Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-12-08
What Was the Matter
With Colonel Prim
LOriginal. !

lOrlSlnaI
Why Colonel Prim opposed Captain
Plumer in his suit for the hand OF the
coloners daughter Marian no one in
the garrison could find ont. Before the
captain evinced such aspirations his
commander showed an especial par
TALLY for the young officer. who was
the most popular man at the post
The change can only be accounted Tor
III that distaste of a father TO giving
up his daughter to any man.
The colonel carried his antagonism
against the captain SO far as to keep
his eye open for derelictions of duty
on the part of his inferior. DID the
captain when called upon to report In
person at his commanders headquar-
ters do SO with single button on his
uniform coat unbuttOned he was sure
TO receive snarled repr0of. was
there speck of dirt on any or the
men composing the captains com
pany OH parade the colonel declared
the whole company a disgrace TO the
service. Plumer soon saw the neces-
sity of constant watchfulneSS, but he
was very abSentminded. and no care
was sufficient to head off the colOnels
renrimandS. The whole garrison was
cognizant of this injustice. and. since
all the world loves lover, every one
sympathized with the cHntain.
One morning whom pi-'mar VS. OIL
Ger of the dav. Co!nEnl Prim. .ooIinS
out of the window Of his qrarta's. saw
him crOssing t parade wit!Ort MS
sword. Raising tie sash. he ordered
bis subordinate to c9me u" Fortu-
nately for the clptan. "n o f'er was
passing. and Il,,mer. borrowing lis
sword. hooked it to IS belt. then
mounted to his colonel, whom he sa-
luted respectfully
Captain" erowled Prim. why IN
He stopped short. his eyes fixed upon
the sword.
"Cantain," he continued in more
subGued tone, Il didn't like the ap-
pearance of the men at guard mount
inc this morning Tell the sergeant
that if re marches q guard on again
without every mans boots being black
ed I'll break him.
Eyes. colonel didn't see you at
guard mount"
Il wasn't there. sir, butt saw them
from my window"
This was said shamefacedly, for the
guards backs were turned to the colo
nels quarters.
The same afternoon the colonel again
saw the captain from his window pass
ing over the parade and again without
his sword He called the delinquent
officer to come up. Before his arrival
Marian came into the room.
isis" snapped her father. do you
see Captain Plumer coming?"
Yes, papa"
'Has he a sword:" ~
The girl was about to say no when
she remembered that for her lover to
be without sword while on duty
would be a delinquency and would in
cur a reprimand. Then she wondered
why her father asked such a question.
The result was prevarication. She
looked up in feigned surprise.
whats the matter with your eyes,
papa?"
The colonel sank into chair. Il
knew it, 1t isn't my eyes," he moan
ed 1--WE had queer feelings in my
head lately. Something's going wrong
in my brain. / saw Plumer awhile
ago crossing the parade. l thought he
hadn't a sword and called him up here.
He had his sword. Now see him
again, and he hasn't. But he's coming
up Not word of this"
There was a knock at the door, and
the captain entered. A sword-borrOw-
ed again-hung from his belt.
Captain" said his commander, 'yOu
may l called you up to say-that
there will be no dress parade this even
ing"
AS soon as Plumer had gone the colo
mel turned to his daughter and in a
faint voice said:
"Call my orderly. Sis, and send him
for Todd
Todd was the post surgeon, and Miss
Prim, instead of calling the orderly
went to Surgeon Todd's quarters and
told him the story about her fathers
sudden symptom.
leave him to me-" said the doctor,
and. first completing his uniform SO as
TO be presentable to his colonel. he
went to The latter's quarters.
Todd" said Prim lugubrlously. I'm
going down hill fast" and he told the
doctor all the symptoms he had and
more besides.
Colonel" said the surgeon after
asking a multitude Of questions. in
case this should turn out as ! fear,
would YOU leave your family in COM