that the men had Joined regiment
whose colonel had such an antipathy for
raw men.
There Is a legend to the effect that a
well man was once killed by being con-
tinually told that he looked Ill, and so
the new men fell into ranks with fear
and trembling. They had not seen the
much dreaded colonel. and when the line
of march was taken up they were re-
lieved to find that their position was at
the end of the line Of troops and that the
"old man" was at the head.
1t was q burning day on the plains.
The heat could be seen rising from the
parched earth in fantastic colorless
waves. Away in the distance rose
strangely colored buttes, resembling cit
les and battlemepts, AZ though inviting
the wanderer 10 come nearer that he
rain swept rocks.
Across this plain rode the troopers,
forming long, snuous line, from which
assembled cloud Of yellow dust that rose
high in the air.
The great meea was absolutely level,
and the line Of march had been straight,
but suddenly the colonel was seen to
stoop over in his saddle and turn his
horse out. making a slight detour The
men in the rear marveled what could
break the line Of march. Some thought
it might be n rattlesnake and wondered
that it was not shot.
Every trooper, as he passed the spot
where the detour was made, looked Curl
ously down to discover the cause, and
each man saw little bunch Of grass and
beneath it a bird on her nest, her soft
brown eyes turned upward, watching.
wondering and fearing. Five hundred
horses had been turned aside. and 500
men, as they bent over the defenseless
mother and her brood, received a lesson
in that broad humanity which is the es-
sence of higher life.
! Finally the recruits reached the spot
where the detour was made, and as they,
too, passed and saw the object that had
caused whole battalion to turn aside
they wondered.
According to the troopers, the colonel
was terror" yet SO soft hearted that
he turned out the entire regiment rather
than disturb common bird sitting on
her nest. There was something contra
dictory in this. and when the sergeant
was not looking one of the recruits turn
ed to his companion and said in low
tone. "Bill. was just thinking"
"WhatW replied Bill,
"Why, those fellows was sort of put
ting up job on us yesterday about the
'old man. He may be n terror on In
juns, but he's got the heart of a woman
all right"
Bill agreed with him, and so, for that
matter, did the 800 troopers who had
been turned aside rather than harm or