Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-03-22
CHAPTER l..


The little party of visitors in the gen.
erals personal tent made a striking
contrast to that assembled under the
official canvas. In the latter, seated
on camp stools and candle boxes or
braced against the tent poles, were near
ly a dozen officers, all in the somber
dark blue regulation uniform, several
in riding boots and spurs, some even
wearing the heavy, frogged overcoat;
all but two, juniors of the staff, men
who stood on the shady side of 40,
four of the number wearing on their
shoulders the silver stars of generals
of division or brigade, and among their
thinning crops of hair the silver
strands that told of years of service.
One man alone, the commanding gen.
eral, was speaking; all the others lis
tened in respectful silence. In the
gloom of that late, fog-shrouded after
noon lantern or two would have been
welcome, but the conference had be-
gun while it was still light enough for
the chief to read the memoranda on his
desk, and now he was talking without
notes. In the array of grave, thought
full faces, some actually somber and
severe in expression, smile would have
seemed out of place, yet, all on a sud
den, grim features relaxed, deep-set
eyes twinkled and glanced quickly
about in search of kindred sympathetic
spirits, and more than half the bearded
faces broadened into a grin OF merr1-
ment, and as many heads were sudden
ly uplifted, for just as the gray-haired
chief ended an impressive period with
the words: "It will be no laughing
matter if | can lay hold of them" there
burst upon the surprised ears of the
group a peal of the merriest laughter
imaginable-th ripping, joyous, mu-
steal laughter of happy girihood ming
ling with the hearty, wholesome, if
somewhat boyish, outburst of jollity
of healthful youth.
"Merciful powers!" exclaimed the
chief 81 had forgotten all about those
people. They must have been here 20
minutes"
"Sixty-fve, sir, by the watch" said
saturnine-lookin soldier tall and stall
wart, and wearing the shield of the ad-
jutant generals department on the col
lar of his sack coat.
"They ought to go, then," was the
placid suggestion of third officer,
man with keen eyes, thin, almost ascetic
face, but there twitched a quaint
humor about the lines of his lips.
THAT visits past the retiring age"
And then another peal of merriment
from the adjoining tent put stop to
conversation.
"They don't lack for entertainers"
hazarded staff officer as soon as he
could make himself heard. '"The sol
emn-looliing Gothamite who came with
them must have slipped out"
ut seems he knows Col Armstrong;"
said the chief, thoughtfully. 81 sent for
him an hour ago, and he may be pilot
ing Mr.. Prime around camp, looking up
the runaway"
another case?" asked a brigade COM
mander, with shrug of his shoulders.
"Another case" answered the gener-
al, with a sigh. "It isn't always home
troubles that drive them to it. This
boy had everything doting father
could give him. What on earth could
make him bolt and enlist for the WARP"
the officer with the humorous twinkle
about the eyes and the twitch at the
lip corners bent forward, placed his
elbows on his knees, his fingers tip to
tip, gazed dreamily at the floor, and
sententiously said:
Girl"
Whereupon his next neighbor,
stocky, thickset man in the uniform of
brigadier, never moving eye, head or
hand, managed to bring a sizable foot
in heavy riding boot almost savagely
upon the slim gaiter of the humorst,
who suddenly started and flushed to the
temples, glanced quickly at the chief,
and then as quickly back to the floor,
his blue eyes clouded in genuine dis
tress.
The generals gray face had seemed
to grow grayer in the gloom. Again
there came, like a ripping echo, the
chorus of merry laughter from the ad-
Joining tent, only it seemed a trifle sub
dued, possibly as though one or two of
the merry-mallers had joined less
heartily. With sudden movement the
general rose. "Well, I've kept you long
uough," he said. "Let the three regi-