Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-08-14
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Copyrighted. 19oo. ~ the j. B. 1ippinco.t Col
CHAPTER V.-CoNr1NUt;Elpl.

born ana pred IN the army, taught
from early boyhood to ride and shoot,
to spar and swim, spending his vaca-
ton in saddle and his school days in
unwilling study, an adept in every
healthful and exhilarating sport, keen
with rifle and revolver, with shotgun
and rod, with bat and racquet, with
the gloves and Indian clubs, the MIN
blest quarterback and dodger, the
swiftest runner of his school, it must
be owned that Mr.. Sanford Ray was
a most Indifferent scholar. OF geoe-
raphy. history and languages he had
rather more than a. smatterinp he
cause of occasional tours abroad when
still at an impressionable age. Yet
Sandy took more Stock as he ex-
pressed it, and "stawk," as he called
it, in Sioux and the sign language
than he did in French or German,
knew far more of the Rockies and
Sierras than he did of the Alps, stud
led the European cavalry with the
eye of an accomplished critic, and
stoutly maintained that while they
were bigger swells and prettier to
look at, they could neither ride nor
shoot to compare with the sturdy
troopers of his fathers squadron.
"As to uniforms said Sandy, 'any-
body could look swagger in the lancer
and hussar rig. 1t takes man to
look like soldier in what our fell
lows have to wear
1t wasn't the field garb Sandy de-
spised, but the full dress, the blue
and yellow enormity in which our
troopers are compelled to appear.
It had been the faint hope of his
fond parents that Master Sandy
would grow up to be something, by
which was meant Il lawyer, an artist,
architect, engineer, something in
civil life that promised home and for
tune. But the lad from babyhood
would think Of nothing but the army,
and with much misgiving, in Sandy's
fifteenth year, his father shipped
him to Kentucky, where they were
less at home than in Kansas, and
gave him a years hard. schooling in
hopes of bracing up his mathematics.
s'AEANy vas w i1N w SO " "CSt L OllU,
and at the bottom of his heart Maj.
Ray would have rejoiced had he
thought it possible for Sandy to pull
through; but ruefully he minded
him how hard a task was his own,
and how close he came to failure at
the semi-annual exams. SANDY
hates Math. even more. than I did,"
said he, to Marion, his devoted wife.
1T was all I could do to squirm
through when the course was no.
where near as hard as it is to-day.
10 don't set your heart on it, little
woman
The appointment was not so hard
to get, for Maj. Billy had a host of
friends in his native state, and an
old chum at the Point assured him
he could coach young Sandy through
the preliminary, and, indeed, he did.
Sandy scraped in after six months
vigorous work, managed to hold his
own through the first years tussle
with algebra and, geometry, which he.
had studied hard and faithfully be-
fore, was a pet in his class, and the
pride and joy of his mothers and sis
ter's hearts in yearling camp, where
he blossomed out in corporars chev-.
rons and made as natty and active
a first sergeant as could be found
while the "furlough class was away.
But the misery began with IAN.
alytical' and the crisis came with
calculus, and to the boys bitter sor-
row, after having been turned back
one year on the former and failing
utterly on the latter, the verdict of
the academic board went dead
against him, and stout old soldiers
thereon cast their votes with griev-
ing hearts, for "Billy Rays boy was
a lad they hated to let go, but West
Point rules are memorable.
It was hard to reconcile the lad
at first. The major set him up as a
young ranchman in lovely valley
in the Big: Horn range, and there he
went sturdily to work, but before the
winter was fairly on the country was
rousing to the appeals of Cuba, and
before it was gone the ;Taine had
sunk, a riddled hulk, and the spring
came on with call to arms.
Together with some 200 young fell
lows all over the land, Sanford Ray
went up for examination for the va
cant second lieutenancies in the army.
and he; who had failed in analytical
and calculus passed without grave
trouble the more practical ordeal de-
manded by the war department., was.
speedily commissioned in the ar til,
lery, and, to his glory and delig ht,
promptly transferred to the cavalry.
Then came. the, first general break
up the family had really known, for
the major hurried away to Ken
lucky to assume command of the reg
iment of volunteers of which he had
been made colonel. Billy, Jr., lad
OF. barely II, enlisted at Lexington as
bugler in his fathers regiment,
and: swore he'd shoot himself if they
didn't let him serve: The Kentuck-
ians We're ordered to, fChickamauga,
the young regular to the, Preside at
San Francisco, and Mrs. Ray, after
seeing her husband and youngest son
started for. the south, returned to
Leavenworth, where they, had just
settled down a. week before the war
began. packed and. stored the house
hold furniture 11l rrpqiu then, taking "Mailie''
with her. hurried westward to see the
last of her boy, whose squadron was
destined for service at Manila.
The lieutenant, as they delighted
IN. calling him, joined them at Den
yer, looking perfectly at home in his
field uniform and perfectly happy.
They left Maidie to spend a week