West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-01-09

1 =
Tnimnl FOR him to ride at this even
fng's dress parade7"
Lieutenant Carter looked fun into
Murphy's face and slowly wlnked. not
once. bot nrec times. Il might have
been the sunlight.
II have Just tho horse. sorr."
(which oneT
"Well. he has no name yet that YOU
could use In polite society" Murphy
returned though no has been called
great many. to be sure"
"Is he wen up TO voighty" the lieu
tenant asked.
"He win carry anything. sorr." re-
piled Murphy without n CULVER. adding
TO himself. "begad. that can stay on his
back"
"well. take him over 10 the bandmas.
ter this afternoon and explain what he
! ls for"
VERY good. sorr."
Lieutenant Carter went back TO his
quarters, uneartheI the newspaper.
strollod out on tho vcranda and read on
for an hour Now he chuckled TO him
self. All Mt once the bugle rang clear
and high, and some movement was de
tocted In the direction OF the barracks.
| Officers strolled out buclSling ON their
side arms. and some ladies with para
soils and bright chintz dresses left the
houses and strollcd over In the dlrcc-
tion OF the colonels quarters at the
head OF tho parade ground, where I'm
the evening the coloneIs pretty wife
| poured tea.
The buElc blew again and with a
clanking of nccouterments and the dust
raising OF hoofs tho troopers trotted
out. II tshad grown n little cooler and
the shadows had lengthoned. but IL
was hot enough 10 mako men grumblo.
aud grurnble they did "a matter of
course. The Tino was formed Tho
colonel mounted his horse, and the otii-
| GERS rode out before their companies,
and then tho band came humping and
| Jlngllng down 10 the front TO take their
| position on the end OF the line. II was
fortunate thing that the bass drum
mer did not have 10 blow n horn. His
great face had slightly pulled appear
nncc. and his lip protruded over his
fine white teeth that were firmly set as
he cursed beneath his breath at the
! horse he rode. which had n way of
l.
brown nag tAs< had just been con-
signed to the hospital. As the drum.
mer passed Lieutenant Carter the lat
ter glanced at him.
The colonel, with his piercing gray
eyes looking out under his bushy eye
brows. took his position. and drew his
sword. Sound on. he said
Then came n few preliminary blcats
OF the horns and then came boom and
crash.
II appeared as II something blew up
all at once IN the band, and. TO tell the
truth. II was principally the drummer.
| The music stopped. but the explosion
continued. The black horse that had
been called impolitc names was assert
! Ing himself: he dlsliked the indgnity
| that had been thrust upon him. That
| was evident from the first. but now lee
| concluded 10 rid himself Of tho dcgra-
datlon. with his head between his
| knees. his back archcd and his leg stiff-
ened. he was bucIslng away like the
winner In wild west show. For
| few seconds the drummer managed TO
hold on somehow, but no human bacl,-
| bone could stand II, and with de-
! spairlng curse. the big fellow shot up
into the air landed on all fours. then
| sprawlcd face downward in the dust
But the nameless one was not snts-
| fed. The drum was still attached 10
| him by a leather thong. and out Of tho
melee he emerged like n football player,
i determined TO make touchdown F,a.
| ger hands had snatched at his bride,
| but he broke away. Down the line he
! camo, the bass drum playing n sono.
rous solo upon his fanks. When about
| opposite the adjutant, who to save his
! life could not utter n word OF com
| mand. nc concluded 10 make n dctour
20 the left. The ranks parted for him
| lie pursued his humping course for
few feet mp the line. Then. thinking
| probably that he would be better ap.
/ preclated where he could be seen. he
charged through from rear 30 right and
emerged again, bounding like a vicious
| rubber creature intent on planting him
self into the ground and mad that IN
stead Of being firmly imbedded he
should 1nd bimself In the air again.
The whole troop was IN an upro~r
now, but above the sounds Of lnughtcr
arose the colonel's voice.
Catch that horse, somebodyr no
| roared. Take hold of him. one OF you
men,
Maybe the nameless black heard ibis
| order and determined to give the colo
hcl tho Arst chance. foc head down ana
tail np. whanglng 0nd banging, ho
/ charged down upon The commander Of
The post.
: Now, fhe horse the colonel rode was
"a tried vctcranhe bad once faced
cracking rifles and had ridden up NJ tho
head of charge against n band OF
roaming. shrieking hostlles but this
/ strange looking thing coming down
! upoa film was too much for his nerves
! he awerved. The colonel leaned for
ward. as II TO take matters into bis
| own hands and put n stop 10 tho riot.
/ but he reckoned entirely without his
/ host His own horse. the tried and
\ trusted one. could stand the strain no
! longer With n snort Of terror hc
stretched out bis neck md bolted The
colonel tried to stop him. ff there had
been an uproar boforc. II was chaos
nov Straight upon the beois Of the
eoloners mig came Gic bounding. re-
sounding mixture Of drum and horse,
and. worse iock. Che coloncrs charger
bod lost his head completely Instead
! y turning - the open country 90 the
west, Re mnde on 70 tho cnstward
I straight for fbo post laundry. where
some 81 cbe wnsbwomen wcrc mthcr
ing ~ fbc ciothes Chat bad hung al
day IN fhe bleaching sun. into tho mix
/ ture % linen and clothcabaskcts the
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Fnst Psends.