Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-07-03
CHAPTER ~.

begin with, DIR. Bloodgood had pitched
into his assistant for quitting the post
without his knowledge or consent. Ar.
instead replied that while 1t might
have been without his consent 1t
should not have been without his
knowledge, as the same means had
s been taken of notifying the post sur
geon as In the case of the commanding
officer, a note sent by Armistead's
servant saying that n telegram had
Just called him TO Chicago on most
!, urgent personal business. The train
would be along In 20 minutes. There
was barely time to change uniform for
civilian dress and run for 1t. There
I was no time to hunt up both the post
surgeon and commanding officer. The
servant declared he rang four times at
the Doctors and, getting no answer.
concluded that the gale had deadened
the sound OF the bell and such effort
was useless. So he crammed the note
under the door and went his further
way. But Bloodgood was in Ill humor.
; In all that raging storm he had to
struggle about the big post in answer
20 demands for medical services, and
he nald things in his spleen that reach
ed the ears Of DR.. Armistead before
the eve of another day and led to an
open breach between the senior and
Junior practitioners of the post. DR..
Bloodgood asked the colonel command
s Ing II he had seen the telegram DR.. Ar
instead asserted had come to him from
town. The colonel had not and consid-
cred DR.. Armistead's word us conclu-
+ sive. DR.. Bloodgood intimated that he
Ind reason to believe, and so had the
other officers, that 1t wasn't the coming
OF a wire from town, but man, that
drove Armistead out of the post.
Through clerks, orderlies and kitchen
door cackle the affair got out m exag-
gerated shape. Then famed the col
umns of Chicago's unterrified press
with headlines of startling proportions
"Another Scandal at the Fort Duel
Nipped In the Bud! Row In the Regi-
mentl Further Sensations Sure to Fol
), low! Colonel Sharpe Defies the Press!
Prominent Officers Arrestedw And in
"a hours what had been a placid and
fairly orderly military community was
engulfed in whirlpool of gossip and
Frustrated at the contemplation Of its
own enormities as portrayed by the
papers. Sharpe was driven nearly rab-
Id by the reporters, who logged his
every movement and besieged his quar-
tiers morn, noon and night. Bloodgood
refused fiat footed to be "interviewed,"
and Armistead shut his mouth like a
clam, thereby compelling some journal-
lists to improyise the desired state
ments.
& 1t was from the inspired columns of
The Palladium TINT the colonel first
learned that the cause Of the whole
trouble was "the presence at the post
sof q man recently dismissed In dis
grace from the army, but who, in def
ar,ce of law, regulations and common
decency, is now concealed In the quar-
ters of Lieutenant Nelson, a former
classmnte. The man in question was
until his dismissal n lieutenant in the
artillery, but his peccadillos, extend
Ing over n period Of years, had culmi-
mated in cowardly assault on broth
er officer at Fort Pawnee." And Sharpe
sent for Nelson and demanded the
facts. Nelson unerringly gave them
j and said his friend was Frustrated still,
and the doctor forbade his being dis
turbed or seen, which was all there
i was to the assertion that he was con-
cealed. The colonel felt, somehow,
TINT Langdon's presence at the post
was thing he ought to object to, and
he did. "See what an internal bob
berry 1t has kicked up!' said he. Now
they'll be demanding an explanation
from me at Washington, and what the
devil am l to say? You ought to have
consulted my wishes before harboring
a man in Mr.. Langdon's plight" 81
Il did not invite poor Langdon out
here, colonel" answered Nelson. "Two
of our men found him fainting and ex-
hausted in town and mercifully
brought him here. put him to bed in
my quarters MS matter Of course, and
az that's military offense I'll stand
any punishment court martial may
. indict. AS to Armistead and Langdon,
beyond the fact that there is some deep
feeling between them, know nothing
There is no likelihood of their meeting,
/ and when Langdon is strong enough to
move he will need no hint from head
quarters or anywhere else"
Then the colonel said something
about reporters which, being interpret
ed, was the reverse of complimentary
and not altogether just, because, like
soldiers, these hapless toilers have
their orders and cannot but obey. They
were sent to Sheridan to get some
thing sensational, something to make
the paper SELL" and the. fellow that
{ came back empty handed-none Of
4 them did, of course-stoodi In danger OF
discharge. The colonel really wanted
to know the nature of the telegram
I that called DIR. Armlstead so suddenly
to town. The. senior surgeon, Lieuten-
7 ant Nelson and one or two others had
fntimated that 1t was not the coming
of the telegram, but Langdon, that set
Z him going. Investigation, however,
developed the fact that a telegram
: really had been received and delivered
to- DR.. Armistead. The operator could
s not be required to disclose the nature
Of the same, 1t being private dis
patch, yet the colonel thought he
ought to know IL for no other reason
than to be able to set at rest the ru-
mors at Armistead's expense, and be-
fore he had time to think it all over
and decide with wisdom, us Ill luck
would have 1t, he met Armistead in
front Of headquarters and beckoned
{ him aside.
DIR. Armistead," said he, sin justice
4 to yourself 1t might be well to let me
see the dispatch you received the other
night. You-may have heard that 9TH
err motives have been assigned to your
going SO hurriedly to town."
II have heard, sir" was the Doctors
spirited rejoinder, "also Of the inqui-
sries of certain Of your officers Of the
operator. In my state we shoot men
who stoop to such practices. Up here
You seem to encourage them"
The colonel flushed holly. "Haye q