New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1905-01-04
II AT OR KENT S
SIRA TEGY
.lOriginal.l

4
General Black had under his COM
mand a young major who in wartime,
I by holding narrow defile with a sin.
gle battalion, had saved his command
Garland Kent was consequently the
Idol Of the army. He would have been
In favor with the general had it not
been that he was a sutton for Violet,
the generals daughter The general
had no mind to give her to penniless
soldier, were he ever SO brave. Violet
was gem among women, and her
father saw an opportunity to marry
| her to STRIPPING Of British nobility,
| young Vernon Parke, next in line OF
inheritance to the Earl OF Brereton
Parke was specimen of the London
efeminate dissipated swell. To save
! him from falling any lower his family
had sent him to America to mingle
with a better grade Of associates, and
! he had straightWay stumbled into
another pit, according to their estimate,
by falling in love with girl without
family or fortune. Violet, unfortunate
" for her fathers plans, favored Gar
land Kent.
| The young Englishman was on the
eve Of a proposition when the ami
| versary of the battle rolled round in
which Major Kent had saved the ar
N.Y. The officers attached to headq11ar-
| tiers and those stationed near by were
/ invited by the general to a banquet.
He knew it would be expected Of him
/ to place Major Kent at the post of
honor on his right. Parke was invited
the only civilian present-and seated
on the generals left. All We're gather
ed at single table, SO that there was
a perfect chain Of men whose elbows
/ touched from the general around to
! himself again.
After coffee and cigars were brought
on the general made an address on the
/ features Of the battle they We're cele-
brating and instead of mentioning
on the conduct of some of his officers.
Kent interrupted to defend them by
making an explanation, whereupon the
general showed his temper by giving
him the lie.
Now, such an insult at such time
between equals would call for chal-
lenge. But no subordinate can resent
an insult coming from a superior, es.
pecially his general Kent was in a
very embarrassing position, but he
proved himself equal to the occasion.
Taking up his wineglass, he threw its
contents in the face of the man sitting
next to him, saying as he did SO:
The generals insult; pass it on"
The man receiving the insult threw
his wine into the face of the man sit
ting next on his right, repeating Kent's
words. And SO the insult went down
1 the table to the further end and was
coming back when what must be the
4 termination OF the matter was remark
a ed by those present, especially the gen
eral. The last man to pass the insult
was Vernon Parke, who, if he did so,
would give it to the general.
AS the wine throwing came up the
table opposite Kent he arose and in a
voice to be heard by all said:
4 General, may ask the favor that
j you will change seats with me for q
/ few moments?'
4 The general was in a quandary i
he. declined, Parke would be placed il
4 a position to insult him. If he assented
4 Parke would be expected to- insul7
Kent. Parke being civilian, it was
permissible that he should insult the
I general, and it was equally premissi
BILE that he should insult Kent. But
i it was out of the question that Parkt
should insult his host with whom hs
had no quarrel. 1t was under the cir
cumstances incumbent upon the gen
eral to change places with Kent an(
give him an opportunity to gain salts
faction for the insult he could not re
ceive from his commander.
AS the words, tThe generals insult
pass it on came nearer the genera
sat q picture of discontinue IF b
q retained his place without reason
that would be acceptable to his officers
who were all in sympathy with Kent
he would be their general no longe
except by virtue Of his rank, for the
would all condemn him. If he CAV
up his seat he would put his guest i
& a position to take his quarrel off hi
hands, and the effeminate noblema
T was but a poor match for the fghtin
Il major
The insult was within three men o
Vernon Parke. The general turne
from white to red or from red to whit
as it came a file nearer. There was
way out Of the matter, but a way nc
to the generals liking. Nevertheless
he had been driven to it by the wit c
his subordinate, and there was no e.
cape for him. When the man sittin
next to Parke was receiving the insu
the general rose and, turning to Ken
said:
Major, please accept my apology"
There was a burst of applause thu
! made the room ring, and the gener;
) knew that he had saved himself frol
being the nest unpopular man in tt
army and had made friends of thos
who would otherwise have been b
! enemies.
l The occurrence was not long in reacl
4 l. ~ ~