Las Vegas optic., 1914-06-23
TAPS AND REvEILLE
BY EDWARD MARSHALL.
(CopyriGht.l

ent woe-the upr0ar OF the city's trar-
fic down by the Twenty-third street
ferries. rose the call of Berger's bugle,
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, q food Of
memories, all sad-of nights upon far
southern battle fields when Joy of war
was wholly gone from the blue fight
ers. and men sank in sleep Of absolute.
death-like exhaustion.
Not one bright reminiseence came to
Bloom, the aged veteran. ut 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, grinhed, 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. If young
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
ther 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 1t
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 well 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. I often won
dered."
"That is how it is," said Berger.
Next day, Bloom again went to the
window for a moment. and young
F'uhrstadt did look in. He was amazed
Hi, you'll" he cried.
Bloom quickly turned, although he
felt no fear. He thought himself q
fixture on the dock.
rs it something I can do?" he
asked.
EYES," was the sarcastic answer
"get to work"
The two youths bent above theil
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 Fuhrstadt's 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.
: "But--I am DID," he muttered, "ant
: 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 a young
mans world-a young mans world"
Next morning when he went tt
J work he found note upon his desk
It was brief and pointed.
"Call at the office and take time," |
said. 1--WE need young men,"
Not even the young clerks coult
laugh as they looked at his face wheI
he first raised it from that note.
: make all of life you can, younl
men," he said, as he put on his coat
"Your youth--it passes. Good-by.
! have always done my work, but an
now grown old. Good-by."
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 posi-
], ton. Everywhere they said he wa
: too old. Daily he trudged the streets
his only brisk emotions being an in
> tense desire to keep clear of Berger.
But when week had passed
alarmed at Blooms long absence fror
> the little restaurant, Berger went t
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