The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1902-01-02
rtvmpeter Mueller.

Hsrs Maeller need 10 tcoi . trumpet
10 the Ttira cavalry. Haas was moro on
lee, OF q bat, for the jokes OF the msn Of
bis troop. He took ell hiods Of slbes
With . good nature thai vss ~ perfect
., Il vss s,olia, The uumpeter knsw
mere sbout music than he dad sboni mas
ksts, When for while be tried vhs,
The other men call straight soidietins
be was continually getting tangled up
With bic equipments, aud on seyeral 90
casions II skirmish drill be came within
90 soe OF shooting himself, His comrades
told Hans that as long So be confined
bis sfotts to killing himself they would
offer no tiftnaous objection, but thai IL
be got real careless and shot the bead Of
some one else be must look ont for
troable. Asa msiter OF fact be did one
day come pretty close to putting bullet
through the heart oi Sergeant Peter Mel
ton, who forthwith thrssbed Hans In III
approved styie. Captain Roberts called
Hans "stoss' aud ssid that hs mnst stick
to bis trumpet.
The edic. Of bis chief made Hans
fsel bad. He blew the whole scale OF
calls from reveille through fatigue. recall
end drill to taps. but bis soul wssnt in
bic music Down deep 10 Hans soul
there came the thought that somehow he
was not like other men. The smattness
OF appearance which characterized Ser
geant Nelson. Corporal Brady and . score
OF priystes be knew could never be his.
There was lacking in his mskeup that
something which gives dash to soldier,
Hans used to fall over his feet in q most
unmili.ary way, and his hands were nev
er in the proper places, There was one
thing however. that could be said for him
be Alwsys tried to obey orders implicitly.
He generally blundered while making the
attempt, bat the intent was all right, and
that covered multitude Of sins much
more serious in nature than mere blum
ders.
The Third csvslry was in the Wyo
ming county in the Elkhorn creek region.
There had been . good deal OF trouble
with the Ntz Perces, and l. troop had
been kept on the Jump most OF the time
Tor month. l. troop was Hans outfit
There bad been one constant succession
Of scoutings. II bad been necessary to
send email squads in bali q dozen difie
rent directions a. one aud the same time.
The trumpetr bad been forced to stay
With the main body; which was not
very big main body ct that. at ell times.
He had been 10 everythipg 10 which the
whole troop was engaged, but the idea oi
sending Hsus out 90 q teconuuissance
where coolness and the sub.lety Of the
devil we're necessary for safety was the
last thing that ever entered the head OF
the troop commander,
One dsy, however. one OF the coolest
days OF the second winter month, II be
came necessary TO send scouting party
TO investigate the rumor Of the sprosch
OF . band Of savsges, Now. it happened
that the whole command was tagged out
and this 10 . nutshell, is why Hans Muel
Ter found himself for the FIRST time in hia
life 10 position Of acute responsibility.
BE was ordered by Captain Roberts to
proceed with Sergeant Nelson and two
privstes northwest until something Was
felt or until the sergesut ives satisfied
that q wrong report had been turned In
10 the camp,
When the little body set ont. the fatigue /,
Of the individual members Of the troop
showed that it ives not. go to speak. strong
enough to keep these same individuals
from giving Hans . sendoa. Hans had
! csrbins and 8 revolver. His trumpet was
hanging up on peg, One OF the by
standers said to the sergeant in command \
Look out for Hans II you happen to get
into 3 scrimmsge. The frst thing you
know he'll forget himself, end he'll try to \
blow retreat on bis csrbiDe. You msy
lose one man il Hans puts his mouth to
he wrong end OF the barrel,
Then they said few other thiogs to
Hsns, He wss told 10 be sure not to get
1is csnteen mixed up with bis cartridge
belt and TO make sure ths, be took note .
II the land marks on the way out so be !,
,ould get back TO camp 10 hurry II be !,
happened to zee no Indian shott ofi bis
,up, Hans took oil this we'll enough. be
,suse the thought OF sctuslIy going out on a
scout was sufficient to knock eli other 4.
hings ont OF bis head, resentment along +
xi,h them. They bsd left the camp isr :,
behind them. Bsrgssn. Nelson, who was !.
10 old and tried osmpsisner. turned to !
,is men and said, We are getting pesr
be plsoe where We may expect to see
Then be spoke seriously to
Hans. Mueller, be said your not half ss
'ad perhaps IS the troop makes oui, bu.
tell you honestly thst I'm kind oi n
Ifrsid Of you when 1t comes to . pinch.
DO the best you can and don', run. Az n
matter OF fsot, think that jim Crosby :,
sss pipe dresming when be brought the .
amor Of reds in this vicioiiy into camp, ,
'ut you msy have chance to zee trouble
nd II you do please stick. .
That vas = pretty tough thing 10 have b
o ssy to . soldi Z with Uocle Sans uni
orm on bis back, Stick Maelier's face
rent almos! white under fesliz ,,ion that 9
be true Significance Of that sdmonition
vM that the sergeant bsd q pretty strong o
esr 10 bis heart ihst this trompe,er too.
Z vas . coward. Stick He would shos Il
hem IL be wac oaiy given 8 cbslcs.