Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-25
THE MILKSOP
lOriginal.1

Louise" said Colonel Kilburn, 81
have noticed young Cudlipp dancing
attendance upon you, and l wish you
to understand that don't like it. There
are several young officers at the post
any one of whom would make you
good husband, and you have no need to
take up with citizen who is no more
at home among army people than q
! o2 2ye Y nest Ct eagles az iAasr
Don't worry, papa. Tommy Cudlipr
hasn't the spunk to propose
Tommy Cudlipp had been brought up
under disadvantageous circumstances.
| His father had died when he was a
! baby, and Tommy had never been any
thing more than baby to his mother.
| She had kept him about her till she
died. Then Tommy set out to see some
thing Of the world. He began by visit
Ing the frontier, but fell in love with
the first girl he saw--viz, Louise Kill
burn, whom he met while he was look
Ing over the fort her father command
ed. In consequence of this enthrallment
Tommy got no further. The girl seem
ed to be amused with him, and the Off
| GERS OF the fort made no end of fun at
his expense. The truth is Tommys
mother had made milksop of him.
But that could hardly be considered his
'ault. 1t was rather his misfortune
One morning the colonel was hurry
ing across the parade when he met
Young Dudlipp.
'Mr. Cudlipp," he said, II would adj
wise you to take back track toward
civilization. The Indians have broken
loose, and we're going to have hot
time of it."
The colonel did not stop to note the
effect Of his words, but hurried on, and
In two hours was moving at the head
Of all the troops under his command
except small garrison left in the fort
TO attack the savages.
Two days passed. Colonel Kilburn,
who had spent most of his term Of
service in the artillery on the eastern
coast and had no experience at fighting
indians, permitted himself to be drawn
into an ambush in an almost impass-
able canyon. But he pushed on, resolv-
ed to beat them on their own ground.
He was himself fighting in the advance
under a deadly fire when, looking
about him, he noticed that the men
who had followed him were but a
small portion of his command, and not
a single officer had been able to with
stand the murderous shower of bullets
poured down upon them. Those who
had not been picked off by the sure
elm of the savages had fallen back
with their men.
But who is this far below singly
pressing forward? From rock to rock
he leaps and climbs, traversing the
rough ground with incredible rapidity.
The colonel's heart stands still. Is the
conner a messenger to announce that
the Indians have attacked his rear? If
so, not soldier will escape. But as
the man comes nearer it is plain that
he is not soldier. Instead of sol
diers felt alpine he wears a derby; in
stead of the blue with yellow facingS
of the cavalry he wears a gray travel
ing suit Then when he comes near
the colonel recognizes the milksop-
Tommy Cudlipp. His hands are bleed
ing from the sharp rocks over which
he has climbed; his hat is dented; his
trousers are torn, revealing what in an
other case might be taken for flag
of truce AS he nears the colonel he
starts, grasps one of his wrists and
carries the arm that has been broken
by bullet.
"What in thunder roared the colo
mel.
eve come, colonel began the young
man and paused to hitch his wounded
arm to more comfortable position.
"Well,' cried the colonel, what haze
you come for?"
after you went away II ventured
to propose to Miss Louise, and she said
I could come and ask YOU"
1t might be expected that the colonel
would stand mute with astonishment.
Not so. In the first place he was in no
position to do SO, and in the second
with a soldiers quickness to seize upon
opportunity, seeing that he had valu
able aid at hand whom he greatly
needed, he flashed the words:
go back and bring up the command
and you shall have her."
Down went Tommy Cudlipp, tum
bling over stones, sliding down places
too steep to walk on, moving far quick
er than he came, till he reached point
Of rocks behind which the command
We're huddled, their officers vainly en-
deavoring to drive them up the canyon
1.-The colonel says for you to come
right upv' cried the aid in a falsetto
voice.
To soldier death is preferable to be-
ing Outdone in the line of duty by
citizen. Every man sprang up the
canyon. On reaching the colonel the
united forces pushed forward, drove
the Indians into a pocket from which
there was no escape and exterminated
every savage.
When the colonel returned to the