The National tribune., 1900-08-23
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Baldy's Revenge.

1t began on the transport on the way
10 Manila. Private Peter Smith. subse-
quently called Badly" because his hair
was irregularly distributed, the top of his
head being scandalously neglected, fell un-
der the displeaSure of Sergt Joseph Dan
iels, and strained relations existed there
after. The original cause of difficulty was
not very serious, but it served for begin
ming. On the third day ont Private Smith
was feeling somewhat depressed mentally
and physically, the combined result Of sew
eral successive meals of boiled bacon and
the reStleSSncsS of the sea. and failed to
dress his bunk properly for morning in
spection. The Sergeant was in charge of
quarters that morning, and reproved him.
Discipline had not yet Subdued the native
independence of the volunteers, whose dis
position to sass back when corrected
was still very strong. and so. in the iaunty
way usual with him before he entered
the service, Baldy asserted his American
manhood by turning his back upon the
Sergeant and saying:
Go chase Yourself.
Daniels Immediately reported the insub
ordination to the First Sergeant. who
promptly summoned the offender before
him and gave him lecture on the subject
of respect to non-commiSSioned officers.
Not sufficiently impressed with this mild
assertion of authority, this independent
American, who had not yet become 4 sol
dier, at once hunted up the informer and
expressed his opinion of SneakS and tell
tales in that vigorous, unwritten English
that fourishes in the army. This brought
him into collision with the Captain, who
took advantage of this early opportunity
to establish the authority of his nom
CONS. by ordering the First Sergeant to
place the offender on the police squad to
sweep out quarters for n week, with =
warning that second offense would land
hin, in tho pIro rd- -hnncn with nrfi a
charges. Baldy's week was not q pleasant
one. The heaving of the ship still kept
his stomach and mind in an unsettled
condition, which was not at all alleviated
by the remarks of his comrades about the
new chambermaid needing another sup
ply of hair. So Badly continued his dis
tasteful task, muttering vengeance on the
Sergeant as soon as they should set foot
on dry land; but before the long voyage
was over he fully realized that he must
postpone his revenge until after he left
the service, since he learned that TO strike
non-commissioned officer was equivalent
to several months in military prison.
During the remainder of the voyage
several things occurred TO add fuel to the
fire raging in his breast. The Sergeant
several times reported him for minor dere
lictions of duty, usually the result of care
lessness, but believed by the Sergeant to
be deliberate efforts at "soldiering," and
so represented by him to the First Ser
geant. Daniels was not mean spirited or
vindictive, but he was thoroughly con-
WINGED that Badly was always looking for
a chance to shirk. and so small offenses
that met only with a reproof when COM
mitted by others were treated as a spe-
cial defiance of authority when Badly was
the guilty man. This kept the unfortu-
nate soldier on the police squad almost
continuously and prejudiced his case for
promotion in the eyes of the commanding
officer, something that especially ranked
in his bosom, because he had aspirations
to become Corporal. As he saw his pros
pect for chevrons receding into the dis !
tance his bitterness against the Sergeant
increased and he muttered threats so free
ly that his comrades expected him soon to
break over all restraint and get himself
into serious trouble. All he seemed to
think Of was that happy time in the fu-
ture when, with his discharge in his !