Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-01-23
What Was the Matter
With Colonel Frim

LOriginaLl
Why Colonel Prim opposed Captain
Plumor i'm his suit for the hand Of the
coIoners daughter Marian no one in
the garrison could find out 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 for
in that distaste of q father to giving
I'D his daughter to any man.
The colonel carried his antagonism
against the captain 50 far as to keep
mis- eve open for derelictions of duty
on the part of his inferior. Did the
captain when called upon to report III
person at his commanders headquar-
tiers do So with a single button on his
uniform coat unbuttoned he was sure
to receive a snarled reprOOf. Was
there a speck of dirt on any of the
men composing the captains com
pany on parade the colonel declared
the whole company 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 cOlOners
reprimands. The whole garrison was
cognizant of this injustice, and, since
all the world loves a lover, every one
sympathized with the captain.
One morning when Plumer was Off
Ger of the day, Colonel Prim, looking
ont of the window of his quarters, saw
him crossing the parade without his
sword. Raising the sash, he ordered
his subordinate to come up Fortu-
nately for the captain, an officer was
passing. and Plumer, borrowing his
sword, hooked it to his belt, then
mounted to his colonel, whom he sa-
iuted respectfully.
captain" growled Prim, why in
He stopped short, his eyes fixed upon
the sword.
Captain" he continued in a more
subdued tone Il didn't like the ap-
pearance of the men at guard mount
ing this morning Tell the sergeant
that if he marches a guard on again
without every mans boots being black
ed I'll break him.
Eyes, colonel / didn't see you at
guard mount"
''I wasn't there, sir. butt saw them
from my window"
This was said shamefacedly, for the
guards backs were turned to the colo
neps 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 q sword|
The girl was about to say no when
she remembered that for her lover to
be without a sword while on duty
would be a delinquency and would in
cur 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,
papaY
The colonel sank into a 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. l saw Plumer awhile
ago crossing the parade / 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
M Not a word of this"
There was a knock at the door, and
the captain entered. A sword-borrow-
ed agaln-hung from his belt
Captain" said his commander, "yOu
may / 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:
"CalI 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 lugubriously, "Tm
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, Gin
case this should turn out as I fear,
would you leave your family In com
Portable circumstances
"Y0u don't mean it?" gasped Prim
SIS it as bad as thatF
ct would be no harm to put your
house in order"
IL haven't 4 cent ia the world; pay
! accounts discounted"
i "It's a pity Marian hasn't married.
i MARRY that puppy PlUmer! She shall
+ st0rEe drst'
II n 41..sg az