The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-23
Copyright, 1901, BY Charles King

say i won't be home TO luncheon and 20
and get your dinner" Then. when the
soldier was we'll beyond earshot, the
colonel turned on the fiery young Vir-
ginian. "Dr Armistead." said he impress
sively. you may Judge for yourself as
to the telegram, but for the present
have simply TO warn you TO keep your
temper and-away from Mr. Iangdon.
There's TO be no meeting between you two
In or around this post. Understand that.
and Good day TO you. sir"
This was four days after Langdon's
arrival, and by another day the Chica-
go papers had reached Pawnee and
served as fuel to the fame or excite
ment already In full blast. TO begin with
Old Hurricane. Langdon's faithful vaiet
and servant had been bequeathed 10 the
care OF Rodney May and Woodrow, had
been given little room back OF the main
mess building and I'm somebody's cast or
dress suit appeared as butler one evening
at dinner. A Virginia education had made
him familiar with every detail OF such
duties, and his grizzled pate and lined.
pathetic face went far 10 equip him 10
look the character To Langdon's friends
among the boys II seemed most fitting
that the lonely old negro mourning for
his beloved master should be cared for
by their number. but Langdon's friends
were not too numerous now that he was
some weeks gone from their midst, and
Nathan, Torrance and satellites OF theirs
had me floor. 1t pleased Mr.. Torrance
one evening to speak brutally TO the old
servitor and then contemptuously OF mis-
former employer, and when May and
Woodrow heard OF the shabby affair
they hunted up Torrance and demanded
the reason for the outbreak. The par
ticulars OF that encounter never got out,
but n small party OF cronics first cut
Torrance and then cut loose from the
set up housekeeping for themselves, and
this new establishment was In smooth
running order, very harmonious and COM
panionable. when the Sheridan news was
received, whereas there were still ais
sensions at the mess" The marred
men had all club privileges. OF course, but
no seat at table. The IL or 20 bachelors
who thrice day had been accustomed 10
commune together over the board had
taken much comfort in Hurricanes colon
ial dignity OF manner and consummars
knowledge OF n buffers duty. They were
annoyed that Torrance should have taken
II upon himself TO abuse n servitor VINO
was in nowise in his pay or under mis-
authority: but. having failed to pass the
vote OF oensure proposed by May. Wood
row and Le Duo or TO take any measure
whatever TO insure their butler against
further abuse, they had precipitated the
secession OF six OF their choicest spirits
and with the six had lost Hurricane.
When it was too late some OF the main
establishment thought they fought to do
something" for the six who seceded were
gentlemen. and. II one might Judge from
language and conduct. Torrance was not.
Wealth, won with his lackadaisical wife.
had made him arrogant, but nothing coutu
make him popular. The membership OF
the officers club included the entire COM
mlssioned list OF the garrtson-cavalry.
artillery and staff Cat" OF course was
president. burt Mrs. "Cat" had her objec-
tons to his giving much time to social en-
joyment within It's walls. and the
doughty veteran who had led a dozen
dashing charges during the great war
and who bore the scars Of more than one
sharp scrimmage with the redskins on the
frontier was no match for his better half
in domestic encounter. Mrs. Lat' had
convictions, one OF them being that a mar
ried man should eat and drink only In
the presence and company OF the partner
OF his joys and woes. This insured his
getting only what was good for him.
Cat" as a consequence saw very utple
Of the club. It's vice president, an easy
going old soul, exercised no control he
processing to believe that such powers
were vested only In the chief. Melville
but rarely set foot within its doors.
When he did, however, 1t was marvellous
to note the effect. Alteration ceased,
and orders for drinks diminished to next
to nothing. In its earlier stages the ciuo
had been likened by a witty and obser-
want woman to the Roaring Camp i'm
mortalized by Bret Harte, and occupants
OF quarters contiguous 10 or within hail
OF its limits were loud and frequent In
their complaints. Roaring Camp
was still the name by which the many
garrison wits, mostly women, referred
to IL. and it's members had so far sue
cumbed TO the force o. circumstances
as to fall into the way OF saying they
were going to camp when they meant
to the club. Taking It by and large,
however. the Pawnee club had been a
fairly harmonious organization. IL its
cigars were not the best to be found In
the army. It's stories were not the worst.
and "a for the mess feature. Pawnees
table was said to be quite the peer OF
that OF Leavenworth or the Point"
But the mess needed a head. the Sc
nior officer not having been provided with
more than the outward and visible sign
thereof lie was veteran captain of
cavalry, long left a widower. He pre-
sided with ponderous dignity at the
board. but had neither weight I'm delibera-
ton nor force I'm discipline. THE boys"
overrode him completely, and when dis
cusson became fierce or heated he lost
all semblance of control The secession
OF so many bright. brainy Juniors, all
battery officers, proved sore blow.
There was an element among the caval-
yymen in which Eric Jangdons case had
excited profound sympathy. and the more
these Iehows saw and heard OF Nathan
and Torrance the less they liked them
and the more they felt for Dangdon. But
the anti-Langdonites, II not actually In
the majority. were most In evidence, Tor
they at least had organization and ener-
gy. Conscious OF the growing feeling for
Iangdon and against them. they were
seeking every opportunity TO heap FUR
ther obloauy on his name. They turned
up day after day with some new story AT
his expense for the truth OF which they
declared some reliable person was ready
TO vouch. and as their hearers had no m
formation on the subject the most they
could do was 20 look incredulous. IL
was one evening late when Nathan and
Torrance had been holding forth at some
length. and most OF the cavalry crowd
had slipped away 20 tho card or billiard
room that at last one Of the troopers
who had long feigned not 10 hear any
thing that was being said emerged from
al