Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-08-16
TAPS AND REVEILLE:
BY EDWARD MARSHALL.

Clear and high and silvery, cleav-
inS-with smooth cry as Of insist
ent woe-the uproar Of the city's traf-
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, flood 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 "Reminiscences came to
Bloom, the aged veteran, at sound Of
that intense. pathetic call.
why does he play 'TapsT" 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, &C.
cupied tho little dockhouse with him.
rs death 80 far away that old men,
such as him and me- must keep our
selves reminded of II with hornT
He rose, acutely irritated, and went
to a 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, grinned, 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. II young
Fuhrstadt but looked In while Bloom
was loaflng. things might progress
upon that dockl Bloom was the only
real old fogy left about the place!
Young Fuhrstadt, since his aged ia
Their 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 "TapsT"
And why not?" Berger answered
1T is slow and easy Those other
calls. they are too nimble. Taps
brings trade as we'll as would the
'Revellle.'"
True" said Bloom. you were a
cock in army days, no bugler. You
learned late. And Taps is slow and
easy. understand. I often won
dered."
THAT is how 1t u.s." said Berger.
Next day, Bloom again went to the
window for n moment, and young
Fuhrstadt did look In. He was amazed.
Hi. you'll" he cried
Bloom quickly turned, although he
felt no fear He thought himself a
fixture on the dock
rs It something | can dot" he
asked.
Yes" was the sarcastic answer.
get to work"
The two youths bent above their
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 DO considered?
For 30 years he had kept the rec
ords Of the dock, with what help had
been assigned to him, with absolute
exactness.
Butt am old" he muttered, and
1t is a young mans world"
you are right in playing Taps"
he said to Berger when he met him
next. Quite right. For you are old;
and 1t Is the one call for me 10 hear.
|. also. am old. Berger, II is a young
mans world--a young mans world"
Next morning when he went to
work he found a note upon his desk.
II was brief and pointed.
Call at the Office and take time" 1t
said I'VE need young men"
Not even the young clerks could
laugh az they looked at his face when
he first raised It from that note.
Make all Of life you can, young
men," he said, as no put on his coat.
Your youth--it passes Good-by.
have always done my work, but am
now grown old Good-by"
He forgot to call for the small wages
due him, but passed, unseeing, to his
boarding house. From the distance
came the wall Of Berger's bugle.
Nowhere could no find a now posi-
ton. Everywhere they said he was
too old. Daily he trudged the streets,
his only brisk emotions being an in
tense desire to keep clear of Berger.
But when a week had passed,
alarmed at Blooms long absence from
the little restaurant, Berger went TO,
the dock to make inquiries Learning
what had happened, he was filled with
mighty wrath and formed a great re-
solve.
He left his scissors-grindlng outfit
in the restaurant and sought O drug
store. where he thumbed through
directory until he found the street
and number of young Fuhrstadt's fa-
Their.
When two hours later, he was leav.
Ing the old man, he called him com.
rade," and furthermore the rich man,
answering said "connrada - aIao