The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1906-05-19
MIKES GREAT SCHEME.
Dew He Planned to Secure Easy Pleas.
urs When Freed from Army
Discipline.

THE boys in the army" said the
captain. in spinning his yarn in the
Chicago Inter Ocean, were always
talking about what they would do
when the war was over and they were
at home. They would never, SO help
them gracious. march single mile.
They would let the other fellows do
the walking and they would ride. They
swore by the great horn spoon that
any sort. and they would never take
orders from any man. They would
night shy OF all organization and disci
pline and would do as they darned
please for all the rest OF their lives.
Michael Higgins. OF our company.
went further than this. He knew
what he would do when he got home.
He would buy farm In the rolling
country and build him q nne house
with beds or lounges In every blessed
room. He would sleep whenever he
wanted TO. He would hire a bugler
and drummer to come under his
window every morning to play reveille.
Just as they would get fair start
no would get out OF bed. open the win
divil wild ye. ye blatherin' spalpeens.
Stop yer noise and get out Of this
quick. Then the drummer and the
bugler would sneak away and Mike
would go back to bed and rejoice that
army days were over.
This was Mikes idea Of revenge on
those who had made business OF
waking him up In the army. He
would take solid comfort In being
walked up that he might order the
buglers and drummers to get out We
had lieutenant who was almost AZ
bad As Mike. He declared time and
again that he would buy an island far
out IN the Pacific, where he could
never by any chance see u soldier or \
gun or hear a shot nred. He entered
the regular army In 1866. worked his
way to the rank Of major. and was
wounded on San Juan hill In 1898.
Even the major general command
ing our division declared that when
peace was declared he would retire to
his old college town. seek the ap-
pointment Of president Of ,ome uni
versity or college. and eschew poll
tics and military Affairs. But be was
elected governor OF his state before
he left the army. was appointed .
member Of Grants drst cabinet, was
later appointed president and receiver
OF great railroad. vas elected to con-
grses. and did not become president OF
q law college until many yea1 had
passed.
Most Of the men who swors they
never would Join any Organization be-
came members Of the q. A. X. and
kept alive their old comradship. Macy
OF the men Who declared they never
would march u mile or carry KNAPP
sack went afoot to Iowa. Kansas aud
Nebraska with knspsacks On their
backs. In 1865 ! met scores Of them
travelling across the country sleeping
out Of DOOR NJ they did In the army.
and too often foraEinE Oh the country
n they did - war times. When
took the stage, In Iowa ! found four
weii-dressed. quiet fellows II the
choice seats. They apparently were
unacQuaintsd with each other. and had
little to say. they Impressed ne as
successful business men we'll up il the
ways OF the world.
The second Night out vs lsarned
that the hotsi vhsrs We expected to
spend the night had bsen burnsd down.
and that the only other hotel In the
small town was more than full. when
Ne asked for accommodations. the vor-
risd landlord said be had from four
To eight people In every bedroom. that
he had given up the dining room to
four ladies. that his parlor vas In
possession Of people sleeping on the
sjoor. and there wasn't . place for Us.
Thereupou one Of my travelling Srtends
said: What about the once door here
Has anyone rented THAR The land.
lord said II was at our service. Il We
could sleep on the bare Door.
First one and thea another and an
other Of the travellers said - he had
spent four ysars In the army he could
sleep anywhere. The fourth man said:
The same hsrs.' and fell IN With: I
AN Just out OF the service Thea.
mucA 70 the surprise Of he landlord,
the euiatst Of soldiers spread nsvs.
papsss % tie A0os. TOOK blankets
out q their packs. aad we're sooa
sstsied comfortably Ior tAs nisht. tbs
sect morning eacA oas AsciarsA that
- AaA sworn that ~ would ssvss
- sssA . thing - ~ hs1 1oas that
AlgAt, aal that ~ had cut away frou
all army assoe1atioas saA hablts. EaeA