The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-03-30
CHAPTER ".

The review that morning had drawn
a crowd to the drill grounds that
baffled the efforts of the guards. Car
riages from camps and carriages from
town, carts from the suburbs, eQues-
TRANS from the parks and pedestrians
from everywhere had gradually en-
croached within kicking distance of the
heels of the cavalry escorting the gen.
eral commanding the department. and
that official noted with unerring eye
that the populace was coming up on his
tanks, so to speak, at the moment when
the etiquette of the service required
that he should be gazing only to his i'm
mediate front and responding to the sa-
lutes of the marching column. Back of
him, ranged in long, single rank, was
drawn up what the newspapers unani-
mously described as brilliant" staff,
despite the fact that all were in SOM
Der campaign uniform and several had
never been SO rated before. In their
rear, in turn, was the line of mounted
orderlies and farther still the silent
Sank Of the escorting troop. Sentries
had been posted to keep the throng at
proper distance, but double their force
could have accomplished nothing-the
omniscient corporal conld not help
them, and after asking ons or two stray
officers what they would do about it, the
sentries gave way and the crowd
swarmed in. It was Just as the head of
the long. tramping Column came OPP
'posite the reviewing point, and the
- j.. ! l.. t,fF
3ng out after saluting, found their al
lotted stution on the right of the review
ing party completely taken up by the
mass of eager spectators. A minute or
so was required before the trouble
could be remedied, for just as the otti-
GERS and orderlies were endeavoring to
INDUCE the populace to give way -
thing the American always resists with
gay good humor that is peculiarly his
own-a nervous hack driver on the out
skirts backed his bulky trap with uneX-
pected force, and penned between it and
the wheels of i newly-arrived and much
more presentable cquipage fair eques-
trian who shrieked with fright and
chung to her pommel as her excited
mount" dashed out with his heels and
made splinsers of the hacks rearmost
spokes and felloes. Down went the
hack on its axle point. Out sprang tall
officer from the open carriage, and in a
second, it seemed, transferred the panic
stricken horsewoman from the seismat-
ic saddle to the safety of his own seat,
and the ministrations of the two young
women and the gray-haired civilian
who were the latest arrivals. This done,
and after one quick glance at the lady
helpless escort, a young officer from the
Preside, he shouldered his way through
the crowd and stood, presently. on its
inner edge, an unperturbed and most
interested spectator. Battalion after
battalion. in heavy marching order, in
the dark blue service dress, with cam
paign hats and leggins, with ranks well
closed and long, well-aiigned fronts,
with accurate trace Of the guides and
well-judged distance, the great regi-
ments came striding down the gentle
slope. conscious, every officer and man
of the admiration they command ed
Armstrong, himself commander OF a
fine regiment of volunteers in another
brigade, looked upon them with q sol