The Prescott daily news., 1908-05-14
Erom Citizen To Soldier.

Royal Birmingham at eighteen went to college, and the same year Elihu Dubbs went to West Point. Of the two Trimmingham was 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 antagonism instead of an interest they loved the same girl.
 Genevieve Fay was the girl. It is somewhat difficult for q maiden of six teen to send either of two adorers about his business. thus deSriving her self of his adoration; but, Since Gene vieve had decided preference for Royal Birmingham and he insisted upon an answer before going to col lege, she gave 1t and thus decided hls and her fate. Ellhu Dubbs. when he started for the Military academy. con- sidered himself the most miserable man in the world. At that time, how ever. he had not experienced the mis- cries of q plebe at West Point
 Now, Birmingham had a hankering for military life and had sought 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 Tr!mmingham 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 q 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 Trimminghams 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 MT. Dubbs looked and how much more beautiful dear Royal would look in the 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- tlc, inapt, fncongruous, 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 ramrod between two short men. the one very fat, the other lean. Their coats were of light color and short. While his was dark and very long. They wore straw hats, while he wore | derby.
 l Poor little Genevieve'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 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.