The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-08-29
TEHE BUTT OF
TEE COMPANY

- !. rorlg,nall =

we all know what enemmacy IS as aus
tingulshed from what Is feminine, We
cannot describe 1t. lis often ques'
ton whether we are right In attribut.
ing 1t In any given case.
In 1870 I was serving with the -Sth
United States cavalry, One June day
It was announced that a newly made
second lieutenant from West Point had
been assigned to our company and
would soon report for duty with a
squad Of recruits. He came along in
time, but instead OF bringing recruits
brought one gentle looking young fol,
low. who appeared to be far better fit
ted for poet than soldier. Merl'
wether was his name, and he hadn't
been at the fort day before the men
began to call him Mary. Then fol
lowed series OF practical jokes Of
which he was the butt In some un'
explainable way he got salt in his cof-
fee instead of sugar. Then there was
cactus In his bunk. Coming of guard
and turning in for good snooze, ne
was sure to be Weakened by mistake
for the midnight relief He was the
most unsuspecting little chap ever
saw, and as the boys always expressed
wonder how such mistakes could hap
pen, besides great sympathy for him.
Il never entered his head that they
were at the bottom OF his discomforts
Indeed one day he came to me as first
sergeant Of the company and asked me
II he couldn't take extra tours of guard
duty for some OF the ringleaders, they
having expressed an extraordinary
amount Of sorrow that he had STUN
bIed over pile OF condemned muskets
on a dark night. Since they had pur
posely put them in his why this was a
triAe too much for even my thick skin
/ told him not to bother me with ride.
ulous questions and warned the ring.
leaders that would see the first mnn
punished who should again impose
upon him. The first man was Tom
Conover, who had been the instigator
of the most contemplate pranks
against the recruit, and he was given a
walking tour with u billet of wood on
his shoulder for n whole afternoon for
his pains This stopped the imposi.
ton and Meriwether fell into the con,
tempt OF not being noticed. This last.
ed till we were fighting the Modocs In
the lava beds in 1871.
Little Meriwether didn't like fight
ing at all that was pull =" o,o' u,s
Color WouIu rush L,"n az ~ n,oso
whenever pullee %h. I,. ~ us rs
to his de!lcate eur Dut a" no, .a,' .n.i
ne would grit ms teetu "nu 1870 ,,s -
TO be resoIuteiy ngnthB hi M ,,o,, y
Keep ms sIehuer pouy w = ba,tn" m
One afternoon we were nuNins -.
especially not Hgn.' Ae'pil ~
steady hre on the Mouocs ulu Le%,.,
ing as good as we sent rom Osn ,i.,
a natural breastworN OF ava, Mn W.
Meriwether came craving toN own. ne ~
on all Tours wlth an eAIreS"ioH =
hopeless despair IN ms luSe' ,,.,.
what IS ~ askeu "nAi ,''is.
rearing something itu so"s
"Conover-he's NIT"
Weir coulu see no.ii.ns ~
markaDle IN CohoVer pelIs ilt nv, !" o. q :.
one-third the men We're III the Sums ~
He wants water.
Get him some from cant'en'
There's not drop TO DC touhu any
where.
"Well, then, he must go ury' LOT tnt
only water near Is Gown mere III 1 IN.
crevice, and no one can 80 there WIN
out getting shot"
Hes suffering dreadiully' ,-
go back to your place you lltlie
fool" l said sharply, remembering
what he had suffered az ConoNer ;
hands.
He crawled back, ana dlsihisseu
the matter from my mind.
Presently | saw sight thar hlleu me
with establishment. Merlwether was
running, canteen In hand, Tor the creV-
dee containing water bullets sang
about him like buzzing files Whether
or not he was hit, he Kept on ana IN
u few seconds sank out OF sight IN the
Crevlce.
1 had no right to do so, for there
weFe two commissioned oheers WIN
the company but, singing out to those
beside me to follow, jumped up and
made dash for n rise In the lava just
beyond the crevice. 1t WINS no use.
The IRE was too hot, and the men