The Cairo bulletin., 1905-12-16
Giving Him a
hnvxy BY c. B.
0HVW LEWIS

Copyright, 1906, BY x, A. Whitehead

only a boy of twenty-one az that.
Things we're at loose ends al the lori
The colonel was away on leave with
three or four other officers, there was
much sickness among the troops. and
the hundred infantrymen able 10 Go
duty were almost in state of mutiny
owing to general laxity Of discipline
ana fhc fact that they had not been
naid Off for four months. Tie arrival
OF the boy lieutenant under the cifeum-
stances was hooted at.
Roy Blissfield had been assigned to
Company Il. and be soon discovered.
that his captain was paying more att
tontion to whisky and poker than to
discipline ana that the worst men in
the fort seemed TO be members of his
company He was told to 90 in and
straighten the men out, but bis first
move showed him that he had his hands
full. They were sulIen, unciyil and dis
obedient and the young officer found
himself almost helpless, He should
have been Loyalty backed by the non
commissioned officers: but, aside from
the orderly sergeant none gave him
open support. Indeed the ringleader
appeared to be the second sergeant,
and after few days il was realized
that until his influence was removed 10
Improvement in the morale OF the com
pany need be looked for.
Il wouldn't fret over IT," replied the
easy going captain when complaint was
made to him. we are al peace with
The Indians, the weather Is Internally
hot, and the men are short Of rations
and pay. Let them take things easy
for awhile. They'll be feeling better by
and by"
That was the Fort Concho way that
summer, but 1t was not what the Young !
officer had been taught at West Point
The men knew that they had him at a |
disadvantage, and they made things as
unpleasant as they could. Ihey were |
sent TO the guardhouse BIZ the half |
dozen, only to be released next morn |
ing on their plea to The commander
that the officer had misunderstood
them. Things went along in bad way
for d month
Thompson, said the officer one day
10 The second sergeant. II want You to !
take walk with me down by the cor
raj | want TO have little talk with
YOU
'Ail right" was the reply, without a
salute or d sir
When the two were out Of sight OF
The barracks and headquarters the lieu
tenant halted and began to remove his
outer garments. The sergeant watched
bin for a couple of minutes aud then
aueried:
'Well, what is it,"
IF you wish 10 remove any Of your
clothing do it now. have been told a
iundred times over that West Point
seaii0ps don't 20 here. and now I'm 20
ng to find out the reason why. You
appear to be the leader. and ii has be
come question which Of MS is going
10 run things
rs il 10 be n scrapping matchY'
ut is
But shall be court martialed aud
imprisoned for striking an officer"
Not at all. | promise to make no
complaint against You. and | presume
half the company IS hiding behind the
stables over there and will be your
witnesses. Strip of"
II shall best you, sir
"Oh, you have got a sir ont at last,
rave you? Perhaps you viii continue
o improve II you best me there will
De no complaint. Are you ready
The thirty or forty members Of Com
lany r who saw that scrap from a dis
.ance win talk about it all thor lives
The sergeant was the taller and heav
er, and he was a self taught boxer !
who thought he knew all the tricks
by The lieutenant, be did
MS best, but at the end of quarter Of
IN hour he was knocked out aud had
10 be carried to his quarters. The first
thing his comrades did was TO swear
zach other to secrecy. 1t had been a
square fight and the best man had won
On his side the officer said nothing. and
no report was made to captain or com
mander.
say" said the defeated champion
when he got on bis feet again. the
boy is game and shall have a square
zeal We want TO quit making him
trouble and give him show"
There was immediate improvement in
Inc morale Of Company L. and things
moved more satisfactorily for the next
Then the wood choppers
went out under guard to get a new
supply OF fuei among the bills three
miles away. The gunrd was composed
Of ten men, aud the boy from West
Point was iu charge, with Sergeant
Thompson as second. There was peace
IN the land. and whom the wagons bad
the hills every man laid aside
bis musket and took up an AZ.
The officer had received no instruc-
lions. BE had not been told that
treaty or truce with the red man was
only a farce and that a band Of hos
tiles might seek to Jump" the outfit
any moment lie found a seat from
which be could overlook the work. ami
FOR an hour all went well Then there
was q sudden alarm. s band OF thirty
warriors crept up and opened FIRE. and
4 teamster and his four mules were
Oiled By the voiiey.
Tho ATTACK emma "a sufdauts that !