Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-09
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Observation-Disclosures z
And vet the soldier in him compe

And yet the soldier in him compelled
him to respect Melville. He couldn't
help it. Officer or man, the soldier did
not live in all the service who knew
him and did not honor. Pure in speech,
refined and courteous in manner Il
gentleman in the finest sense OF the
term, in every thought and word and
deed; just, temperate, merciful, mod
cl Of fidelity TO duty and to principle,
man to whom an oath was well nigh as
intolerable as a lie he so ordered his
life that friends and comrades studied
him in vain for fault or foible. and en-
emies were unknown. Among his elder
officers were men who quarter of q
century before had been his pupils in
the section rooms OF the old academ-
ie," where they well nigh worshiped
him. Never" said they, "no matter
how exasperatingly stupid a cadet
might be--never was Melville tempted
to use an impatient word" Among the
younger officers We're those who only q
few years back wore the gray at the
Point when Melville was their honored
commandant, the position of all others
in the army of the United States which
has the greatest influence on the char
acter and development of the young
soldiers of the nation, the position of
all others most difficult to fill, and Mel
vile was the idol of the corps of ca
diets. At the different stations where
he had served-at Newport, at Fortress
Monroe and at the Preside of San
Francisco-he had left his impress ever
the same. They spoke Of him as the
'fBayard of the Battery" and one Of
tile traditions which his old regiment
gloried in was the mountain campaign
against O fierce and recalcitrant tribe
Businesses of an une1plored wilderness
and brought the sayages to bay. Add
to all this that his home life was as
beautiful as his professional career had
been well nigh fawless, and even
crotchety, fault finding, jealous old
"Cat' owned himself powerless to PEN
citrate the armor of Melville's perfec-
tons, and May and Woodrow, thinking
sadly of the comrade lost to them,
found the words constantly springing
to their lips, "If Melville had only
come earlier"
And yet, as we have seen, it was un-
likely that Melville could Have prevail
/ ed in matter such as Langdon's, who
| had done so much to hurt his own
cause. The major had discovered the
| good points in the post commander
much sooner than the latter would ad.
NIT that there was anything remarka.
BILE about Melville. BY mid-October,
however, the genuine soldier in Cats
constitution had compelled in him an
admiration and respect for the gravely
courteous artilleryman that, in spite OF
the lingering Jealousy he felt, made
him desire Melville's friendship. Long
ere this he had realized that battery
horses were built on far different lines
from the troopers" he loved and, be-
| ing much Observation-Disclosures instead OF
carriers and fed and shod for draft anG
! prepared for severe and sudden strain
should never have been cut dowI
from their allowance with the view OF
making them conform to his ideas OF
how horse should look. Cat rue
fully admitted, to himself only, tha
he had come near spelling some 25(
draft animals and nearer stiA to max
ing one ass who should be nameless.
was not until month after Langdon's
departure, however, that he mustered
up manliness to say to Melville: "Hov
much fellow thinks he knows abou
some other fellows business until h,
tries. Now, had no more idea that ;
battery horse had to be SO much heayi
er. Course could have read it all VI
in the tactics, don't you know, but
hate books, somehow, and l ought t.
have realized that battery commander
like Hatnor and Singer, at least, knew
their biz. I don't take any stock in-il
Nathan. His horses had hides on zen
like a Yellowstone buffalo. Why, / hat
to give him hades the first week go
here, and he gave me a swell dinner
But just wish you would conside
you're at the head Of the artillery par
of this establishment now, Melville.
believe it's best to leave it all to you"
And the two gravely shook hands
Scat" as has been observed, had
conscience. After q moments silenc
he began again: "Then there's anothe
thing. That adjutant of mine-impu
dent fellow at times if he is good OF
ficer-has never forgiven me abou
Langdon. He doesn't speak Of it, o
course, except when draw him out.
wouldn't stand that, you know. Blu
hc,says If I'd been here longer and ha
known more bout Langdon and a
much about Nathan and Torrance as
do now I wouldn't have been SO har
} on him. He says I ought to hav
} sought your views. Well. p'r'aps
ought, Melville, but didn't get t
know you at first. Where is that fe
, low now, anyhow? D'you ever hea
! from himr"
81 have heard once or twice." ar
swered Melville gravely. "But he pre-
fers to say nothing Of his occupation
, His creditorA at least, are furnishe
) with his address."
"You think he was very good so
der, am told" said Scat" lookin
, keenly into the majors face momen
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