Lohengrin on his fancy bugle with the blue cord,
some one said it was "taps" and that the lights
must go out. And so they did go out and the
last thing we remember hearing as we approached
dreamland was the silvery voice of Pewie Carnegie
calling out: "Number 3. twelve oclock, and dry
as ---," and the weary soldier was at rest.
SECOND DAY
I was awakened about six o'clock next morn
ing by Messrs. Jackson and Reed, who played a
duet on their noise machines immediately ,in
front of my tent. For pure unadulterated racket
this combination takes the cake. It is a pity to
see so much noise going to waste, and since my
return from camp I have been having long talks
with Prof. Davies, my object being to discover
if possible, some means by which we would bottle
the extra noise and sell it for Fourth of July cele
brations.
I had just got the first hitch in my trowsers
when some one worked the groWler string on the
cannon and in the concussion that followed I lost
my shoes and just recovered them in time to fall in
for police duty. After police duty there was some
time remaining before breakfast and some one
spoke of washing. Then we decided to take a
vote, on the question ; should :we wash or not ?
considering the distance to the creek it was decid
ed in favor of the negetive and Company A went
unwashed and unshaven during the second day at
camp.
This was a memorably day in my experience as
it was the first time I had ever acted as a guard,
and the novelty Of the position together with the
consciousness of authority made it a very pleasant
experienee. During the day three ladies tried to
pas out at my post. They were quickly halted
and the corporal of the guard called. When the
latter came he refused to arrest the . trespassersand
I immediately lost all faith in that corporal and
did not challenge anything bin a cow during the
entire day. In the evening, however, it was dif
ferent, cadets ware allowed to pass at pleasure un-
THE FREE LANCE.
less they were carrying any suspicious looking
packages such as buckets etc., whereupon they
were promptly halted and an investigation gone
through with. Empty buckets could be taken
out of camp, but if a person tried to bring an
empty one in he was gobbled up quite sudden
and totted to the guard house. Thus the second
day and night passed and the third was usher
ed in.
This day is a blank to me up to seven o'clock
in the evening when in company with Sergeant
Rose I went out to see some friends. Got back
too late for roll call, got reported and went to
bed all in about half an hour. Indeed so sudden
did it all take place that I did not remember any
thing until I awakened next morning and discov
ered that I had slept with my clothes on.
This was the most glorious day of the. en
campment. As was expected,. quite a number
of spectators were present in the afternoon to take
in the sham battle and dress parade. The way
the boys did strike up acquaintance with the
young ladies was a caution. Hickman, Court
right, Waldron, and some more of the old time
mashers were always to be found with the ladies.
The drilling was fairly good, and evidently the
spectators were pleased, except some ladies who
did not relish the noise made by the cannon.
After supper we secured a tent flap and proceeded
to bounce the fellows who would not come down
with the'Battalion; we did our work well, and to
see a poor victim about fifteen feet in air trying
to hold on to .nothing was a sight. After the
bouncing was over Sergeant McGillicudy Rose
formed the awkward Battalion and presented it
to the commander,Birdie Hawk, with the impres
sive words "Sor, the fools are formed."
Then the bon fire was lighted and while the
dancing went on at Headquarters, the boys gath
ered around the fire and sang "We'll Rally Round
the Flag." But, "Mike" and "Pud" and some
THIRD DAY,
FOURTH DAY