The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-11-26
Cunhre
By THOMAS B cHEEvER

There was commotion at Fort VIZ
liams The commander was iu .
towering rage the officers We're all
dreading something
Gtinfire in the morning was at sun
rise and In the evening at sunset.
Twice every day Sergeant Jenkins. ia
charge of morning and evening Kun
fire, set the automatic electric appa-
ratus connected with the clock gov
eminent tlmel so that a circuit would
be made by which the gun should be
fired by almanac time. Colonel Marti
net was so exact In all things that he
was meditating the erection of a small
astronomical observatory on the pa
rade in which the sun might lie OBJ
served every cloudess 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 midwnter and the al
manac gave sunrise on that particular
morning nj Z O'Clock and II 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
siege force and 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:
"Wel. I'll be jInged.''
"What is it, dear?" asked his wife
with yawn.
"What is it? Gunfire at o'clock
and IT minutes The service is 20
ing to the deuce. Why, never in all
my military life since | was n plebe nj
the Point have known gunfire to be
a minute late or early. Whoever is re
sponsible for this shall suffer for It"
"Wei. you can't discipline him til.
morning. You'd better get back into
bed and go to sleep"
The colonel got back into bed. but
nOt W lpl tue itludiDufl VI
morning till O'Clock he was coniurinl
up punishments for Sergeant Jenkins
and when he arose had not found any
that the army regulations would per
NIT severe enough to meet the case.
At 0 o'clock exactly the colonel was
in his office. and his orderly was seen
| by groups of those who were waiting
| for the outcome of the terrible irregn-
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 ahend of
| time, but because Sergeant Jenkins
was a favorite with both officers and
men. He wore five service stripes on
| his sleeve and medal for bravery in a
| fight with Indians and one with the
| Spaniards In Cuba on his breast He
was few years older than his com.
mander. who had not happened a.
see any active service. When he en-
! tered his commanders office. stood ~
| attention and saluted he found Their,
| several of the older officers of the CON
mand whom the colonel had summoned
| desiring to be borne out in any severe
| punishment he might see til Ia mhic
| on the sergeant.
| Sergeant Jenkins" said the culone
you will explain how the gun hap
pened to be fired this morning so fa
| ahead OF time"
II didn't fire il, sir"
"who did,
Some one broke into the firing room
sir"
Some one? What some one: whu
some onel"
AS soon as heard the gun wen
into the room. sir. II was very dark
but saw this some one. whoever il
was. moving away from the electric
key"
"Well2 Go on"
HE got out before 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
sir. There was no yellow atoIt him.
ANY redy'
"No. sir. He wasn't an artilleryman
either"
Then he must have been an infan.
tryman.'
"Well. sir. II was So dark | couldn't
| see hut there was no lively color e.