Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-12-24
The Evening Story
Gun6re
By THOMAS B. CHEEVER

There was commotion at Fort Will
liams. The commander was in
towering rage. the officers were all
dreadng something.
Gunfire In the morning was at sun
rise and in the evening at sunset
Twice every day Sergeant jenkins, in
charge of morning and evening gun
fire. set the automatic electric appa-
ratus connected with the clock (gov-
eminent time) so that a circuit would
be made by which the gun should be
fred by almanac time. Colonel Marti-
net was SO exact In all things that he
was meditating the erection Of small
astronomical observatory on the pa
rade In which the sun might be OBJ
served every cloudless day In its pas
sage across the meridian and the time
figured from the observation to the
| fraction Of second.
| And now what had happened?
Though it was midwinter and the al
manac gave sunrise on that particular
morning at Z o'clock and IL minutes,
the garrison was aroused at o'clock
and II minutes. or three hours before
daylight. by the morning gun.
Colonel Martinez. who had been
dreaming that he was commanding a
siege force and a mine had been ex-
| ploded under him and his men. blow
ing them sky high. leaped out of bed.
| glanced out through his window. saw
that there was not the slightest sign
Of dawn. looked at his watch, the
hour hand of which stood at 4 O'Clock,
and exclaimed:
| "Well. I'll be jingedr'
what is 1t. dear?" asked his wife
with yawn.
"What is It? Gunfire at o'clock
and II minutes, The service is go
my military life since | was plebe at
the Point have I known gunfire to be
minute late or early. Whoever is re-
sponsihle for this shall suffer for it,
well. you can't discipline him till
morning. You'd better get back into
bed and go to sleep"
The colonel got back into bed. but
| boi " SlCSPs III kAc VI lllt
morning till 6 o'clock he was conturing
up punishments for Sergeant Jenkins,
and when he arose had not found any
4 that the army regulations would per-
NIT severe enough to meet the case
| At 8 O'Clock exactly the colonel was
/ In his office, and his orderly was seen
| by groups OF those who were waiting
fnr no AMI ~ tr.r,- IA t-r
larity to hurry toward the quarters Of
| Sergeant Jenkins. The interest aroused
was not solely on account OF the gun
| having been fired three hours ahead OF
time, but because Sergeant Jenkins
was favorite with both officers and
men. He wore FIVE service stripes on
his sleeve and a medal for bravery In a
| Spaniards in Cuba on his breast. He
was a few years older than his com
mander, who had not happened to
see any active service When he en-
tered his commanders office, stood at
attention and saluted he found there
several of the older officers of the com
mand whom the colonel had summoned,
/
punishment he might see ct to infiict
on the sergeant.
Sergeant Jenkins" said the colonel,
you will explain how the gun hap
pened to be fired this morning so far
ahead of time"
Il didn't fire it, SIR"
''Who did,
aso,,o ona bro,,a into ira 6rin1 room
sir
Some one? What some one? Who
soma one?"
"As soon as l heard the gun l went
into the room. sir. 1t was very dark.
| but | saw this some one, whoever it
was. moving away from the electric
key"
We'll? Go on
| HE got out before l could get him"
Got out. Was door or window
openT'
Neither. sir. He was little fel-
| low and came through a small hole"
WAS he soldier? You could sure
ly tell that by his uniform"
He didn't belong to the cavalry.
/ BIZ. i mere WAS ~ NcloW dboul Lihis
ANY redT'
] mo, sir He wasn't an artilleryman,
either.
Then he must have been an infan-
| tryman..
well, sir, 1t was so dark l couldn't
see, but there was no lively color to
his coat But got him, sir"
.Got him.
Eyes. sir set a trap for him."
"Set trap! Why. you didn't sup
! pose he was fool enough TO come back
after such breach of discipline, did
your"
ut was hunger. sir. I baited the
trap with something he liked. Then
l went 10 bed and fell asleep. In the
morning found him In the trap"
Explain yourself. sergeant. I don't