Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-11-14
THE FLIGHT OF
THE SWALLOWS
BY S. RHETr ROWAN.


uniform of Uncle Sans army. his red
stripes denoting he was in the artil-
lery service, as did also the high walls
Of Fort Getty, before whose postern
gate he was pacing, as sentry, up and
down.
Fort Getty, splendid earthwork
fortifcation, armed with the most i'm
proved modern guns, planned and
built to defend a broad harbor, and
located to overlook bend in the chan
mel which has been formed by a long
line of jetties into deep rushing cur
rent, up to the sea front of a pictur-
esque, sturdy old town, looks serene
and peaceful, these September days,
while the swallows go noiselessly by,
fleeing from the approaching chill
frosts of autumn, and the Atlantic
gales which rush down the coast, when
summer closes it's page of gay pleas
ures and idle saunterings.
The sentry, slight, erect and with
rather a foreign air, who was sta
toned before the postern gate, kept
looking upward, his gaze following the
swallows. all going in the same direc-
tion-southward.
Until recently this man, who was an
accomplished musician, had been the
principal soloist of the Field band,
whose reputation was we'll known
everywhere.
His name on the rolls was Gustavus
Berret. But somebody said his real
name was Gustave Berriet. and that he
came from New Orleans, and som chow,
while he denied the story, everyone be-
lieved it.
1t was very evident that his had
been superior education, for he would
occasionally quote Latin, or the ella S.
les, and he spoke French fuently, in
fact, better than English.
And he would recall incidents of the
time when he was ''ignard" in the
"Quarante troiseme de ligne" of the
French army.
His hair, now slightly gray, had been
black, and his. brown eyes and rather
dark skin denoted a Latin origin.
But he declared himself an America n,
born in this country, and after all 1T
was nobody's business if Gustavus Ber-
ret declined to discuss his antecedents
with the fellows at mess and held him
self aloof from Jim Grady and 5ohn
Conner. who was from Chicago, and
declined to talk of his affairs.
When Gustavus Berret declared he
would no longer'play the clarionette
clamor at the port, and loud protests,
and the commander of Fort Getty was
appealed to.
But. as it is optional with man to
serve in the band or to go back to the
ranks if he so desires, according to
the rules of the United States army,
not hing more. than a remOnstrance was
attempted.
Gustavus Berret seemed determined
to forego the pleasures and privileges
attached to the position of a member of
the distinguished Seventh Artillery
Field band. and to prefer the more
arduous and monotonous life plain
private. in L company.
What were his reasons? Well. that,
too. was exclusively his own business,
nor did he take the trouble to divulge
them to anyone.
The band had been engaged to give
concerts, in the beautiful dancing pa
Wilton of the Isle of Palms, three times
a week all summer. and its well trained
with very delightful music, to which
throngs of strangers, drawn. from all
parts of the country, listened with
more or less appreciation. according to
| their lights and familiarity with
Beethoven. Bach, Mascagni, Chopin,
| Strauss and Others. and their previous
| residence in city or village.
For the Isle of Palms is freGuented
| by the usual pot-pourri of summer
| tourists. drawn thith er by the entranc-
| ing sweep of the Atlantic breezes, the
| thunder of the surf on its long, low
| beach; by it's picturesque and broken
| sand hills. its myrtles. and storm
| blown oak groves, and the usual pleas
| ures to be found at all seaside summer
| resorts.
| There was a man from Boston who
wanted to bring down his auto. and
| risk the neck of a very handsome young
| woman on the beach, and along the
| queer. winding roads. running through
a tangled tropical growth the length
of this ccean-girt island. and another
| from New York, whose yacht was rid
| ing at anchor in the bay, and who was
| equally solicitous to take her and heI
gray-eyed sister aboard for cruise
| down the coast. and there were quite
a number of "local talent" attached to
| the party. chaperoned by gay and
| pretty widow. Mrs. Chatworth.
They were in the ha bit Of saunterine
| in the big pavilion to listen to the
concerts, and being conspicuous
from many agreea bic standpoints
good looks, wealth and fashion
and the girls always centering the
attention of number of PEG
pie, it was not surprising thai
the musicians all grew familiar
/ Hai II q, n =