The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1914-05-08
HIS CLASH WITH "OLD BULL"
After the Quite Informal introduction
to the Colonel Was Effected the Ta-
bIes Turned and Corporal Suds" Got
Dose of His Own Medicine.

to the Colonel Was Effected the Ta-
bes Turned and Corporal Suds" Got
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-
tion 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 III the canteen in some
hocus pocus game. After supper he was
blanket tossed until the arms of the
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
q jerk of his thumb. indicated the com
manding 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 colonel's 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 a tongue lashlng from
the commandants 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 here|' he thun-
dered, surprised to see an enlisted man
at his front door.
Ill 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 Bull"' roared the
point out the man that sent you over
here" he went on as be 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. l ought to have you court
martlaled. | 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 a good shot, and SO I'm not
going to take your cheyrons, your lib
erty or your money away from you.
But since you're such an expert on
laundry matters l 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 mel"
And thereafter for several months,
until band of Tonto basin Apaches
went on a 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-
dryman became known as Corporal
Suds" and was teased about the affair
until the day piece of Spanish shrap-
mel cut short his existence.-Youth's s
Companion.