The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-04-23

army POST HAz|NC|
A Very Raw Recruit Who Got a
Very Warm Reception.
his CLASH WITH "oLD BULL" "


to tho Colonel Was Effected the Ia
bio. Turned and "corporai suds" Got
q Dose Of His Own Medicine.
General e. v. Sumner, who was long
colonel in command of the Fighting
Seventh" cavalry, was known to the
rank and file Of his regiment as "Old
Bull" His gruff manners may have
had something to do with the nick
name, but it came to him fairly by in
heritance. His father. General Sum.
ner, bore it before him.
When the Seventh was stationed at
Fort Grant, Arizona, very raw recruit
was sent on from Kansas City. As
usual, the men prosecuted him from
the start. He returned meekly from
the ordnance stores with the informa-
ton that left handed ramrods' were
all gone; without batting an eyelash he
reported that the sergeant in charge
of the post exchange swore at him
when he applied for his 'butter
checks" They took his last two bits
away from him in the canteen In some
.hocus pocus game. After supper he was
"blanket tossed" until the arms Of the
tossers grew weary, and three times
that night his bunk collapsed amid
roars of merriment. The recruit then
gave up the struggle and lay shivering
upon the floor until morning.
He neither murmured nor com.
planned. In fact, he seemed to be so un-
sophisticated that when he asked his
room corporal where he could have
some washing done the corporal, with
a Jerk of his thumb. indicated the COM
lmanding officers house on the corner
of the parade "Go over to that big
house." the corporal directed. ''rake
your bundle with you and ask for Old
Bull. He takes in all the washin' at
this post" ---------
But just as the recruit pulled the bell
who should step out but Old Bull him
self. booted and spurred for his morn
ing ride.
What do you want here?" he thun-
dered, surprised to see an enlisted man
at his front door.
'I-I-I wanted to see about gettin'
these sh-shirts and socks done up.
minister" stammered the frightened
recruit. "They told me to come over
here and ask for Old Bull" he added.
"Well. I'm Old Built" roared the
colonel. "You come along with me and
point out the man that sent you over
. here" he went on as he grasped the
astonished youth and hurried him to-
ward the troop quarters.
The crowds upon the verandas melt
ed away as Colonel Sumner approach
ed. but the guilty corporal was found
lurking in the troop barber shop. Some
heated language ensued, and then at
the end of the painful interview Old
Bull delivered himself thus:
Corporal, ought to have you court
martialed. could have your stripes
taken away and see that you got about
thirty days into the bargain or could
have you fined. But you've been one
of my best noncoms. You're always
sober and good shot, and 60 I'm not
going to take your chevrons, your lib
erty or your money away from you.
But since you're such an expert on
laundry matters I order you to do this
mans washing on the front porch of
these quarters every Monday morning
at guard mount
And you. he beloved, turning to
the recruit and shaking his gauntlets
at him. you see that you have at
least two suits Of underclothes and
seven pairs Of socks for him every
week. And If he don't wash 'em clean
you report to Old Bull, that's me!'
And thereafter for several months.
until q band Of Tonic basin Apaches
went on rampage and gave them
more serious things to think about. the
men Of the Seventh looked forward
happily to Monday morning guard
mount. The noncommissioned laun-
ldryman became known as Corporal
lSuds" and was teased about the affair
until the day piece Of Spanish shrap-
mel cut short his existence.-Youth's q
Companion