The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-01-10


1n 81
M en 81aFa Today,
EuY. 1or there hor
mess han. and I can
pe tae 6hink 81 goa waltz
Naiie am uaidng my drearg
number are YOU Mr. Lang
lumber louf answered. Hlily.
fast back Of the eonmandanbs
tent ana runs parallel to the road lead
ahong the blum 10 the hotel I go
On pos "a taps and walls 6ll midnigh6
IA There Just at the time the hop
oGe
HURRY up and turn out first re-
hel yelled the corporal Of the guard,
end bF Lang said 6 hasty gopd-by
and dug out at double time fol the
gun rack outside the first guard tent.
duty De sighed to himself, "a
hard duty. BUT stin duty even il it
does take yon away from the girl you
love
q was ~ clock 90 night. Taps had
sounded an hoef earlier. Billy Lang
was pacing MP and down number four
between the trunks 81 the great elms
which with the s~entinels. guarded the
eamPs 81 was the blacklist kind of a
night Up on Gro Nest mountain and
to the northWard toward the Catskins
Hudson' crew was playing tenpinB
- IS g long bowling alley which Old
Mu
Rips friends use when they begin their
fayorite game. The thunder came
nearer and the lightning played over
head. This IS a time when the senti-
neil with his steel bayonet pointing
ward, feels more nervously appre
hensiye than when in the face Of a hue
mar enemy. Patter, patter. patteF
the rain began to fan on the leaves Of
the elms. The sentinels on number
four knew that in q minute the gates
would open and then the deluge.
There n no rains like those on the
Hudson. There are no drops-a solid
mas Of water falls.
Inc ~aickering oil lamp at the south
end of the post sent a feeble CLEAN out
into the darkness. Forty yards down
the roadway Billy Lang saw some one
approaching. 'sWho comes there?''
rang out the challenge.
Friends, came the answer, in q
mans voice.
"a fash Of lightning Lit up the road
way and Billy Lang saw Frederick
and Francis Curtis held mo.
tionless by his challange. AT that i'm
slant came the deluge, UmhrellaleSs
and unprotected ia any way stood the
young couple, straining their eyes
toward a place where they knew was
q young fellow with bayonet-tipped
rife.
Billy Lang knew that he could
q point and let these twain
pass. Any cadet in the corps would
have done it on recognition as certain
his. But Billy was a stickler for
duty. He knew his orders. Halt,
friends he said, and then, raising
his voice. lie yelled: Corporal Of the
guard NO. A.
No one has a right to cross a sen
tiueis post after taps unless he ha1s
the c~ountersign. ia times OF peace
the corporal is called to recognize
and advance people without the pass
word.
How the rain did come down.
Frances Curtis light ball dress was
3 rag She was chilled through and
She stood holding the arm Of her
escort and %shivering from her light
to the bedraggled rose that
crowned her hair. Frederick jack
was in as bad a plight, though
be didn't allow himself to SILVER.
It's my duty" said Billy Lang to
limse6i "and Frances is a stickler
4or duty; shen like me all the better
or it,.
The corporal came at last. He al.
owed the %shivering couple to pass
N to the hotel. He saw the plight
hey were in, and if he hadn't been a
fearling corporal and Billy Lang a
irst-class man, he would have told
10. 4 that he was an ass for not
lsing a little common sense and al
the storm-stricken pair to
,ass.
Frederick Jackson left for New
2ork the next morning. When he
vas relieved From guard Billy lang
allied at the hotel. Miss Curtis
not be seen that day. She was
indisposed, The next after
loon Billy Lang received a note. IL
vas ia Frances Curtis handwriting
T read like this: "a telegram from
Few York tells mother that Mr.. Jack
on is dangerously in with pneu.
nonia as a result of exposure n the
torn. He has no relatives nearer
ham England. 4 am a great stickler
or duty, and so mother and I ara
ust leaving for New York to nurse
g. Jackson. You will doubtless ap-
rove my course, for you r one 81
.uty's own disciples"
Frances Curtis did not return 70
vest Point that summer. 1t wasslata
the IAN when the postman n day
anded Billy Laag an envelope post.
marked New York lit contained wed.
ing cards, in which the names
.nrts and Jackson were prominent
a yeariing corporal stuck his head
the door. Tomorrow, Lang he
aid you T on special duty.
Hang the duty" said Billy.
And the officer Of the dav who ma.