The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-08-16

ise of a dollar for his labor.
The hackman had ample time 10 re-
turn: but he didnt. lie was doubtless
an absent-minded beggar.
"All right for that one" growled the
foolish old soldier as the train pulled out
but me times out I'm three months. and
I'll be coming back this way. When /
do. there'll be high mass over the remains
OF that one"
And Il almost came about that way
The old soldier cid drop of at Council
Bluffs bit more than three months
later and he Immediately sought the
hackman who had absented himself with
the ten-dellar note. lie found him, and
the pitiable condition 10 which he reduced
that Jehu, as well as three or four other
OF the tribe who mixed In was told about
very elaborately in the Omaha papers.
When the old soldier told his story In
the police court on the following day
the magistrate dismissed him with the
assurance of his high esteem and his
warm regards.
WORRY OVER LOST MEN.
The officer in charge OF an outfit OF
soldiers on the move is put TO a lot of
worry over the perpetual danger of los
ing a few of them When a change OF
cars involves a delay OF some hours I'm
a city the men can't, of course, be
penned up I'm the station.
They are permitted 10 roam around,
with the strict injunction TO report back
at the station at a certain hour. The
officer in charge always makes this about
an hour before the train is due TO pull
out. so that he will have a chance to dig
up absentees.
Until he gets them all together again.
and their names checked off on his roll,
the officer in charge is miserable
enough man. lie knows that he can't
walt over train or so for the absentees
one way of reading. He generally has TO
pile into cab and go after the lost or
strayed himself.
He unearths the majority OF them, as
"A rule, but when the outfit on the move
is big there is nearly always at least
one man left behind.
II IN the business OF the soldier thus
left behind TO proceed direct TO the near
est post, or. II there is no nearby post.
he must apply 20 the mayor of the city
In which he is left for transportation to
the point whittier he is bound, together
with enough eating money to see him
through
Mayors know that this is the rule, eni
they invariably supply stragglers in blue
with the transportation asked for. the
government making good to the mayors
LOT the SDiilfTN III hut - q
straggler doesn't do this, and fails 10
arrive at the post he was bound for at
the time he got lost within ten DAYS of
the date when he lost himself, he is
declared a deserter.
Now a soldier who permits himself 10
get lost On Chicago, for instance. on the
hike from New York TO San Francisco,
is a very foolish man. indeed; Tor II he
gets transportation and follows IN after
nrt,af nd tho n his n 4 a.
ton from Chicago to the Pacific "ods- IS
lifted from his wages and he doesn't get
a cent OF pay until the amount is made
good.
The officer In command OF a moving
outfit is. OF course charged with th-
duty Of preventing, IL possible. his men
from sacking and razing small towns
along the line of travel but sometimes
he finds this job out OF the question.
One OF the men walking off IN sta.
tion platform the sorrow whi IN H. the
inevitable accompaniment of nn 'lnsatt-
ated thirst will find himself exchanging
remarks somewhat choppy with a sta
tion lounger. and IL this ever leads TO
hostilities. and the train is due to hest
tate at that station for any length Of
time. there is bound to be trouble and
plenty of il, between the soldiers and the
citizens.
Many fatalities among soldiers on the
move and the citizens with whom they
got into conflict have come about in this
way.
SOLDIERS ALL DISLIKE CHEYENNE.
There is one town i'm particular, far out
In the West. upon which moving soldiers
OF the regular army like to leave a few
marks. This town is Cheyenne. For
some inexplicable reason Cheyenne hates
soldiers, and the soldiers from the ad-
joining post, Fort ID. A. Russell. have
got the worst of IL at the hands the
Cheyenne authorities for many years
past, every time they have shown their
noses within the city limits.
This fact is known throughout the
United States army and he is a pretty
masterful officer in charge of moving
outfit passing Cheyenne who can keep his
men from firing one little volley any,
how, over that town to speak figuratsvely.
The men don't really fire any volley
over Cheyenne, but they very often set
about to eat up 81 few Cheyenne police
men and as often as not the trainload
of soldiers pulls away from Cheyenne
minus few.
move Is not often punished at the end Of
the journey unless the misconduct has
been very rank indeed. 1t is taken for
granted that the men are not going TO
behave themselves a-rail as they would
be expected or required TO behave them
selves in camp or garrison.
The men i'm truth, are not much more
tumultuous while travelling than the
average trainload OF men, bound for ma
tional Democratic convention, only they
are more frank and above board in their
exuberant deviltry. AS matter OF fact
however. looking at the thing from a
purely sordid point of view, 1t pays the
travelling soldier TO be good
For example, IL he kicks the panes
out OF the windows OF the cars he has to
pay for them. The railroad is settled
with, the amount being deducted from
the soldiers pay. The railroad has no
such a clutch on the spirited chap bound
for a Democratic national convention
who kicks tho panes out of the car win
dows.
HlAh A. - Ann