The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-09-24
ARMY POST HAz|NG
A Very Raw Recruit Who Got a
Very Warm Reception.
HIS CLASH WITH GOLD BULL"

After the Quite Informal Introduction
to the Colonel Was Effected the Ia
bles Turned and Corporal Suds" Got
a Dose of His Own Medicine.
General L. V. Sumner. who was long
colonel in command of the Fighting
Seventh" cavalry. was known to the
rank and file of his regiment as '"Clc
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. q 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" We're
all gone; without batting an eyelash he
reported that the sergeant In charge
Of the post exchange swOre at him
when be 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 shiverins
upon the floor until morning.
He neither murmured nor CON-
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
jerk of his thumb, indicated the COM
handing officers house on the corner
of the parade. go over to that big
house." the corporal directed. Take
your bundle with you and ask for Old
Bull He takes in all the washin' at
this post"
Grasping his little bundle. the green
lad from Kansas City shambled across
the parade. mounted the colonePs front
stoop and innocently pulled the door,
bell. The joke was an old one, as Old
Bull had never been known to answer
the bell in person. and more than one
recruit had learned the way to Soap
suds row" after Il tongue flashing from
the commandments dusky maid of all
work And as she had threatened to
scald the next man who bothered her
about his washing the tip was passed
along from troop to troop, and the men
swarmed out on the verandas to see
the fun.
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 hereT' he thun.
| dered. surprised to see an enlisted man
at his front door.
I'LL 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.
We'll. I'm Old BuIl!'' reared the
colonel. You come along with me and
point out the man that sent you over
here" he went on as he grasped the
;lstonished 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 al
the end of the painful interview Ole
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 l could
have you fined. But you've been one
of my best noncoms. You're always
sober and good shot, and SO Pm not
going to take your chevrons, your lib
erty or your money away from you
But since you're such an expert OF
laundry matters 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 tt
/ the recruit and shaking his gauntlets
at him, you see that you have al
least two suits of underclothes anG
seven pairs Of socks for him every
week. And if he don't wash EN- clear
you report to Old Bull. that's me!''
And thereafter for several months
until a band of Tonic basin Apaches
went on rampage and gave then
more serious things to think about, tn,
men Of the Seventh looked forward
happily to Monday morning guar(
mount. The noncommissioned hun
dryman became known as Corpora
Suds" and was leased about the affai
until the day piece of Spanish shrap
nel cut short his existence.-Youth
| Communion