The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-01-05

I.
The colonel was away on leave with
three or four other officers, there was
much sickness among the troops, and
the hundred infantrymen able to do
duty were almost in q state of mutiny
owing to a general laxity of discipline
and the fact that they had not been
paid off for four months. The arrival
of the boy lieutenant under the circum-
stances was hooted at.
Roy Blissfield had been assigned to
Company e, and he soon discovered
that his captain was paying more at
tention to whisky and poker than to
discipline and that the worst men in
the fort seemed to be members of his
company. He was told to go in, and
straighten the men out, but his first
move showed him that he had his hands
full. They were sullen, uncivil 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 it was realized
that until his influence was removed no
Improvement in the morale of the COM
pany need be looked for.
II wouldn't fret over it," replied the
easy going captain when complaint was
made to him. ''We are at 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 it 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. They were
sent to the guardhouse by 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 a month.
Thompson" said the officer one day
to the second sergeant, Il want you to
take walk with me down by the cor
raj. / want to have little talk with
YOU
"All right" was the reply, without
salute or '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
him for couple Of minutes and then
queried:
"Well, what is it?'
eff you wish to remove any of your
.clathiRS do it now, ! have been told, g
hundred times over that West Point
scallops don't go here and now I'm go
ing to find out the reason why. You
appear to be the leader, and it has be-
come q question which of us is going
to run things"
"Is it to be a scrapping match?'
cit isl
'But l shall be court martialed and
imprisoned for striking an officer"
mot at all. 1 promise to make no
complaint against you, and l presume
half the company is hiding behind the
stables over there and will be your
witnesses. Strip Off"
81 shall best you, sir"
"Oh, you have got sir out at last,
have you? Perhaps you will continue
to improve. If you best me there will
be no complaint. Are you ready|
The thirty or forty members of Com
pany e who saw that scrap from dis
lance will talk about it all their lives.
The sergeant was the taller and heav-
Ter. and he was self taught boxer
who thought he knew all the tricks.
Encouraged by the lieutenant, he did
his best, but at the end of quarter of
an hour he was knocked out and had
to be carried to his quarters. The first
thing his comrades did was to swear
each 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 his feet again, the
boy is game and shall have square
deal. We want to quit making him
trouble and give him a show"
There was immediate Improvement in
the morale of Company e, and things
moved more satisfactorily for the next
fortnight. Then the wood choppers
went out under guard to get a new
supply of fuel among the hills three
miles away. The guard was composed
OF ten men, and the boy from West
Point was in charge, with Sergeant
Thompson as second. There was peace
in the land, and when the wagons had
reached the hills every man laid aside
his musket and took up an Ak.
The officer had received no instruc-
lions. He had not been told that
treaty or truce with the red man was
only farce and that band of hos
files might seek to Jump" the outfit
any moment. He found seat from
which he could overlook the work, and
for an hour all went well. Then there
was sudden alarm. A band of thirty
warriors crept up and opened fire, and
a teamster and his four mules were
LtlIod NV the volley.