Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-08-28
from Citizen
To Soldier.
Ioriginal.l

Royal cunningham ut eighteen went
to college. and the same year Elihu
Dubbs went to West Point. OF the
two Trimmingham vas the more pop
ular, the handsomer. the more attrac-
tive In every respect. The young men
had no interest in each other except in
one respect, and that may be called an
they loved the same girl.
Genevieve Fay was the girl. 1t is
somewhat difficult for a maiden of six
teen to send either of two adorers
about his business, thus depriving her
self of his alteration; but, since Gene
We've had a decided preference for
Royal Trimmingham and he insisted
upon an answer before going to col
lege, she gave 1t and thus decided his
and her fate. Elihu Dubbs, when he
started for the Military academy, con.
sidered himself the most miserable
man in the world. At hat time, how
ever, he had not experienced the mis-
cries of a plebe at West Point.
Now, Trimmingham had a laundering
for military life and had sought a
cadets warrant. When he had been
at college six months he was appointed
an alternate for a cadetship, and the
party of the first part failing to pass
the entrance examination the party of
the second part was put in his place.
Trimmingham left college and entered
the Military academy.
Had the young man fully realized the
position he was placing himself in with
reference to his rival he would have
plunged into the Hudson river instead
of stepping on to the wharf at West
Point. Not that Dubbs took the slight
est advantage of being a third class
man to torment the man that had sup
planted him. On the contrary, In ac-
cordance with the code of honor pre-
vailing at the academy he not only re-
Trained from the customary pranks
played on plebes, but persuaded his
fellow classmen for his sake to remit
hazing In Trimmingham's case.
Had Genevieve kept away all might
have gone well. But Genevieve could
not wait a minute after her fiance had
reported at the academy before going
there to see how handsome he would
look as a soldier. On the morning of
her arrival she went to guard mount
ing expecting to see Royal in command
either of the retiring or oncoming
guard or both. Royal was not there,
but Elihu Dubbs happened to be the
officer of the retiring guard, and the
clean cut uniform he wore, with his
shining accouterments, the whole sur.
mounted with various colored cock
feathers nodding every time he turned
his head, quite took her breath away.
When the ceremony was over she went
back to the hotel thinking how beauti-
full Mr.. Dubbs looked and how much
more beautiful dear Royal would look
in he same paraphernalia. She was
told that the gold lace on the sleeve in
dicated an officer, and as she knew
nothing about the customs of cadets
supposed that her lovers arm was GOV.
cred with gold lace from shoulder to
wrist.
She had written to Royal to meet her
at the station, but If he didn't get her
letter in time to spend the morning
with her at the hotel. Royal didn't ap-
pear at the station or the hotel. He
could as easily have met her In the
White House. So about the middle OF
the morning she went down toward
the encampment to find him. On the
plain she saw squads of youngsters in
citizens dress standing in line being
drilled by the older cadets. Now, there
is nothing more Inappropriate, inartis.
tic, inapt, homogeneous, than a squad OF
plebes in coats and hats of all sizes,
colors and materials being turned into
soldiers. They are not yet soldiers, and
as citizens they are beneath contempt.
Genevieve drew near one of the
squads, her expression indicating her
supreme disapprobation, when sudden
ly In one of the plebes she recognized
her lover. He was standing like a
ramrod between two short men, the
one very fat, the other lean. Their
coats were of a light color and short,
while his was dark and very long.
They wore straw hats, while he wore
a derby.
Poor little G~enevieve's heart went
right down into her high heeled shoes.
Was this the man she had worshiped?
His eyes were upon her, and she forced
a faint smile. At the moment a trim
little drillmaster yelled in unneces-
sarily severe tones, Eyes 'front.'" and
Trimmingham's eyes left hers as If
they had been turned by a crank.
Genevieve would have relieved the
situation by going away had she not
felt that she might hurt her lovers
feelings by going without a word with
him. But birmingham, red as a tur-
key cock, didn't heed an order, and
the little drillmaster began to rate
him numerically. There was nothing
for the poor girl to do but retreat.
1 must tell the rest of this story by
citing events rather than feelings.
What Genevieve's feelings were she