Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-11-26
DAILY STORY.
A SOLDIERS SURRENDER.
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l. Colonel Adelbert Ammon was one of
the most popular officers in the army.
There was only one trouble with the
colonel-he had a hobby. He didn't be-
lieve in an army of men being tied to
an army of women. "a soldier" he
used to say, " should give his heart to
the service, not to a woman and chill
dren." The truth is that the colonel
was a very tender hearted man, and
the reason underlying his hobby was
that it was often painful for him to
administer the army regulations where
the families of the officers and men
were made to suffer. When a body Of
his troops was ordered on a dangerous
duty the colonel at the time of their
| departure for duty would shut him
self up in his quarters rather than wit
ness the wistful glances passing be-
| tween husband and wife or father and
daughter as the force marched away.
| No such reason for his opposition to
| soldiers families was given by the
| colonel. He would have been ashamed
| to admit that he had any tenderness
beneath his rugged exterior. He put
| 1t all on the requirements of the sery-
| ice, contending that the service requir-
ed men who loved to fight rather than
| men who loved women.
The colonel by virtue of his rank
| commanded two posts in the far west,
with his headquarters at one of them.
| Gradually he effected the transfer of
every married officer to the remote
post, so that at last the one was full of
women and children, while the other
was full of bachelors. Then the colo
mel was happy. He lived among SOL
diers and soldiers alone.
One day Colonel Ammou was ordered
to report in person at Washington. He
was gone four months, and when he
returned there was a sensation in his
district. He brought wife with him.
Great interest was manifested by his
officers to know how the colonel would
get out of complication he had
brought upon himself. There was not
a woman at his headquarters who was
suitable associate for his wife. All
knew that sooner or later something
must be done Would their commander
retransfer the married officers from the
other post or change his headquarters
to that post? He must do one or the
other or his wife would lead n lonely
life.
The colonel was oblivious to the
fact that any such problem awaited
him. His experience in such matters
was very limited. He supposed his
honeymoon would last forever, and
Just so long would his wife be con-
tented with him for companion. He
had realized the position of one hold
Ing his peculiar views taking a wife,
but had not foreseen anything more
serious. When the couple reached their
destination and Mrs. Ammon saw the
situation, she notified her husband that
there was trouble in store for them.
What was to be done? 1t WIS decid-
ed to transfer headquarters, though
the wife had misgivings as to her re-
ception and intimated as much to her
husband
1t was 5 o'clock on a pleasant sum-
mer afternoon when the pair drove up
IN an ambulance-the only available |
conveyance-to the gateway of the |
post and thence across the parade. |
Usually at that hour the officers fam |
lilies, dressed for dinner and the even |
ing, were either lounging on their |
porches or on the benches lining the |
parade.
The colonel paled. Not woman or |
a child was to be seen. His wife was |
to be ostracized. Powerful as he was |
as a commander of men, he could not |
order a woman to associate with her. |
He realized at last the consequences of |
INDUCING his hobby and groaned. Mrs.
Ammon, rising to the occasion, made
every effort to comfort her husband.
COMFORT One might as well have tried |
10 comfort condemned criminal.
The pair dined in solitude. There
was no occasion for any of the officers
to report TO the colonel till the next
morning. and after dinner he sat silent.
the picture Of despair. Not a sound
came from the officers quarters near by |
nor across the parade except an occa-
sional bugle call. 1t seemed an age
before taps, and when 1t came, a lone
". melancholy sound. the colonel wish.
ed that it was sounded over his grave.
The last bugle note had scarcely died
away when right under the colonels |
window the post band started up /
Johnny Comes Marching Home" At |
the same moment his door was thrust
open and n troup of children poured In.
each child bearing flowers, which they L
proceeded to heap upon the bride. Next i
came the officers wives, who, after Il
Mrs. Ammon, went to the Il
colonel. and every woman kissed him
on the cheek. Last Of all, the officers
with hearty congratulations.
Scarcely had the throng offered their
when pair Of folding doors
were thrown open and the servants of
the officers living nearest We're seen in
the back room laying table and open
ing wine.
The change of expression on the colo
ners face was study for painter
Surprise, relief, pleasure, embarrass-
ment. were all struggling for the mas
terry. His face was like the red stripes II