Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-04-08
,CaSeOf Major IaIehart

l6nkt AS01p by AulSk1can ETG8@ ARRM-
eiation.1
vas a queer case, that Of Major
art. He was neglectful Of duty.
ply in appearance and drank hard
Uniform hung on him Imply, his
burned green, his boots were mud.
nd his hair prOtruded through q
n his hat.
rges for conduct unbecoming an
and Observation-Disclosures
preferred against the major,
were about to come up for trial
suddenly the enemy came down
The colonel led the retreat, the
lnant colonel following In close
OF the field officers the major
was at the front. But he was
he officer we had known. He
transfigured. He sat erect on his
his eye lighted with the fire Of
and his orders rang out in a
ringing tone. 1t seemed that he
returned to the being he had been
he some great sin or some great
had blighted him.
found the men in confusion, some
), some gathering their weapons
accouterments, some making an
at formation. The moment he
bred. out Of the struggling mass
developed, and those running to
lear came back and REINFORCED II.
ing standard, he called upon MS
low and, charging, saved the day.
ter it was over all reverted to it's
er status. The colonel and lieu
BIT colonel resumed command, and
najor got drunk. But the charges
quietly withdrawn. Though the
greatly lowered the moral and
I tone Of the regiment, he must
hdured. Everybody felt that way
field officers because he could
the men in battle and they could
the line officers and the men be-
they must have some one to lead
when there was fighting to do.
ne thought Of advancing the major
e position of colonel. Such a colo
would ruin the regiment with the
y. For a while we tried to treat
with consideration, but he was SO
by, so unsOldierly. in every way
egraded. that we soon gave 1t up
realized that our handsome colo
was still our commander.
I'd SO 1t continued. When the colo
spoke to us, as he often did, in
Easing and dignified manner, call
ns my boys" we cheered, but the
thing we knew we were following
major over breastwOrks or stand
in line with teeth set, taking pun
bent. Every time there was fight
to be done he doomed up at the
%, and when it was over he sank
into his habitual stupor.
pder our colonel the regiment &C.
ed an excellent reputation for dis
ne and soldierly bearing. Under
majors leadership in battle we be-
known as one of the most gal
bodies in the army. OF course the
ment must be honored in some
name, and it was impossible to
pr us through the major. There
the colonel got no end of men,
for gallantry and eventually was
e brigadier general. That let
lieutenant colonel in for the bal
of the glory, all Of which ema-
ID from the major.
be major never made any COM
ut at the fact that all these honOrs
bed over his head. He didn't seem
ARE. Nor did any one in the regi-
ht object. We all felt that our
ices should have recognition and
sidered that honOrs conferred upon
would be no recognition at all.
i the last fight the major fought
army was held in check by a hill
which the enemy had planted artil-
and everything was at dead
/. The general rode up to our reg
'nt and asked for the colonel and
tenant colonel in quick succession.
body could tell him where they
be. He asked for the next in COM
nd. Some one told him that Major
eheart was asleep on a fence rail
], by At that moment the major
cared. The general looked at him
Despair. Nevertheless he gave him
order to take the hill.
he way the major walked US up
/ hill was a sight to behold. The
leral beheld it from below and
en the hill was ours rode up and
ed for the major. We showed him
officer. lying on the ground with q
let hole in his forehead. The gen
D turned away sadly with the re-
tx, IF he had lived he should have
division"
Te all knew more about that than
general. The major in command
D division! Absurd! Yet there was
nething about the clay he had left
lind-his former self-that made ~
get his second self and think Of
, as a major general. With that
< on his face we buried him, nred
TOlley over him and forgot him TIL
next fight, when, having no one to
d Us, we covered ourselves with
grace and after several such cpl
les were mustered out Of the sery-
with dishonor.
hut to finish about the major. The
: L. 4 Ina lnAAa.n - ma