Evening star., 1914-04-07
THE EVENING STORY.
According to Seniority.
BY AIRED WHITE.


second squadron turned in appreciative
mood to his adjutant as the four troops
of United States Cavalry swept into
view of the nights bivouac site just be-
yond the town limits of Eikton. For as
sembled about the point which an ad-
vance detail had selected for camp
headquarters was group of young
women carrying flags and flowers, so
that the nature of their visit was
obvious.
The line whipped into squadron front
at gallop and halted with a right merry
jingling of accourterment and that in
describable dash peculiar to the second
squadron. 1t was the fifth bivouac in
the summer practice march from VAN
couver barracks down the Oregon coast.
Everywhere there had been informal en-
tertainments for the officers. and at one
point for the men as WE'LL for the aver
age Pacific coast town lets no organized
body. great or small get past without
partaking of its hospitality. And E.lkton
having no commercial club, 1t had de-
volved upon the Young ladies' Club to
act in the present emergency.
AS the senior captain swung out of his
saddle and passed the reins to an Or
derby, Miss Winder; as spokesman for
the reception committee from the Young
Ladies Club. was upon him at once to
assure him of the SINCERE welcome of his
troops to Elkton.
And we've planned to give a big
dance for the officers il all of you Will
come" she added. As matter of fact
the club had planned the dance originally
for the whole squadron, until some one
discovered that such body was COM
posed of at least 40 men. From the
same source it had been gathered that
the officers would number about thirty.
I'm sure we'd all be delighted, the
senior captain assured Miss WinGer,
standing hat in hand, in his most en-
gaging manner
I'D like to have the. list of officers
right away so as to get out the invita-
TONS" added Miss Winder.
"A general invitation to the officers
will do quite as well, If you prefer, the
senior captain informed her.
But we have the forms all made. out
and it won't take us long to fill in the
Names" persisted Miss Winder. You
see. they'll make nice souvenirs. We
hope. for you to remember Elkton by:
We'll. now, ladies. really this is mighty
good of you to take pity on lot OF
dusty cavalrymen." beamed the senior
captain. No, really, he went on. doing
his best to think hard I'm not able to
call all the officers by their full names
But III attend to the matter for You at
once. Here. orderly. he snapped, turn
ing to his trooper-in-waiting. who d
already returned from unsaddling the
mounts Conduct these ladies to Sergt.
Maj Brainerd's tent and say l wish him
10 give them any information they may
require.
"Yessir," replied the orderly, saluting
and he stepped forward TO await the
pleasure of the committee.
Miss Winder gave a gasp OF surprise
as she turned from the acting squadron
commander, who, until now. had ao-
sorbed her utmost attention. For neld
of shelter tents had sprung up silently
and quickly as from under some magic
wand and the whole squadron was quite
at home.
timidly, on being shown into the presence
of the veteran cavalry non-com.
She wondered. at seeing his bronzed.
firm-set face and compact soldterly bear
ing If he were not really the oncer IN
command. He was standing beside ms
field equipment wrestling with abstruse
field reports. ;,
I'm the sergeant major. yes. ma am,
he said. politely. with particular en-
phasis on the sergeant.
That's what / meant to say ex-
planned Miss Winder. She wondered II
she'd offended him by omitting part OF
his title.
sergt. Maj Brainerd had no need to
resort to the muster rolls or squadron
roster for the list of the names
There's exactly eight officers. he
said, beginning with Capt Blakely---
Eight" exclaimed Miss Winder. we
You see, ma am" Sergt- Maj. Brain
erd hurried to explain, "there'd be six
teen ordinarily. but most Of the hne
officers of the army these days are on de-
tached duty Two of the troops is in
command of second lieutenants with no
other officers
That's not enough for us-I mean for
the list" she hastily added. blushtng fu-
riously at the slip. we were told there
We're thirty and maybe more
Not unless YOU count the nOn-cOtu-
missioned officers he informed her.
There's plenty Of them along.
'.Of course. I want the list OF all the
officers" urged Miss Winder. brighten
ing.
'sNon-commissioned, too, ma'am?'
why. yes. by all means.
There's fifty-six of them, and / as
sure you none of them is on detached
duty, said Brainerd, with grave hu-
NOR
And so Sergt. Mai. Brainerd. without
remotely suspecting what the list might
be for. made 1t out, heading the column
with the senior captain, and following the
line of seniority and grade right down
TO the newest corporal in NJ troop
Equipped with this official roster the
committee hurried to the home OF Miss
Winder and filled out the invitations
which were neatly sealed and delivered
BY Miss Winder's youngest brother. who
went from tent to tent at dusk distribut-
ing the highly decorated bids to the
Eikton DaiI
That's mighty decent of them to give a
dance for u.s.. the senior captain sug
gested to his adjutant as he sat shaving
himself by candlelight in his wall tent.
Just remark upon the fun eight oi
us'Il have dancing with the whole femi
nine population, put in the boyish lieu
tenant. Benton, acting troop commander
of K.
THE invitations say 0 O'Clock, but
suppose it's only decent to allow hal,
hours delay" said the senior captain
washing away the .lather and applying
talcum powder literally.
Over at Sergt. Maj Brainerds ten
there was a simultaneous and 1argel!
similar conversation going on.
IT'S good of them girls to get up &
dance for ordinary bucks Corp
Haynes was saying. This is where thu
they've been invited any place tonight
Say, what time was it We was to b.
there. Brainerd?
Mine o'clock replied the sergean
major. who was engaged in whisking TIL
dust from his service uniform. "Dancin,
is child's play. but / don't mind goini
just to break the monotony when we're oil
a hike of this kind he added.
WED better go at $50. so as to b
there is plenty of time suggested Cor
poral Booney.
The feminine populace of Elkton an,
contiguous territory was already on hand
looking its very best, when the non-com
'missioned officers of the second squadron
put in appearance, half an hour early
They were most agreeable lot. too. al
belt little timid. But an hour suffice
to put every at ease, and by 9:.s