Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1916-09-29

y received n telegram this morning
trHI the department headquarters or
,u.} me ~ Inspect this post and rem
-y nay Information or assistance you
o. It neel am Lieutenant Charles
,D uson Of the tn cavalry"
81 I'm very glad to see you, llcuon,
No. replied the officer, "lIad you an.
uoHnced your coming or even appeared
In uniform you would have been re-
cIyed with military honors,"
unfortunately, | was visiting
friend when | received the Order" re-
piled Ferguson, "and never wear
uniform except when on duty. My
baggage being hundred miles away,
was obliged to report here In mufu
with the exception Of this cap, which
| use for auto driving"
The captain asked to see Ferguson's
order to inspect the post lie had sent
himself telegram to that effect while
on the mainland, and now pulled It out
and handed It TO the officer Whether
~ not she was satisfied she appeared
TO be so and, leading Ferguson out on
TO the parade, gave an order TO turn out
the company for inspection, The com
mand was drawn up In line, the rear
rank marched three PAGES to the rear,
and the inspector, In company with The
captain, walked along both ranks,
each soldier handing him her gun for
inspection, Ferguson had seen an In
spectlon, SO he cooked every piece aud
now and then wiped the metal with
his white cambrc handkerchief. When
the inspection was over he returned to
the captains Office, and the latter began
to ply him with questions.
1--WE are weaker" she said, "ln the
matter Of guard duty than anything
else. | should like to have you mount
q guard and instruct us upon the
duties of the sentinel"
"Thc guard" replied Ferguson, rs
mounted ~ INV hour ~ tho morning
that the commandment directs, Tomor.
row morning will be happy to per
form the ceremony for YOU"
Ferguson did not propose TO be on
the island the next morning unless in
his true character He couldn't mount
guard for n potato patch,
"Who mounts the guard?' asked the
captain,
"The officer Of the guard"
(Which guard-the old or the new?"
"The new guard" hazardcd Ferguson.
Now, Captain Mabel Hetherington
knew that the guard Is under the or.
der OF the officer of the day. Further,
more she knew that there IS no officer
Of the guard, which is IN command of
a sergeant. But she said nothing Fer
guson would have preferred that she
would say something rather than wear
the look which appeared upon her face.
However, this look soon passed from
her face, and, rising, she said:
"Now that we have had some Of your
instruction, lieutenant, | propose that
we should relax from military formal.
ity, and I shall be happy to introduce
you to my officers and II your ideas
Of the distance between officer and pr.
vate are not too rigid will introduce
you to some of the latter. Please wait
here while | announce the introduc.
ton You must remember that though
soldiers We are still women, and wo.
man always desires to make herself
presentable when about to be pre-.
Sented."
Leaving the room, she soon returned
with her lieutenants and several pri.
Yates. After little conversation one
by one the soldiers retired, except a
lovely girl with eyes like q summer
sky, who, when the others were gone
brought them to bear on Ferguson in a
way that made him doubtful whether
he was on earth or in heaven.
But presently this happiness was
brought to an abrupt and humiliatinS
end. The captain returned with a ser.
geant and a dozen privates, whom she
halted in the hall, six beyond the door
and six in rear of it. The captain adj.
vanccd to Ferguson with the dignity Of
a soldier and said:
Lieutenant, I'll trouble you to take
position there" pointing 70 the inter
val
Ferguson's face fell He knew that
he had given away his ignorance Of
military matters and was about to be
elected from the post as an impostor.
A sergeant placed a feather over each
ear, and a drum and fife corps struck
up the rogues march. The order "For-
ward!" was given, and, the captain
marching beside him, Ferguson was
escorted to the dock. There the cap
tain asked him If he could swim. He
admitted that he could.
The Evellne had sailed boldly up to
n position near the dock, cast anchor,
and her crew were waiting the result
Of Ferguson's maneuver. When they
saw him coming with a feather behind
each ear to the well known tune Of the
rogues' march the sight was too much
for their gravity. If the captain had
any doubt as to Ferguson being an i'm.
poster 1t was removed by the shout of
merrlment which greeted him from the