The true northerner., 1900-06-06
WHITE FEATHER.
A Coward That Was
"A Hero.


S..................... .....................:o:
There is no need to mention the name
of his regiment here. That is a secret
that belongs TO the army alone.
Suffice it 10 say that his comrades
are proud of his name.
He should never have entered the ar
my at all, much less a hard riding cav
airy regiment which had a reputation
TO sustain by yearly tribute of broken
necks and collar bones.
His proper vocation was that OF a
linen diapers assistant, and he had
filed that occupation very satisfacto.
rily till one evil day he had fallen in
love with girl. a silly. shallow girl, at
whom no practical man or boy would
have taken a second look.
He adored her. and she adored sol
diers In their walks abroad she would
direct his steps toward the Horse
guards or Wellington barracks, that
she might gaze in admiration at the
fine, strapping soldiers who were to be
seen there, and every time she pinched
his arm and exclaimed, "Oh, Jack, look
at that lovely soldierr' his heart gave
him pang at the thought that he was
only a diapers assistant, with nothing
in common with the military but the
handling Of red cloth! He was a dream
er by nature, and falling in love did
not lessen his weakness in this direc-
ton. Dreaming is pardonable in a
poet, but an objectionable crime in a
linen diapers assistant, and as he
stood at his counter his mind was far
away from his work. Instead of lis
tening to the Forward of the shop
walker he could only hear the short
flung word Of command and the blare
Of the bugles that sounded through his
dreams; wherefore 1t was not long be-
fore he came into conflict with his prac-
tical chief. a few sharp words passed.
He threw up in three seconds a posi-
tion it had taken six years of hard, un-
remitting labor to attain. Then he en-
listed.
He gained his title on his first dis
play in the riding school, where after
short ride on the neck of the riding
masters pet buck jumper. he turned
deathly pale and cried aloud that he
might be allowed to dismount
The horse at once gratifed his desire
by throwing him on to the tan, where
he lay trembling in every limb. much
to the diversion of a couple of rough
riders who were standing by. They
were quick TO inform their respective
squadrons, and. his former occupation
L., ., 81
tened White Feather.
In those dark days it was the joy of
the more hardy recruits to take him
aside solemnly and request the service
of threepence farthings worth of
white feathers. Any morsel Of down
or fluff that might float into the bar
racks was promptly captured and pre-
sented to him with due ceremonies by
Trumpeter Pipes, the low comedian OF
the regiment.
The older men forbore 20 join in with
these somewhat tiring repetitiOns of
stale joke. They remembered their
own experiences in the riding school
and recognized that White Feather
was a quiet and inonensive fellow, de-
void Of the impudence and bad man
ners peculiar to recruits and respectful
and helpful 20 his seniors.
The sergeant instructor, too, after q
time took q fancy to his tlmid recruit
and took extra trouble TO learn him
how to keep his heels out his hands
down and his head up.
I've made smart cavalrymen out o.
bigger buffers than YOU" he used to re-
mark encouragingly as he flicked White
Feathers horse into a canter, "and I'll
make rider o you, or I'll break your
neckp' White Feathers neck remain
ed 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 enter
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 help
ed White Feathers development, which
had been sadly retarded by the heavy,
gas laden atmosphere In which he had
lived. His nerves acquired tone, and
he learned to take 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.
BLOW me, II he isn't going to shape
Into n man at lastr quoth the sergeant
Instructor.
Then a great blow fell upon him. He
received one morning letter from the
girl to tell him that she had given him
mp In favor Of shopwalxer who had