Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-03
PART III.
The Paths OF Peace.

enpts". had come to observe and remark
upon the initial effort of their less foriu-
nate fellows in what they termed the awk-
ward squads. and the squads, both sopho-
more and freshmen, were prepared grudg-
inSiy and of necessity, but with such show
of don't care as they could command, to
submit. 1t was the way of the school.
| And then. for the first time, Fane's voice
was uplifted in the gym where for long
months thereafter he ruled supreme. Long
accustomed to nStructing in the open air,
he spoke without effort and, purposely, in
quiet tone There was even suspicion OF
humorous enjoyment twitching at the cor
nerS of his mouth.
ut is our first lesson said he, land
had not expected so big attendance. But
Well do our best in the limited space All
those designated for drill will assemble at
once at the north side. All others are cor
daily invited to come in and see us after
we get shaken down to business and mean
while. kindly, to-retire.''
The shout of laughter, the burst of de-
lighted applause that instantly followed,
told that at the critical moment the strang
er had made ten strike" Down from
the stills, ladders, bars and stoves swarmed
the commentators, and, followed by the
shouts and sallies of the lately down-cast,
out they went into the September sunshine.
Then, only interrupted by chuckles of mer-
riment repeatedly breaking forth, the work
began. Fame set the class leader to work
at taking down the names, ages, addresses,
etc, of his forty-odd freshmen, and told
the sophomore captain to show what his
men could do in the manual of arms. There
was some unsteadiness and gazing about"
and very little erect carriage of head or
bady, but the manual wasn't bad. Fame
pointed out a few defects; picked out the
non-commissioned officers and half dozen
likely looking privates to act as drill mas
ters and then told off the freshmen into
little squads for their initial lesson in the
school of the soldier. Just as he expected
not more than two of them had ever
handled musket before. Not one, then,
W. n hn Off t,n ntNd nf
busy hour, laughing, chatting and in high
good humor the battalion went its way to
other duties, and at two score students
boarding house tables that day the tale
was being told with merry chaff and keen
appreciation how Cap had sent the idlers
| about their business, and how comical had
been the first drill.
But Cap himself went home thoughtful.
The law contemplated that all able-bodied
students should be instructed in the rudt
ments of military tactics and discipline,
otherwise the government couldn't begin
to get the worth of it's money. According
to the rolls there We're as many as 400
young men at the college. OF these nearly
800 had not yet been two years in attend
ance; nearly 100 had not been two months.
College regulations read that members of
the sophomore and freshmen classes were
required to provide themselves with the in
expensive uniform of the battalion, and to
attend drills. According to the list there
were more one and two-year students evad-
ing than attending drill 1t took him a
few days to get all the names and data
Meantime the gym proving too small for
so many squads, they were marched forth
upon the campus and thither flocked large
numbers of the undergraduates merciless-
~ chatting the squads and coaching the
"corporalS.' Fame could rule In the GYM
nasium during drill hours-that was his
province-but the campus was free for all
sophomore officer, deeply imbued with
martial spirit and intent on his work, took
note by name of the would-be wits and at
tha
president with list of some eighty young
men, none of whom attended and MANY of
whom impeded the drills. The president
looked up in obvious Impotence 1t was in
office hours, to be sure but he could i'll
brook interruption when engrossed in the
preparation of lecture or chapter on his
favorite theme, or sermon for somebody's
church, or speech for some ward meeting
he was ever a propa gandist of his views
The president hated to have to come down
| TO the vulgar details of school matters He
broke In lmpatiently before Fame had said
a dozen words.
Il don't know anything about that" he
sald. you'll have to see the class Off
GERS. Then it transpired that dozen or
more members of the faculty were told
on to supervise the college work each in
charge of dozen or more students. and in
the course of another forty-eight hours
Fame had succeeded through these officials
III opening communication with most of the
recalcitrants. These latter were SURPRISED
TO be called on to step forward and ex-
pain Some said that they hadn't been
told; some said that their folks didn't
want them to drill" some that they were
opposed to all military despotism: some
that as specials they didn't have TO- hut
most of them claimed exemption because of
physlcal disability. Judging from the ex-
cuses grudgingly made but firmly insisted
on, one-third of the undergradua in the
nrst ana second year at the State College
were bodily wrecks
The roundup had created no 1,t+,a ax,
cltement, and was source of delight and
rejoicing to the regular members of the
battalion. tired of being twitted with hav-
ing to drill 1t was human nature Com
peiled themselves to take the ordeal, they
had no sympathy with those who shrked,
and less with those excused For the first
time IN his incumbency the president found
himself hampered with a military instructor
VINO not only sought to bring the students
to book but showed symptoms of stirring
up the faculty. And what astonished the
president was that those students already
enrolled were enthusiastically with him
But now came trouble.
CTo be continued tomorrow)