Connecticut western news., 1903-04-23


 SNyAU tons possible chance N SW x out of his mind. But VNNHS&S. as soon as we reached
 camp the few sick list men and shirkers who had remained behind began to croak a story sup posed to have filtered from the colonels tent through several intermediates that the colonel had been in a rage about the explosions of my relics in our old camp, that had made him sup pose the enemy were shelling us as we evacuated the post, and that he was going to make an example of the guilty party. Sure enough. we had not been in camp more than two hours when the orderly sergeant of our company came to our tent and said:
 ",rhe colonel wants to see you two at once"
 We looked at each other and tried to smile, but failed.
 "It seems to me-" said I, that our share of the fight at the fence ought to mitigate our punishment-I mean my own punishment, for you did nothing in that shell affair but tell about it, like fool. l suppose that even now you'll try to make the colonel believe that you had some share in it, so as to shield me-"
 q wish I could" replied Brainard meekly. "I wish I hadn't told of 1t when the colonel was so mystified about the shots, but really it did seem for the good of the service"
 You're too good to live" said I. Come along. I hope you'll come in for some share of the punishment, you unspeakable lunatic."
 Nevertheless for a corporal to be summoned by his colonel has a sober ing effect, so I fought down my feel ings and tried to assume a bold front as I dragged Brainard across the parade ground.
 Pass them in, sentry" said the colo nel from the open front of his tent as we drew near. We stopped at the tent flaps, saluted and stood at attention"
 Come in, gentlemen" said the colo nel, with an odd smile which never theless seemed not ugly. "Sit down."
 Both of us dropped nervelessly on the coloneps camp bed, the only seat vis- ible. The colonel was handling some papers which promptly assumed were court martial charges against us.
 q was greatly surprised and also pleased" continued the colonel, still handling the papers, "at receiving to- day commissions for both of you-com- missions as first lieutenants."
 l looked at Brainard. and Brainard looked at me, and I don't understand why both of us did not drop dead with astonishment. The colonel went on:
 "I had hoped to promote both of you in the course of time, after you had reached sergeant's grade-Brainard, because of your rescuing your party from the enemy after capture and for getting that dispatch through to the left few nights ago, and, Frost, be- cause I've learned that you spent a lot of money in trying to get recruits for the regiment at the time you entered 1t. I'm not the only influence with the appointing power. Political and other strings are being pulled for scores of my noncommissioned officers, and some of this sort of work seems to have been done for you boys"
 Not for me, sir, that I know of," said Brainard quickly.
 "Eh? Well, so much the more to your credit. Nevertheless 'tis true. You're both commissioned to the Forty nying your commissions that the Forty third is in bad way-good men, bad officers-so bad that the command can't be trusted to take the field. A lot of the officers have been weeded out, and the governor wished to replace them with men from regiments that are in good shape and have seen hard service. The senator from your district strongly recommended you, Frost, and called your father up to Albany, and it seems that your father took with him a hand some young woman who told an ex- traordinary story of your bravery and produced letter in evidence, I can't understand how I, your colonel, failed to have learned the facts, but
 Your cousin Navy exclaimed Brain ard. Then he sprang to his feet and hll IiC bCN"0Cl Allt WILL d force which 1 could not have believed was in his tiny frame. The colonel looked surprised, and Brainard mur- mured 'T beg pardon" and collapsed in confusion.
 Tt seems, further" continued the colonel, that the governor said he wished he knew of some other trooper of equal courage and ability, upon which the young lady said she could name one and straightway praised you, Brainard, without stint and declared that if you two could be sent together you could end the war. can't imagine where the young lady obtained her knowledge of the special requirements of the service or how she came to know so much about the soldierly qualities of two of my corporals, but these commits sions are the result"
 We can't accept them, sir" said Brainard, If they've been granted on such hearsay and misapprehension.".
 l didn't approve of Brainard's we" He had the right to decline for himself, should he insist on being so foolish, but 1 wanted my own commission, no mat ter through what mistake it was issu- ed. The colonel, too, was of my way of thinking, for he replied:
 Nonsense! Never lose a chance to reach higher rank, especially to move your insignia of rank from your sleeve to your shoulder"
 But, sir, there are other men more deserving of It." said Brainard. I'd feel ashamed to. wear shoulder straps if McTwyny must go on with only u sergeant's stripes. You ought to see him fighti'
 "Eh? McTwyny? That freckled