Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-03-16

the curbstone, and noted the number
Of officers grouped about the gate,
Ponchos and overcoat capes were much
in evidence on every side as the men
broke ranks, scattered To their tents
to stow away their dripping arms and
belts, and then came streaming out to
stare, unrebuked, at headquarters. 1t
was still early in the war days, and.
among the volunteers and, indeed.
among regiments Of the regulars whose
ranks were sprinkled with college men
who had rubbed shoulders but a few
months earlier with certain subalterns.
the military line OF demarcation was a
dead letter when the bows" were out
OF sight and hearing of their seniors,
and so ii happened that when Young
officer came hurrying down the path
way that led from the tents of the gen
eral 10 those Of the field officers Of the
Tenth California, he was hailed by more
,--,. -..- ..-. 80. =. ,....... ,...l.. /, ,,i..--
lines he passed. and. as n rule. the uuerv
took the terse, solGierly form OF What's
up, Billy"
The lieutenant nodded affably to sew
eral OF his fellows of the football field,
but his hand crept out from underneath
,st, -nt.a- " rapt. a.ln uoNi. sage
mailing caution. "Orders-some kind :"
he answered in tones just loud enough
.~., .4---.> -. -..- - 4-4..4. 49,
the old man anywhere? The general
wants him ond reve~ baltiro Gov 70
ply. the youngster hurried on.
He was bright, CHEEKY, braYe-eyed
lad OF 20 who six months earlier was
stumbling through the sciences ut the
great university on the heights beyond
the glorious bay, never dreaming of
u0dunvI Ddttie than lnut III unIcn MS
pet eleven graPpled with the striped
.,,.--- % s.. 44.-4 NJi,> r., .t4l OH "a s,.u-
den, TO the amaze of the elders of the
great republic, the tenets and tradi-
tons OF ,he pas, were thrown to the
winds and the Hermit Nation" leaned
the seas and few at the etrongholds of
the spa nish colonies. Volunteers sprang
up Dy the hundred thousand and a re-
luctant congress accorded "A meager
aGuIuon 10 the regular army. Many a
COZ &c uG..,t, joihoG ,ho ranks, while
- - ~. - ID -
la3 botL push am pull" were per-
mitted TO pass IA not very exacting ex-
animation and join the permanent es-
tablishmentas second liertenants forth
with. Counting those commissioned
in the regular artillery and infantry,
mere must nave been Il dozen IN The
g . 10
a.-l @ these dozen, PLY = ray-"pellig-
ercnt Billy" as tutor dubbed him
when the war and Billy broke out to-
gCtacr, tho latter 10 tho extent of a
four-davs' absence from all collegiate
duty-was easily the gem OF the lot.
one OF the brightest mInds in ms
class, he was one OF the LATEST; one OF
aroused, he was one OF the torpids as
rule. One of the kind who should
have gone in for honors," as the fac
ulty said, ne came nearer going out for
devilmcnt. The only son of a retired
colonel OF the army who had made Cali
fornia his home. Billy had spent years
in camp and field and saddle and knew
the west as he could never hope TO know
Haswel. The only natural soldier of
his class when, sorely against the will
of most. they entered the student bat
TALON, he promptly won the highest
chcyrons that could be given in the
sophomore year, and. almost as prompt
ly, lost them for 'lates" and absences.
men the varsity was challenged by
neighboring institute to n competitive
drill the "sccdlts" of the former report