Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-09

baggage man. Somebody remembered
such trunk being wheeled in barrow
up Hoyt street just after No. came
in, two men with it, a tall and short,
and that was all.
Recruit Hunters pass was up Mt
noon, and at II 80 he jumped from
light wagon at the south gate and was
hailed by the corporal of the guard as
he was striding briskly toward his troup
quarters:
"Say, young Teller, come back here"
The tall recruit halted, turned and
looked around, irresolute. 1t might be
authoritative, it might be mere praoti-
cal joke. At all events the corporal was
responsible, and the soldier walked
straight to where the noncommissioned
officer was seated on bench, near the
hall door of the guardhouse.
"Where you been?"
ITO town on pass, twas the calm an
swer.
What did you hear about that hold
up?'
Nothing of consequence.
"Well, your troops gone thief catch
ing, and you're to report to Sergeant
Merriweather as soon as you come in.
Now you've come in, you haven't any
cigars or turntables about you, have
you? This is the custom house if you
have"
Hunter Looked neither annoyed nor
Disconnected. Taking two or three cigars
from his overcoat pocket, he said,
"Catch!" te,ssed them carelessly to the
vigilant we,rer of the chevrons hasten
ed to barracks, deposited his bundles on
the bed ass: gned him and looked up and
down the npw silent and almost desert.
ed building in search Of some one to tell
him what mad taken place. Two men,
one laid up from the kick of horse, the
other with an arm in sling, came
down to investigate the contents Of his
bundles, bat were disarmed of hostile
infant by his easy good nature and
prompt offer of cigars. Whisky he had
none. Asking for Merriweather, he was
told to look for him at his quarters.
Catch him out of watching distance
of the little womanp' said one of them,
with grin. "Mind your eye, Hunter.
She'll be making up to you next, said
the other, land we don't want you to
be found with your head in the horse
pond, like Pat Shea" And then it tran
spired that Trooper Shea had been de-
voted admirer of pretty Mrs. Merri-
weather while she was still housemaid
at the Freemans and that Pats devo-
tions were equally divided between her
and Muldoon' saloon until one winter
morning he was dragged by the legs
from his icy winding sheet with dread
full cash in his throat and the neck of
bottle still grasped in his frozen hand.
Hunter obeyed his orders and went, and
Mrs. Merriweather saw him coming and
ran to her glass before she answered the
sharp knock at the door.
"Why, it's Mr.. Hunter!" she said.
"Sure, l knew the step before saw
you! Come in, Mr.. Hunter! The SER
geant's gone to the oommissary, and
expect him back every minute"
But the troopers blue eyes glanced
only indifferently into the oequettish
and smiling face.
81 was directed here" he said, "to
report to Sergeant Merriweather, but
I'll go on down to the stables and stop
on my return. Thank you, noP' he con-
tinued, with cold courtesy, as she again
urged that he should enter, and strobe
away stableward with more than one
pair of eyes from the laundresses' quar-
tiers gazing after him, those of Mrs.
Merriweather being clouded and per-
picked.
1t had been a perfect morning, keen
and frosty at guard mount, but warmer
as the sun wheeled high toward the
zenith, and Anterior had had the regi-
ment out for drill. The broad prairie
northeast of the post was alive with
prancing, high mettled steeds, with
dashing riders, and not few carriages
and Concord wagons, filled with ladies
of the post, all rejoicing at having the
regiment once more at home. For near
ly two hours Atherton had had the seven
troops in rapid movement here and
there and everywhere over the plain,
and now, the drill over, troop after
troop came marching sedately and quiet
ly homeward to cool and calm the horses
before reaching stables. In full ranks,
30 men at least TO each company, in
their trim fitting fatigue dress and
with the silken swallowtail waving at
the head Of each little column, they
looked wonderfully businesslike and
serviceable. The easy, practiced seat Of
every man, the nonchalant grace of
every pose, the resolute, dust covered.
sometimes devil may care faces, all
seemed thoroughly in keeping with the
scene and surroundings, thoroughly in
accord with the buoyant action of the
mettlesome mounts. Accustomed from
boyhood to the best of horsefesh, a born
rider and judge, Trooper Hunter could
not but see that though these frontier
steeds might lack the dainty trappings
and satin coats of the park and avenues
Of Gotham, there were life and spirit,
FIRE and endurance, in almost every. ono