The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-04-21
TAPS AND REvE|LlE
By EDWARD MARSHALL.


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tCopyright)
Clear and high and silveTy, cleaV-
ing-with a smooth cry as of insist
ent woe-the uproar Of the citys traf'
fic down by the Twentythird street
ferries, rose the call of BeTgers bu9le,
playing "Taps" as he sought among
the tenements and butcher shops and
boarding houses for knives and shears
to grind.
1t carried to the ears of Bloom, in
his little shanty at the pier-end, where
he was chief shipping clerk at dock
for great hardware firm, flood of
memories, all sad-of nights upon far
southern battle fields when joy of war
was wholly gone from the blue tight
ers, and men sank in sleep Of absolute,
death-like exhaustion.
Not one bright "reminiscences came to
Bloom, the aged veteran, at sound OF
that intense, pathetic call.
"Why does he play Taps" he
cried Great Lord. Why Taps"
He moved uneasily upon his stool.
'Ach," he said, so loudly that he
drew attention from the youths on two
high stools who, as his assistants, oc-
cupied the little dockhouse with him.
rs death so far away that old men,
such as him and me, must keep our.
selves reminded of it with horn?'
He rose, acutely irritated, and went
to little window which looked out
upon the swirling waters of the slip,
foul and greasy as the tide paused at
the turn. The two clerks, rebellious
at being forced to work under an old
man, grinned, for they could see the
son Of the company's president COM
ing up the dock and they knew the
methods Of that youth.
Their little hearts. not yet devel.
oped and expanded by the long pull
sations Of deep sorrow and experience,
leaped with an exultation which they
did not know was mean. II young
Fuhrstadt but looked in while Bloom
was loafing, things might progress
upon that dock! Bloom was the only
real old fogy left about the place.
Young Fuhrstadt, since his aged ia
Their had been forced to stay at home
because of rheumatism, had wiped the
others all away. But, that day he did
not look in as he passed.
Later, at the small restaurant
where, daily, they had luncheon, Bloom
met Berger.
Man he said to him, why is it
that you always play 'Taps?'"
And why not?" Berger answered.
1T Is slow and easy. Those other
calls, they are too nimble. Taps
brings trade as we'll as would the
'Reveille'"
True" said Bloom, you were a
cook in army days, no bugler. You
learned late. And Taps is slow and
easy. | understand. often won
de .ea.
THAT is how 1t is" said Berger.
Next day. Bloom again went to the
window for a moment, and young
Fuhrstadt did look In. He was amazed.
Hi, you!" he cried.
Bloom quickly turned. although he
felt no fear. He thought himself
fixture on the dock.
rs 1t something l can do" he
asked.
"Yes." was the sarcastic answer.
e'get to work"
The two youths bent above their
books, smothering laughter.
Bloom felt that he was standing in
the middle of the ruin Of all things.
Anger first, then panic, seized him,
Was he, then, who had believed him.
self secure, to lose his chance of earn
Ing his small livelihood? Was the
fact that he had been the terminate
of young Fuhrstadts father 40 years
and more ago, not to be considered?
For 80 years he had kept the rec
ords of the dock, with what help had
been assigned to him. with absolute
exactness.
Butt am old" he uttered, ans
1t is young mans world!'
"You are right in playing Taps,
he said to Berger when he met hin
next. quite right. For you are old
and 1t is the one call for me to hear
I, also, am old. Berger, 1t Is youni
mans world ID young mans world"
Next morning when he went t.
work he found note upon his desk
It was brief and pointed.
Call at the office and take time" !
said. "We need young men,
Not even the young clerks coul'
laugh as they looked at his face whel
he first raised it from that note.
Make all of life you can, youn
men," he said, as he put on his coat
"Your youth-it passes. Good-by.
have always done my work, but ar
now grown old. Goodby."
He forgot to call for the small wage
due him, but passed, unseeing, to hi
boarding house. From the distanc
came the wall of Berger's bugle.
Nowhere could he find new pos