River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-05-16

is only to be known as a saint
by the halo above his brow, and the
Prince of Darkness himself would be
devoid of identity without pitchfork
and a cloven hoof To such as these
the knight-errantry Of Drayton and
Bartlett may seem problematiCal; but
a knight-crrant is one who succors
beauty in distress. and who rides
abroad redressing human wrongs.
Whether he employs an obnoxious in
sect rather than a sword, as Dray-
ton did or whether he rides an 5. c.
government mule, as Bartlett was
won't to do, is neither here nor there.
Bartlett was riding the aforesaid
mule shortly after the time my story
begins He rode it up the line, its
long gray ears wagghng evenly and
restfully, and came to halt in front
of the set of quarters where Drayton
and he roomed Drayton was sitting
on the porch, his feet on the railing,
his chair tipped back, and the visor of
his cap pulled down on his nose. He
pushed the cap TO the back of his
head as Bartlett came slowly up the
steps.
II wish you would get horse" he
complained. "If you could just real
ize the figure you cut on that old ele-
phant!"
That's a mule" corrected Bartlett,
his arm around pillar and letting
his heels dangle, as he perched on the
railing. ITS also a very nice mule.
1t is no longer shave-tail, but has
reached years of discretion. The mo-
ment man or animal does that, his ap-
preciative country straightway has
him Inspected and condemned. Horses
may do for some, but not for one who
has the duties of post quartermaster
10 perform. And, besides, l believe
in che infantry and scorn horse"
4'rhc scorn." observed Drayton, "of
the fox for the grapes"
Don't rub II in said Bartlett. de-
jectedly; I'm miserable enough as it
is"
Thought you looked rather triste
I'm all sympathy. Go on
BARTLETT released his hold upon the
pillar and folded his arm on his
breast in an attitude combining stern
endurance and precarious balance.
"The Coilinses are going to route the
I.awrences out"
Now, the Collinses were the family
of Capt. Collins-wife, mother-in-law
on both sides, and three small chill
dren They had that morning arrived
in the post. Collins was in command
of troop l., which had been moved on
some weeks before. IL he had been
weli-disposed his entry should not
have put the whole garrison, below
his rank, in the throes of fear of a
progressive 'turning-out." For there
were empty quarters into which he
might have moved exactly as well as
not. and no one have been any the
worse off
'But Collins won't see it that way"
BARTLETT went on. lie ranks Law
renee, and his wife ranks him, YOU
bet; and it's the wife and the mother
in-law who are going to have the
Lawrences' set or bust"
paint and calcimine, by way of sop
Drayton ventured to suggest.
Did, said Bartlett. briefly. ''Of.
fered them half the quartermaster's
department, and q carpenter. and a
blacksmith, and n farrier, too, If they
happened to need one. Told them
they could have any or all of the col.
ors of paint in the rainbow, if they'd
just be good but those three graces
are going TO have the Lawrences
house"
Drayton opined, with little of the
pIac.dity, nevertheless, with which
we all bear one another's burdens
that it was very great and very pro
fame shame. There's that poor lit
tle woman with those two little bit,
of kids, and just moved into thos,
quarters, and got them all fixed up s,
prettily, and her garden started, too
Then, those Collinses They're
anean lot of cattle, anyway" II,
made a gesture of disgust, which
turned the visor around over his lef
ear. and was silent for minut,
through sheer wrath
II told Mrs. Lawrence they woul,
be serpents-on-the wood-cutters
hearth
SeIpents, now?" asked Bartlett
''they were cattle before; and yoj
called that'-he pointed over hi
shoulder" IAN elephant, whereas, il
point of fact, it's mule"
IL told her" continued Draytor
unmoved, that it wouldn't pay.
know all about the Collinscs- serve,
with them in Texas. was sitting OF
Mrs. Lawrence's steps, know that
usually am, so you can save yourself
] was sitting on her steps when til
Collins outfit drove up The ambu
lance stopped in front Of the c. o.
house, next door, and Collins iumpe
ont and went in. The rest Of then
just waited an would have been wei
if Mrs. Lawrence hadn't become ten
der -heartrd in a most unuecessar
way. and hadn't chosen to disregar
any advice He assumed the look o
prophecy fulfilled 81 told her to 81
still 81. Il q