Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-08-28
CHApTER Xxx,

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state regiments were summoned home
for muster out, and thrice their num-
Der in regulars and national volunteers
We're gone or going to Manila. Only in
small bodies and rather as banditti or
guerrillas were the enemy encountered.
The lightning dashes of the cavalry
north and south in Luzon and the tire
less scouts and marches of the infantry
had scattered the insurgents in every
direction. The war had dwindled to a
campaign of detachments, 'like old
Arizona days." as the troopers put it,
and, full Of honors and the conscious
ness of duty faithfully done, with thin
ned ranks and in many instances thin,
gaunt faces, the soldiery Of the wide
west was sailing back across the seas
and being welcomed with tumultuous
acclaim at San Francisco. The Column
bias mourned the loss of many gal
liant lad left buried in the Philippines,
but parted without perceptible emotion
with their original lieutenant colonel
Nathan resigned the silver leaves long
months before they fought their last
fight, preferring brief garrison duty
with his battery. So many colonies
and majors seemed to get picked off by
the rebel rifles that it became positive
ly unsafe to take the field, said satur-
nine staff officer of the commanding
general, and that might have influence
ed Nathan's action. But promotions in
the artillery arm speedily gave him I'M
der the law the grade of major, and it
was better to be a live major of regu-
lars at a comfortable station In the
United States than lieutenant colonel
of volunteers In the mud and rain and
discomfort of Luzon. The volunteers
were coming back with every trans
port and being camped on the reserya-
ton pending their muster out. The
Columbias arrived, and Nathan arrang-
ed Il big dinner for the officers and rode
about among the men, who somehow
couldn't seem to see him, and many
wouldn't even salute.
Only meager dozen of the junior
officers attended that feast. 1t fiatten-
ed dolefully despite the lavish flow of
wine. Every field officer regretted"
and certain Of the captains possibly un-
schooled in the ways Of society never
even acknowledged the courtesy. Ma
jor Train. who had been promoted lieu
tenant colonel on Nathan's resignation,
would not even notice him. The colo
nel's greeting was grave and distant.
Some Of the men laughed aloud when
Nathan rode over to camp, and the sit
uation was the talk of the great assem-
blage of returning volunteers when in
came the transport with the warworn
Washoes, Eric Langdon at their head,
unanimously greeted by the throng the
day they disembarked. And Nathan
asked for leave of absence. In civilian
dress and accompanied by his wife and
single servant, he drove to the ferry
unnoticed of the cheering crowds TINT
rent the air with shouts for Langdon
and his devoted men.
| 1t took full a fortnight to complete
the examinations and all the prelimina-
ry papers before the final muster out Of
| the brave band Of brothers they had
become. There We're returning regi-
| ments in whose membership there liv-
ed the rankings of discord and jeal-
ousy, but the Washoes had but one
creed and no determinations. They
believed in God, they loved their coun-
try, and they swore by Eric Langdon.
The governor and his staff came by
special train from the northeast to
meet them on their return, and Cress-
well, too, was there, and both their SEN
ators and many men with the bees of
possible offices buzzing in their bon
| nets, and all of these had much to say
In public and In all their many speech
es to the listening warriors in praise of
their heroic colonel, the one thing sure
to evoke tumultuous applause, and
much to say in private to that silent
soldier himself. The burden of their
united song was source of keen and
whimsical delight to Langdon and to
Melville, who, with his household, was
waiting orders of the war department
at the Colonial. 1t would be so very
much better for Langdon, said all these
statesmen, to accept the high commits.
sion they proposed obtaining for him in
the regular service than to think of en-
tering political life, which they could
truthfully assure him was SO sadly un
certain and full of disappointments.
Langdon listened with the same quiz
zical smile, but said very little. He
knew perfectly well that all Washoe
couldn't change the laws and that moth
ing short Of special act of congress
could place him in the army with any
rank he cared to accept. He had beer
rendered the colonelcy of one Of the
new regiments, but the surgeons shool
their heads. Cresswell clamored fol
his return to the office. The Washot
Zephyr, that was at odds with the gov
ernor, swung out Its banner to the
breeze with "For Governor, Genera
Eric Langdon, !. the Hero of Manila" ir
respective Of the fact that there hat
been a hundred or more equally heroi,
| and little Yersed in politics. 1t wa.