The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-04-06


those Of MS subordinate. As soon as
it became evident to both officers that
they were rivals the fire burned hot
ter in the breast of the younger. and
the elder drew tighter rein in his
ofici4l intercourse with his inferior.
Then came Lieutenant Phillips ex-
animation for promotion, and. owing
partly to his being absorbed by love
rather than his studies and partly
from the breach of discipline for which
his colonel had reduced him from the
position of adjutant, he was denied a
captains commission.
The young man, conceiving that this
deprivation was the result Of the colo
neps animosity toward him, preferred
charges against him for tyrannical
treatment. ...lD..l-. II. -.
The commander of the department
in which all this happened was an
uncle of Miss Marjory Dressler. His
official position prevented his express
ing any opinion in the matter, but his
wife, not being similarly handicapped,
took a secret part in the proceedings.
Miss Dressler was her sisters child,
and the, young lady, inasmuch as she
was in doubt whether she would mar
~ the colonel or the lieutenant, would
one day influence her aunt toward the
defendant, the next toward the plain
tig. The former being a prominent
artillery officer, that arm Of the serv-
ice took great interest in the trial,
some siding with and some against
their comrade of the big guns.
Of course the officers families took
great interest in the trial, and, as there
is intercourse between the different
corps, the trouble spread to the in
fantry, cavalry and the staff corps.
Thus by the time the court was ready
to try the case the whole army was
involved.
The members assembled in full uni
form. The first proceeding was the
reading of the charge, which was tyr
amy, and the specifications, which
were very numerous. The first speci-
fication began thus:
''In this, that on or about the til
day of -, 49,, the said plaintiff
being on dress parade, a fly lighted
| on his nose, the organ being very sore
/ and painfully TENDER
At this point the president of the
| court interposed.
'*Whoever drew that specification
should be cashiered. Lieutenant Phil
| lips is not being tried because a fly
lighted on his nose. Colonel Auchin-
! Gloss is being tried on a charge of
| tyranny"
1t was explained to the president,
| who was so much of soldier that he
could not be anything of a lawyer,
| that this incident of fly lighting on
| the adjulant's nose was the beginning
of the trouble, whereupon he was sat-
! isfed, and the reading proceeded.
There was one matter that could not
| be introduced into the trial. That was
the rivalry between plaintiff and de-
| PENDANT for the hand of Miss Dressler
But everybody knew that this had
added fuel to the fame till the fly
that had lighted on the adjutant's nose
had been put entirely in the back
ground. When the trial began and all
| through the army the question was
! asked, "What's this rumpus between
Colonel Auchincloss and Phillips?" the
| reply was invariably, "Why, you see,
fly lit on Phillips nose when he was
| on dress PARADE etc. But after
awhile when the question was asked
the reply would be, mo one knows,
but if you want to get at the bottom
| of the matter you'll have to look for
| woman in the case.''
It was found necessary to bring wit
| nesses lat government expense) from
the uttermost points of the world, and
when witness was summoned it was
necessary to wait for his or her ar
rival. So the case dragged and was
very expensive till at last it was
found necessary to ask congress for a
special appropriation, to carry it on.
The matter was then taken up by the
secretary of war, who sent for the
judge advocate of the court and asked
him to give the facts. The judge ad-
vocate began:
'Why, you see, Mr.. Secretary, when
Lieutenant Phillips was on dress pa
rade fly lit on sore spot on the end
Of his nose.'
II haven't time for thatv' snapped
the secretary. "Give me the gist Of
it."
''There's no gist to it,
isn't there some way Of getting rid
of it?'
''That depends
ION what?"
"a woman
The secretary was informed that
the rancor was kept up by a niece of
the commander of the department who
couldn't make up her mind whether
she wished to marry the colonel or the
lieutenant.
$50 tell her to come to me-that I
have something nice for her."
Miss DRESSER answered the sum-
mons in person and expectantly.
"What is your ambition?" asked the
secretary.
"To be the wife of a military at