The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-01-04


table On which were papers. Ferguson
said
Il received telegram this morning
from the department headquarters or.
lcring me 20 inspect this post and ren.
icr any Information or assistance you
might need am Lieutenant Charles
Ferguson Of The ia cavalry"
Il nm very glad 60 see you. lieuten.
ant. replied the officer Had you al.
bounced your coming or even appeared
Ia uniform you would have been re-
rclyel With military honors"
unfortunately, | was visiting n
friend when received the order" re.
piled Ferguson "aud never wear q
uniform except when on duty Ny
baggage being hundred miles away.
| WAS obliged 10 report here IN mufti,
with the exception OF this cap. which
! use for auto driving
The captain asked 70 see FcrgGson's
order to Inspect the post lie had sent
himself telegram TO that effect while
% Tho mainland, ana now pulled II out
and banded It 10 the officer Whether
or not she was satisfied. she appeared
70 be 40 aud. leading Ferguson out on
20 tie parade, gave an order 10 turn out
The company for inspection The com
maad was drawn MP IN line. the rear
rauk marched three PAGES % the rear.
aud tie nspe tor. In company with the
captain, walked along both ranks,
each soldier handing him Ter gun for
Inspection Ferguson had seen an IN
speation, so he cooked every piece and
noW aud then wiped the metal with
his white cambnc handkerchief When
the inspection was over he returned 70
the captains office. and the latter began
10 ply him with questions.
we are weaker" she said. "in the
m0tter Of suard duty than anything
else should like to have you mount
Il guard end instruct us upon the
duties Of the sentinel"
"Fhe guard" replied Ferguson. rs
mounted at any hour OF the morning
that the commandant directs. Tomor.
row morning viii 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 Il potato patch.
"Who mounts the guard?" asked the
captain.
The officer Of the guard"
(which guard-the old or the new
THE new guard, hazarded 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
Il 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 shall be happy TO introduce
you TO my officers. and If your ideas
of the distance between officer and pri
yate 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 a little conversation one
by one the soldiers retired. except a
lovely girl with eyes like n 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 10 an abrupt and bumiliating
end The captain returned with a ser.
geant and dozen privates. whom she
halted In the hall. six beyond the door
and six In rear OF 1t. The captain ad.
vanced TO Ferguson with the dignity OF
a soldier and said:
Lieutenant I'll trouble you TO take
position there" pointing to 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 rs 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 10 the dock There the cap.
tain asl;ed him if he could swim. He
admitted that he could.
The Eveline had sailed boldly up to 1
q position near the deck cast anchor.
ana her crew were waiting the result /
OF Ferguson's maneuyer When they /
saw him coming with feather behind /
each err 10 the wen known tune Of lhp 1
rogucs' march the sight was too much I
for their gravity II thc captain hal .
y