The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-09-21
SERGEANT SHANNON'S CAT.
A STORYETTN

WRITTEN FOR TIM su1nAY RwU8am
Captain stanly rode over early one morn
Ing from the right Of our linz bringing Z
message to me-. - Adjutant General, that 4
certain division was 20 Be added to ON
corps. and while We sat our horses and oaw
the troops break camp and move into ths
road for the days march cur attention wa
attracted by . Sergeant Of cavalry and the
superb charger he bestroda
sergeant Shannon. IN old vstsrNn, had
BEEN with his troop In camp for. some
menthA and had managed to make himself
osmfortable and also useful, indeed, to the
division ouartermaster. and. being an old
soldier. he neglected NJ opportunity to a
70 himself all the perquisites of his courrer-
ship.
The ouartermaster. II Is unnecessary to
say. wa always cross: Shannon. It Is un-
necessary to say. was always docfle, fertile
Ia expedients and with both eyes wide
open He was standing by the Quartermas-
ter one evening when the former ordered
bis agonmaster to have the wagon train
ready TO move at 4 o'clock the next morn
Ing.
VERY sory. SIR" answered that onacsaI.
but there are three broken wheels among
The wagons: It IS impossible to move the
train till they are repaired: that will take
some hours Of daylight"
Shannon saw the black brow Of ths Quar-
ssrmaster and heard the nr2 words Of the
coming storm.
~ can repair those wheels IN the MINT.
dr." he volunteered: and he repaired them
With q vengeance Our waGpn train mov~d
~ the appointed hour. but. ~singularly
enough, the wagonwaster Of the second al
broken wheels on his wagons. although he
believed them all perfect the night before.
II was the night after this Anal that
Shannon. respectfully sslutins thu Quartet
master. asked that the fne horse brought
~ tSss cay oy our scouts might be assigned
70 MIN. To this the ouartermaster. with
true onicial gratitude. Numbered . no."
and Shannon. saluting with the air Of a
man who had been given ALL had asked,
ftg~ht-about-faced. and wal retiring. when
ais SUPERIOR Inquired. sharply, n he hal
aotning else to do but to come Up and beg
Nothing but training q cat, SIR" an
sorrow.
"whatr'
Educating q cat air."
The Quartermaster was dumb. He could
not suspect the Sergeant Of trinins with
him. but
There is a eat. sir" volunteered the SOL !
dier. that win already do pretty much
whatI want Of her. She win lake her bot |
lie or milk from the table and put II on
the floor or take II from the moor and set
II on the table. a. I bid her"
Get, about your business" snarled the |
Official. and Shannon had cleared the ten. |
by scpace or " when he heard the voice
OF his superior.
l. me see the cat Do what ysu say and
The horse Is you're"
Very good. SIR" and the cavalry man de-
parted. muttering TO himself where nov
win I find a catr'
There were a score Of ofhceYs assembled |
ct the headquarters that evening, drawn by |
the rumor that something wonderful vas 70 I
happen Shannon entered with q black rat |
under one arm and q bottle OF mIik, the |
cork secured by . perfect network Of twlns. |
under the other. He put the bottle on the |
table and holding up In both banda the
cat. began:
This cat. gentlemen. on which I have AZ
pended weeks Of time. will now perform hsr
wonderful feat Of bottle moving. Shall II
be from the deor 70 the table Or visa
wersa?"
Here the cat. having shovnE su, a meat
disconsent. made . ~eouvulstvO strurRls, /
from shannen's hands ma afsing
under the canvas dtnppeaPsd. convuised
laughter from the suenhiy. shannon. In
4
TN bring her back at onos, rentlemen."
he said. and left the tent. The best horse
n the world lost for want Of q cat" he
There's a kitten At the suurnouse.- s.,d
. negro imp OF . boy who had seen the