Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-06-19


has the greatest influence ON the char
acter and development of the young
soldiers of the nation. the position Of
all others most difficult to fill and Mel.
Vile was the idol of the corps of ca
diets, At the different stations where
he had seryed-at Newport, at Fortress
Monroe and at the Preside of San
Francisco-he had left his impress ever
the same. They spoke of him as the
"Bayard of the Battery" and one of
the traditions which his old regiment
elorled in was the mountain campaign
against n fierce and recalcitrant tribe
in which Melville led his guns into the
Businesses of an unexplored wilderness
md brought the sayapes to bay. Add
to nil this that his home life was MS
beautiful as his professional career had
been we'll nigh fiawless. md even
crotchety. fault finding. Jealous old
"Cat" owned himself powerless to pen
citrate the armor Of Melyille's perfec-
tions. and Nav and Woodrow, thinking
SADLY of the comrade lost to them,
found the words constantly springing
to their lips. "If Melville had only
come earlierv'
And vet. MS We have seen. It was un.
likely that Melville could have prevail
ed in n matter such as Langdon's. who
had done so much to hurt his own
cause. The major had discovered the
good points In the most commander
much sooner than the Inter would nd
NIT that there was ANYTHING remarka-
Bile about Melville. By mid-October.
however. the genuine soldier in "Cat,s'
constitution had compelled in him an
admiration and resnect for the prayely
courteous artilleryman that. in spite of
the lingering jealousy he felt. made
him desire Melyille's friendship. Long
ere this he Ind realized TINT battery
horses were built ON far different lines
from the "trooperso he loved md. he
ing much heayier-haulers instead of
carriers and fed and shod for draft and
prepared for severe and sudden strain
should never have been cut down
from their allowance with the view Of
making them. conform to his ideas Of
how a horse should look. "Catn rue
fully admitted. to himself only. that
he had come near spoilinp some 25O
draft animals and nearer still to max
ing one ass who should be nameless. It
was not until a month inter Langdon,s
departure, however, that he mustered
up manliness to say to Melville; GLOW
much fellow thinks he knows about
some other fellows business until he
tries, Now, / had no more idea that n
battery horse had to he so much heayi.
er. Course could have read 1t all I'D
in the tactics. don't Won know. hut
hate books. somehow. and ought to
have realized that battery commanders
like Hatnor and singer. Mt least. knew
their biz. don't toke anv stock MN
Nathan. His horses Ind bides m ,em
like Yellowstone buffalo. WIN. had
to give him hades the first week I cot
here. md he give ma n swell dinner
But 1 lust wish Won would consider
you,re Mt the head Of the artillerv mart
of this establishment now. Melville.
believe ,t,s hest tn leave n nil In vonn
And the two prayeIv shook hands
"Cat," as has been observed. had n
conscience. After n moments silence
no began again: .rhen there's another
thing, That adiutant of mjne-imn,1.
dent fellow Mt times if he ia n pood ~.
tlcer-has never forgiven me ahont
Lancdon. he doesn't sneak of n Of
course, except when / draw him out. I
wouldn't stand that. Won know. Rnt
ho says IL I'd been here longer md Ind
known more bout I,anpdon and os
much about Nathan and Torrance as
do now wouldn't have been 81 hard
on him. He saws I ought To hive
sought your views. Well. p'r'aps 1
ought, Melville. but / didn't get tn
know you at first. Where is that fell
low now, anyhow? D'you ever hear
from him"
Il have heard once or twice." an
swered Melville gravely. "But he pre-
fers to say nothing Of his occupation.
His creditors, at least, are furnished
with his address,"
You think he was very good SOL
dier, 1 am told" said Cat" looking
keenly into the majors face moment,
then turning to scrutinize as keenly
the column of horse Just moving lei
surely IN from morning drill.
An exceptionally fine one" said
Melville.
And at that moment the exceptional
~ fine soldier, hat in hand, was stand
Ing patiently, silently, in the anteroom
OF great railway Superintendent. The
half dozen chairs had long been occu-
pied by others as wistful looking as
himself. There were dozen more ST.
lent, shabbily dressed men YEARLY
lounglng about. They had been wait
ing since = IN the morning for an au-
dience. but some matters of grave Inn
port up the road" occupied every mo-
ment Of the magnate's time. Clerks
were hurrying in and out. Other off,
Gals, with anxious faces, came and
went. Every now and then some Of
the waiting party would slip quietly
ont and rafrrpipo hold xvbisnorad coy,-