Honolulu star-bulletin., 1914-12-19

n ~ OIIlC6T OF the cavalry, anu Oh the
~ army pioneers OF Oahu, who left
for the mainland several years
ago, told a rather amusing anecdote
on a friend from the city OF Honolulu.
| Bearing a shade Of local color, it was
, doubly interesting AS it was first
, related the names were not kept Sec
, ret, but we will have to give the Off
Ger the name of Col "a" and omit the
real name Of his friend.
The quarters of Col A were situat-
ed very near headquarters and, there
fore, very close to the stand taken
by the musician Of the guard when
sounding calls. Also, uncomfortably
close to thereveil}e gun, which was
almost under the bedroom window of
Col. A.
A large reception was given at the
post ballroom one evening and Col.
A. had as his house-guest his friend,
who enjoyed dances, receptions, ETC.,
and always came early and stayed
late. The friend had the "time of his
life" and was among the last to leave
he and Col. A.
AS the night was still young and
bright lights In The clubrooms were
inviting in fact tempting, Col. A. and
his friend decided not to turn in too
early, and went Inside. After a most
pleasant evening sleepiness overlook
them in large lunches and they un-I
animously agreed to turn in. Looking
at the watch Col. A. discovered that
dawn was close at hand as they closed
the front door. e.. .'~ al
It took Col. A. a fraction of min
ute to turn in," and before the minute
was entirely up. he was snoring.
Friend was a little awkward and was
slower getting into bed, but sleep
seemed the sweetest thing on earth
to him at that moment. 1t was not
long before he was in semi-conscious
state, just drifting away when, as he
expressed it, some undisciplined
scoundrel came out in front and toot-
toot--tooted on bugle." This lasted
what seemd an lnterminable period,
but finally ceased and peace settled
down on the earth once more. As
friend told Col. A.: Il had just lost
consciousness again when here he
came and had footed about two toots
when bang! went a cannon. l said
to myself, Thank the Lord, they have
shot the durn fool;' but all the buglers
in the United States army broke loose
about that time. ] slipped out of bed
without disturbing yau, Colonel, and
caught the o'clock train to town, and
just as soon as you teach your soldiers
better manners, I'm coming to call"
nEFORE the days of. efficiency re-
n ports" postgraduate courses"
and similar modern inventions for
the army there was a bit more drink
ing than was really necessary even to
keep up the spirits OF men in the
grade of officers and who had seen
service in the great Civil war and
were now exiled to long tours at far
away frontier posts with no diversions
worthy of the name and who greatly
missed the excitement that '61-'65 car
ried for all. In consequence some
fell by the wayside but one who leaned
far over the edge of that path was
saved by the loyalty of the men of
his troop. For in those days, as we'll
as in the many years gone before that
time, the man that follows will always
support him who leads when the time
needfui is at hand. 1t will be so in
the future for it is the way We have
in the army" But to the tale.
A certain captain of a famous old
cavalry regiment had been charged
with being under the influence of in
toxicants and was brought before a
courtmartial for the trial The incl
dent so full of threatened disaster for
the gallant captain was alleged to have
occurred at parade and there were few
among his comrades that did not fear
the outcome, for the captain had been
seen to fall from his horse and the
troop that followed had marched over
the prostrate form. 1t was known,
however, that none among the officers
of the command had held converse"
with the captain at any time near or
subsequent to the ceremony at which
the grave delinquency had been OBJ
served. At least that fact was deveI-
oped during the many conversations
that took place in the days succeeding
the forwarding of the charges and the
order for the courtmartial to convene.
A ray of hope shone for that left only
enlisted men to testify as to the actual
state of the officer most deeply con-
cerned.
But courtsmartial may not often be