The National tribune., 1904-07-14

hold of all the sorghum whisky there that
he could drink, and died av the delirium
tremens in a twelvemonth. He made the
battery a little hell for livery man in it,
particularly me. Oi had probably been
entoirely too sassy at first to him. He re-
ported to the Post Commandant that the
min were a set av riotous vagabonds that
could be only kept in order by the Sc
varest means. As it was wan of the new
batteries, just organized. there was no
one to contradict him Finally the Cap
tain jOined-the husband of her that's in
there. He was stranger to everybody,
promoted from the First Artilley. All that
we knew about him was that he had the
reputation of being q strict discplinarian,
and we expected he'd be much worse than
the Liftenant-new Captains usually are.
Consequently. we acted worse, if possible
than ever before, when he took command.
He spint the first week quietly looking
us over, without saying much, and giving
no more orders than was absolutely neces-
sary. Wan day, as he and the Liftenant
was looking over the camp, with the Lif-
tenant explaining. everything to him, the
Liftenant stopped him before where Oh
was digging at a stump, and said:
"'Now there's the very worst man in
the company. He's born disturber. d
regular fannel-mouthed Mick, and has
been in trouble liver since he's been in the
battery. Olive. troied livery thing wild him,
but to no good. Old loike to drum him out
av camp
'Foine-looking man. Looks loike the
makings ay good soldier answered the
Captain, taking me in. with his usual quiet
sweep av his Dyes; What's his name?'
Liftenant. You'll foind it much oftener
on the guard-house books than on the de-
tails for duty
Next morning the Captain sent for me
to come to his quarters. Oi got so despe-
rate that Oi slOuched up in me fatigue
clanest, and Oh stood before him loike a
clodhopper. Oh thought Oh was going to
get another dose loike the Liftenant had
been giving me, and Old show my con-
timpt for him and the army. Instead of
cursing me, and ardering me of to the
guardhouse. as the Liftenant would have
done, the Captain looked me over quiet
"'My man. 0i sent for you to have a
talk with you about yoursilf. Dim sorry
to see that you've not been well-instruct-
ed. In the army we're all jintlemen as
well as soldiers. When wan jintleman
go goes to t another,s 81 house. especially if he's M
appearance, and makes sure that his
clothes are clane and fit
"Oi began to tumble at buttoning up
me blouse, and brushing off the dust"
"'Nivver meind that now." said the
Captain. Only don't let it occur again. /
want to talk to you about something
ayven more important. Sit down on that
stool there
"Whin Oh sat down the Captain said
cody and pleasantly:
'Byrnes. Olive bin hearing reports
about you. but something tells me that
they're mistaken. Probably you started
thin wild big mistakes av your own. Now,
Byrnes, you're in the army. for good or
bad, same's we all are. It's one av the
best places in the world for a man to be,
if he will only think so, and do his best
to make it 50. Ofm doing that, and Oh
want you to do the same, and Oi'll help
you. You've the makings av a frst-class
soldier, and just the koind Oh want in
the battery. Oi want to make it the
foinest battery in the service, and Oh want
you and the rest to help me do it.
'The Captains manner ayven more than
his words, conquered me. Oi rose to my
fate, took the position av a soldier for the
first tonne as correctly as q veteran could,
saluted, and said:
"'Captain, Orll do IT,
"'All roight, Byrnes,' said the Cap
tain, returning me salute. 'Oi have your
promise, and OF know you'll kape it. Go
to your quarters now, and report to me
in an hour for some special duty
"Sharp at the end av the hour, Oi
reported to him, the natest, clanest man
in the battery. Oh brought my hales to-
gether and saluted. and dropped me hand
till me little finger touched the Same av
ma DantafoOns0