The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-09-17
A SOLDIERS
PAS TIME
IorlrnaLl

we will call the general X, and his
aid, to whom be was very much at
taehed, we viii call Hoyt. The younger
had a devil may care way with him
ard the impotence OF Satan. 1t was
one OF Hoyt's duties to take charge Of
the generals private purse. and any
moneys received or expended went
through the young aid-de-camfs hands.
One night the general left his tent
without an attendant to 90 the grand
rounds" It was long after taps and
lights were out Ia the tents Of the men
and there were few in those Of the Off
GERS when the general was returning
from bis tour be noticed light in one
Of the tents occW ed by his stan and
heard a voice say, Raise you twenty"
Il was evident that there was a party
within playing poker. The general
sang out, Grand roundsg and imme-
diately appeared at the tent flap. In
side sat Hoyt with three other mem
bers Of the staff, gambling with dollar
bill greenbacks in lieu Of chips.
All rose, standing respectfully, wait
Ing the expected rebl e.
Lieutenant Hoyt," aid the general,
you viii report for duty to the colonel
Of your regiment"
This being reduced from the position
Of an aid-de-camp to be second lieu
tenant in the line was a greater change
than to be reduced from second lieu
tenant in the line to the ranks. Hoyt
would no longer be on terms Of equal
ity with men far above him in rank. he
would no longer know Of doings at
headquarters that generals would be
glad to know. Instead of being mount
ed he would trudge along with the 9TH
ers a mere unit in an army. Neverthe-
less he accepted his fate without a
murmur and in the morning reported
to his colonel for duty.
Hoyt's place was supplied by Lieu
tenant Eben Bayliss, who also succeed
ed to the generals private exchequer.
Bayliss was considered an extremely
moral young man ana soon won the
| generals entire confidence He was
never known to yield to the practice so
common among the officers of the
Union army-playing poker with green
backs-and attended all religious serv-
ices Soon after his appointment as
the generals confidential aid a pay
master came along with funds, and the
general directed Bayliss to make out
his pay accounts and present them tC
him for signature This was done and
the money paid to Bayllss.
It was at this time that the Confed
crates, just before daylight one morn
ing, swooped down on the troops Of
1 General X, and there was desperat,
fight In which the headquarters bag
gage was captured by the enemy. Aft
er comparative quiet was restored Bay
IIss went to the general with a Iugu
brious eountenance and reported thaf
the money, some $500, which had com,
from the paymaster had gone to Tho
impeeunious Johnnies. General X
begged his aid not to distress himself
since such were the fortunes Of war
I Nevertheless the general was placed ii
financial difficulties by the loss.
The first official paper that caught
General KS attention after the fight
was a regimental order honorably men.
tioning Lieutenant Hoyt for gallantry
during the recent fight. Then one
evening when the general was sitting
in camp chair before his tent up
comes Hoyt, with a pleasant smile, sa-
1utes respectfully and tells the general
that he has heard Of his loss and If the
general will accept of loan Of the
amount lost he will confer a favor on
the lender who considered himself un-
| der many obligations.
Where did you get 50 much money
BillyG' asked the general.
won ii at poker"
"H'mr' grunted the general. 'I'm
much Obliged for the offer, but am
not in the habit of borrowing from
junior officers, especially money made
in that way
Hoyt saluted with unusual Formally
and took his leave. The general, caught
by the boys frankness and remember
Ing his bravery, secretly regretted that
he was not in his old position.
"The impudent young rascal| ht
4 muttered. 'That was just like him!'
The next fight made the general com
mander Of an army corps and Hoyt q
first lieutenant. with another mention
for bravery. Bayliss' conduct during
| the enga cement was criticised unfa
vorably. Hoyt was badly wounded
and placed Iii hospital AS soon as the
general heard Of it he ordered his horse
and went to see his former aid. AS h'
was mounting his chief OF staff ap
preached him with a very serious lool
and a paper
General" said the officer, i have
received charges against Lieutenan
Bayliss for conduct unbecoming an Of
ficer and d gentleman. the speciica
tons being appropriating money anC
reporting that it had been captured
with the headquarters baggage"
The scowl on the generals face ant
the growl on his lips were ominous.
tissue an order" he said, suspend
. Eng him from the staff pending tria
and another detailing Billy Hoyt to hi
7