The National tribune., 1903-12-03


Hardee and Scott tactics, and demonstrat
ing their knowledge Of military red tape
A number of old veterans Of '4S were pres
ent, and took pride in relating the man
ner in which they had conquered the Mex
ican Greasers.
1t may be well right here to call th'
readers attention to an important fact IL
the history of this company. There wer'
few military organizations more entangle(
was this one. The company rolls show
two fathers with each one son. one father
with two sons, II pairs of brothers; un
cles. nephews and cousins, too compile,
to diagram.
FAREWELL FEAST.
1t was nearly noon when the line o
vehicles drove out on the road TOWARD
milford. The procession was led by tkt
band; the line was of omnibuses. hacks
jolt wagons and spring wagons, car
riages, buggies and buckboards; followed
by horseback and muleback riders. som,
of whom would gallop back and fortf
along the line with the air and importance
of an army train master.
Having reached the Miami Railroad
Station at milford some time before the
train was due upon which we were to EN-
bark for the Capital City, pleasant greer
lawn near was occupied, table-clGths were
laid and the contents of well-filled has
kets were spread before crowd of in
dividuals who were hungry enough to get
close to dinner without a second invi
tation.
A number of friends and relatives had
accompanied us from Williamsburg, bring
in the well-filled baskets. After the
spread had been properly disposed OF, and
no one felt that he should ever be hun
cry again, the boys engaged in a lively
skirmish by shying chicken bones and 9th
er remnants of the feast at each other, and
indulged in other similar tOmfOolery, jus!
to kill time. The band was killing time
for pastime, but it was common and triple
time they were numbering, with Ne
tiOnal airs. Musicians prefer to use the
word execute. but when speaking of the
average amateur brass band of 81 years
ago the former term would not be mate
rally misleading.
OFF AT LAST.
It was about o'clock in the after
noon when the Little Miami train from
Cincinnati hove in hearing, and by the
time the third and last all-around hand
shaking had been hastily gone through
with the old-fashioned hand-breaks
brought the train to a standstill; all hands
that were going with bag and luggage
boarded the cars assigned them.
When the train moved on, the Occu-
pants filled the car windows to their full
capacity, waving hands and handkerchiefs
and shouting farewell to those left behind,
"goOd-by. good-by, goOd-by." till inter
vening distance made further farewell
demonstrations needless.
The trip was made without any calam-
ity. and reaching the Capital about o
o'clock at night We marched southwark OIL
High street.
INcoNGRUoUs AGGREGATION.
1t was our first appearance in line by
gaslight, and feel sure that our appear
ance would have been less embarrassing
without light of any kind. Ours was a
typical company of new volunteers, en-
route to camp. Imagine 40 men, abso-
lutely devoid of uniformity in appearance,
carriage or costume. There was n man
six feet four inches, with silk hat, white
shirt. long coat, and neat boots, easy,
graceful society walk: near him a stubby
plOw boy in last years homemade straw
hat, hickory shirt, and no coat, cowhide
shoes with heel run to one side and the
half sole clipping at every step; his walk
a sort of stumble and his stature five feet
four! Between the two extremes were
very modification and counterpart of each,
every shade. tint and color, cut and quail
ty of clothing; add what each man car
bundles and bags, containing war supplies
never to be enumerated; the band en-
numbered with baggage as well as ins.ru-
ments, music was omitted on the march
that terminated at the State House.
ACQUIRING EXPERIENCE.
It was then about 10 o'clock at night,
and we knew no more where our weary
feet should rest that night than did our
friends at home. We remained standing
Dn the stone tagging for more than two
hours, while the Captain was skirmishing
for some one who knew some one; that
might possibly know some one that could
tell him where some one was that knew
whose business it was to furnish quarters
Tor men who were dying to get into the
service before the war should come to a
termination.
After the Captain had returned half
lozen times with no tidings he finally
came with good news, and we were con-
lucted to the rotunda of the S..te House
and told to make ourselves comfortable
sOr the night. and the band struck up,
Hail Columbia, Happy Land" but the
Boys failed to see any chances for COM
'Ortable bed ON the hard side Of marble
iOOr. 1t was a clear case of Hobson's
,hoice. as that seemed to be the only sleep
ng apartment in the State House not
already occupied. After the boys had
amused themselves for a time in sliding
,ver the CLASSY marble floor of the rotuu-
la, some who had grown more tired than
,thers sought places of rest near the walls.
IN the checkered slabs, and stretched
themselves down to seek sleep.
But slumber was out of the question;
40 sooner would one doze than some heart
ess cOmrade would tickle his, nose, or
teet, or drop water in his face. These
pranks seldom failed to bring on lively
tussle between the victim and the annoyer.
Others would take the unfortunate sleeper
BY the feet and make handsled out of
him, hauling him around the room at the
speed of roller coaster. Woe to the
one who took his clothes off that night
Sonic thought they could not sleep with
1ut undressing, and after carefully rolling
up in their blanket and quilt,
with soft feather pillow under head;
when he was considered safely in dream
land, man and bed would be taken heel
ward over the floor and down the stone
like n tOboggan on its slide. OF
course marauders always hastily disap-
peared to avoid punishment; but they were
not likely to escape hearing an overflow
Of advice from the molested party, and
promises of just recompense when
discovered. As night passed, the prankers
becoming tired of their own fun, long be.
fore morning the stone bed had caught
is all.
One of the little nOnsensical happen
ngs peculiar TO early soldering was the
appearance that night of a queerly acting
stranger. who either was, or tried to make
t appear that he was, under the influence
IF strong drink, and just wanted to be
sociable with the boys. 1t was soon whis
pered around by the lways-knowing ones