The Republican journal., 1903-02-05
n a Military Post.
,odence of the Journal. ]

rsT H' =, urgent requests l will
i''I nifi a rash promise made
'.l ,ce to give an idea to my
,bat life in military post
to one, who seeing it for
.. in my life only a few
400. may be pardoned for
ri No., Of detail on so short an
with things military. Tn
ysst possessions and do
after: his interests, many
add lave to be protected.
.se he has organized and
De-, present state, that little
1Ieciated force, our Reg
ud vaguely supposed by
arrally to be kept some
-4r IN time of peace, and
. don't know" Uncle d
.,.r men who wear his uni
r,, iess than eighteen years
ms-e than thirty-five, free
.,,4l defects. of good moral
.oj a1le to read and write
luguage. When a young
.s5 these requirements, and
Pill. ugid examination of the
F ...kps the oath which starts
4reer of three years as a
u Regular.
,rp.ue administered without
ua lay divided into various
exercises, soon works the
U,lto the erect, quick, alert
whom the nation looks to
,.uu living in all climes and
ea~ ~. distant seas. This
..t t- ted. he must be clothed,
....4N AS promptly as he is re-
...rr his services; he must
u- when i'll. Each one of
.... , looked after by its spec
.-m.,uent, the various heads
their headquarters in
.-...tu,i iurpose, however, to give
.tte description of the intrl-
r.u, Of the staff. but rather
ilr III the life of the reg
...I at one of the northern
Wry posts. Much of my
.... from careful inquiries,
.. .m observation, and | can
. .4liprs that few people real
Uut of work performed by
4u1 men of the regular
..rut themselves in that pro-
I,.!ares and recitations for
... ... .uncommissloned officers
..,e technical drills relating
... r,u OF bridges, earthWorks
... 5ppliances, instruction in
..-.. are of small arms, the as
machine guns, force OF ex-
.-.. .-1 ld To wounded, the proper
... Iaratiou of the ration, and
.,. a.uer things, all of vital i'm
..- u an army in the field, the
m-le east.
many duties a soldier is called
'- p-.torm from day to day, one
u.st important is guard duty,
.-1m Ire goes upon this duty he
l.5 days and weeks of drill and
rt.. hefore he is intrusted with
Responsibility of safe guard
~s reauuses and storerooms that
s.much of value to the govern
#t when at last he is pronOunc-
.H.eut 10y the gruff old drill ser
no longer a rookie" as the
& IT, called, but a full-tledged
'- guard, the post guard,
f. tor the safety of the gov
lperty, for maintaining or
aAAing after everything and
is the factor that begins and
H- LAY for the garrison, but not
~r ike Tennyson's Brook, it
H-yer,
- aE. ifty A. NJ, the heavy-eyed.
rgoIAI. sitting in front of his
ii, THE guard house, turns and
4rs eeper stretched upon an iron
leJ Hm. For two hours the cor
B rs waited for this hour, for guard
night is a lonely and dreary
d uc sleeper wakes with a start,
4Auost by the time his eyes are
b. is oil his feet, for there is no
-l1 d iazy stretch and yawn here;
Ellng is promptly on the minute.
sleeper thus suddenly on his feet is
-geaut Of the guard. He asks no
.'oN but glances at the clock, and
Ks fapidly to the door of the guard
laNdcalIs musician of the guard!"
5eN lrumpeter rolls off his cot and
& rrret. Sound first call' says
Or2-aEt briefly, and then rouses
NvaiF guard, who, ''two on and
Il nave been constantly walking
b ial Guarding prisoners at work
f last twenty-one hours.
e musician passes out of the big,
't doors, that open on the broad
'aa and steps that front the guard
'r tae mutfled figure of the sentry
0-1t1 one, quickens his stride up
09Nn the post that he has paced SO
weary hours of darkness. The
''Ian halts, raises his bugle to his
amt the Sharn clear notes of 'sf rSt