Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-09-04


civilian dress darted in and landed
scientific swing on the jaw that drop
ped the luckless officer like n log.
Nathan lay for moment stunned, then
looked up, dazed and helpless, into the
grave face of Eric Langdon.
Get your major home at once" the
colonel replied to the adjutant's hur-
ried, embarrassed explanation. 'erhe
matter shall be fully Investigated.
Who-who struck you?"
81 did, General Langdon," spoke up
the assailant, with blood in his eye
and wrath on his tongue. Captain
Martin, late Second Columbus, sir,
and Pm ready to answer for it to him
or to anybody-here or anywhere. He
duty, and IL that isn't enough, by
heaven Well, you heard what he
said?" And the young captain ap-
pealed to the crowd.
That evening there was n never to be
forgotten scene in front of the colonel's
tent in the camp Of the Washoes. Six
hundred strong, officers and men, mass
ed In solid phalanX, silent, bareheaded,
there stood the two battalions, while
their spokesman. his voice trembling
with emotion, strove to say to the low
ed and honored commander that the
heart of the whole regiment went with
the beautiful sword they gave him in
parting tribute. Close to the colonel
on one side were grouped the governor,
his staff and state officers and on the
other a large party of officers and Ia
dies, Melville and his household in
their midst. Rodney May, with one
arm in a sling, had rendered the other,
hardly knowing what he did, to Ethel
Grahame, who unaccountably had
taken 1t. lowering about the skirts Of
the crowd an old darby, bowed and
decrepit, was whimpering with joy.
On the TANKS of the battalions, as
though by some spontaneous impulse,
were gathered hundreds of other SOL
diery, regulars from the batteries, vol
unteers still serving in the neighbor-
ing camps. and all were hushed and
all were hanging on the words Of the
soldier spokesman as he told of the
scenes of battle across the wide surges
of the ocean, of the never failing care
of the colonel for his men, of his dar-
ing leadership, of his almost fatherly
devotion to their wounded and strick-
en-. vehemently the statesmen applaud
ed every telling point, and the soldiers
followed suit, but presently the major
came to speak of the future, of the
severance of the soldier ties that
bound them, Of the love and trust and
faith with which their hearts would
follow their soldier leader of the pride
and confidence with which they hailed
the honors still in store for him, and
here the Washoes broke loose and roar
ed applause and reclamation, and then
came the time to say farewell, but
here their orator broke down. "Speak
for yourselves, boys" he choked. 81
can't say another word"
And "the boys" breaking ranks, bore
down on their commander in n tumultu-
ously cheering torrent, officers and men
grasping his extended hands, unasham-
ed of the dew that dlmmed their eyes,
unafraid of rebuke or regulation, and
when at last they were dispersed and
gone and had cheered to the echo his
few brief, heartfelt words of thanks
and farewell and May and Melville and
the comrades of the old, old days had
pressed his hands and he could turn
again to see what had become Of that
beautiful sword 1t had found its way
somehow to Ethel Grahame, who stood
gazing after the departing soldiery, her
soft eyes swimming in tears.
The sound of cheering borne on the
evening breeze swept through the DOW
cred row of officers quarters in the
garrison close at hand, but there was
strange hush at Nathan's, whose piaz-
IN rustled as rule with the silks and
satins of society. Investigation of the
morning episode had been prompt and
searching. The commanding general
had seen the fracas from afar. His
own staff officer made report, his own
orders had been defied, for, thanks to
an oyereager crowd at n previous cere-
mony, the chief Of staff had written
that, except such persons as should be
personally hidden, only the general, his
staff andlescort, with the state officials