Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-06-06
from Citizen
To Soldier.


Dubbs. went to West Point. OF the
two Trimmingham was the more pop
ular, the handspnier,. the more attract
tive in every respects The young men
had no interest in each other except. in!
one respect. and that may be called an
antagonisin instead of an, interest
they loved theISaine girl. ltiti Up Z
Geneyieve Fay was the girl. II is
somewhat difficult for maiden of six
teen to send either of two adorers
about his business, thus depriving her-i
self Of his alterations; but, since Gene
We've had a decided preference for.
Royal iTrimmiRgham and he insisted
upon an answer before. going to, col,
lege. she gave it and thus decided his
and her fate. Ehhu 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 a pIebe at West Point, i
Now, Trimmingham had a laundering
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 lfailingi to pass
the entrance examination the party 81,
the second part was put in his place
Tr:mmingham left. college and entered
the Military academy. I.l,sf.5 II
Had the young man fully realized the
position he was placing himself in wills
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 third class.
man to torment the man that had sup :
planted him. On the contrary in:Facl
cordance with. the code of honor pre- !.
vailing, at, the academy llefnot only re {
Trained from the customary, prankSl
played on plebes. but persuaded hi
fellow classmen for his sake to remif,
hazing in Trimmingham's case. ~
Had Genevieve kept away, all might
have gone we'll. But Genevieve coulG
not wait a minute after her fiance had
reported at the academy before Goina
there to see how handsome be would
look as. a soldier On the morning o.
her arrival she went to guard mount
ing expecting to see Royal in command
either of the retiring or oncomin2;
guard or both. Royal was not there
but Elihuf Dubhs 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 beautit
full Mr.. DubbS looked and how much
more beautiful dear Royal would lool;
in the same paraphernalia. She was
told that the gold lace on, the sleeve in
dicated an officer, and as she kneY
nothing about the, customs of cadets
supposed that her lovers arm was COW
cred with gold lace from shoulder te
wrist OF 4 - Sea Z rs t1efy
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 az.
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 20 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, incongruous. 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 ibeneathi contempt.
Genevieve drew near one of the
squads, her expression indicating her
supreme disapprobation. when sudden
" in one of the plebeS she recognized
her lover He was standing like al
ramrod between two short men, the
one very fat, the other lean. Their
coats we're of light, color and short
while his was dark and very long.
They wore straw hats. while he wore
a derby. SsIi go y
Poor little Genevieve's heart vent
right down into her high heeled shoes.
Was this the man she had Hofshipe1? q
His eyes were upon her. and she forced
faint smile. ! AT the moment d TRIM
little drillmaster yelled in unneces-I
sarily severe tones Eyes, frontlY and
Trimmingham's eyes left hers las if
they had been turned, by a, crank.
Genevieve would have relieved the
situation by going away had she not
felt that she might 0hurt her lovers
feelings by going without a word with
him. But Trimningham, red as a turI
key cock, didn't heed an order. and
Gthe little drillmaster began to- rate
him numerically. There was nothing
for the poor girl to do but retreat, ii, /
must tell the rest of this story by
citing events rather than feelings,
What Genevieve's feelings were she
was by no means sure herself | She
went to q cadet. hop that evening
Somehow she hoped Royal would not
be there in his long coat. and he
wasn't E,lihu DubbS. seeing her with