A FIGHTING I
FAMILY
By OSCAR COX
* *
Warringham was a wealthy young
man with nothing to do to kill time
There was nothing but war talk in the
city, and it tired him. It was spring
time and every one was going into gar
dening. Though it did not make any
difference to him whether he paid 5
-or 50 cents for u cabbage, he concluded
to go in for gardening too. Looking
over a catalogue of farms for sale and
finding one that seemed about right,
he took a train to go and inspect the
premises.
When he alighted at the station and
went out on to the street he saw a girl
sitting in an auto. She wore au alpine
bat with a feather in it and a tiny
American flag on her corsage.
"Can you tell me," he said to her,
handing her the ad., "where I can flml
that?"
She took the slip, glanced at it apd
said: "That's the Erskine property.
I'm going there in a few minutes and
will take you with me in my machine
If you like."
Warringham accepted the offer, and
after every one who had come in on
the train had passed out the girl re
marked that she reckoned "she hadn't
come on that train" and turned her
car away from the station.
"Who did you say owned this prop
erty?" asked Warringham.
"It belongs to Major Erskine."
"What's he major of?"
"The Pittsford battalion."
"Everybody here is preparing for
war, then?"
"Yes, everybody that has any spunk.
There are a few slackers among the
men."
"When is a man to be considered a
slacker?"
"When he's young, ablebodied and
don't go to the war."
Warringham winced. The cap fitted
him exactly. He noticed that the girl
wore leggings, which were plainly vis
ible beneath her short skirt.
"It seems to me," he said, "that you
are got up in a soldierly fashion. I
reckon you're not a slacker."
"You bet."
"What are you going to do to help
the cause—fight?"
"I don't know. I'm going to do some
thing. You see, I'm the granddaugh
ter of a Union soldier in the big war
fifty years ago and the granddaughter
/ of a Confederate soldier. So, you see,
It won't do for me to shirk."
"Did you have any more grandfa
thers in the Cuban fracas?*
"No. You don't suppose I could have
more than two grandfathers, do you?
But my father and four uncles were In
that diminutive fight."
"Women are not now what they were
in your grandmothers' time. Then they
were feminine."
"My Confederate grandmother wasn't
a coward. She drove some Federal
soldiers out of her potato patch with a
gun."
"How about your Union grand
mother?"
"She stood off a mob in the draft
riots."
"You do come of a fighting family,
don't you? Do you think you could
stand up to be shot at without show
ing the white feather?"
"I don't know. I reckon it would
depend on how mad I got. Both my
grandfathers agreed that when they
first went in to fight they 'heaved Jo
nah,' but when they got mad they
"weren't scared a bit."
"On that ground they should make
soldiers of women. My experience
with your sex is that when a woman is
mad she's mad from the crown of her
head to the tip of her big toe."
By this time the girl was turning In
to grounds with a house and a big pole
from which floated the Stars and
Stripes. Women in feminine uniform
were walking about, and before the
house paced a sentinel.
"What's tills?" asked Warringham.
"'The barracks of the Pittsford bat
talion."
She drove up to the house ar.d alight
ed, while the sentinel faced and
brought his musket to a "present." A
young woman came out of the house
with a lieutenant's straps on her shoul
ders and asked:
"Where's the recruit you were to
bring, major?"
"She didn't come. I reckon she's
going to turn out a slacker."
"Are you Major Erskine?" asked
Warringham.
"Yes, at your service. Do you want
to buy my little farm? I've no use for
It this year. I'm preparing a battalion
for active service."
"No." replied Warringham, "I don't
think I do. Your two grandfathers
who fought in the war between the
states, your two manly grandmothers,
your father and four uncles who
fought in Cuba, have produced that in
you which merits emulation. I don't
see why I, a man. should be raising
cabbages while you. a woman, are pre
paring for war. I'm going back home
and pack my grip for Plattsburg or
some other training camp and leave
the cabbages to the superannuated men
iind boys."
"Now you talk like a Jim dandy."
"But there's one thing I want you tc
promise me."
"What's that?"
"Promise me. maj )r, that if I come
back from war alive you'll marry
me."
"Well, seeing there's only one chance
In three of your coming back alive, I'll
«do It. Put it there!"
She gave him her hand, he became
-an officer in the army, and others rais
ed the cabbages.
i *
A Dangerous
Journey
B y JAMES BRAINARD
i
m
I was hi Egypt before the fanatical
outbreak of 1882. When a trouble of
that kind is coming those who are not
In the secret either know nothing about
jit or have only vague suspicions. 1
heard some ugly rumors as to what
was about to happen, but did not know
how much dependence could be placed
upon them. To all outward appear
ances everything was moving on as
usual.
I was obliged to go to Ismailia on
business. If I had known the condi
tion of the people of the country I
should not have trusted myself out of
Port Said, where Europeans were com
paratively safe. To make a Journey
into the interior was madness, but I
did not know it. Indeed, I only real
ized that under the circumstances I
would rather not go. A matter of or
dinary gain and being murdered were
the alternatives.
I went on a night train. Being some
what finical about my diet, I took with
me a hamper filled with as succulent
eatables as I could get together and on
the top placed a box of cigars from
wiiich only a few of the weeds had
been taken. I got Into my compart
ment, put my hand baggage on the
rack and settled myself for a Journey.
Being in a smoking compartment, I lit
a cigar.
The compartment was filled with na
tives, I being the only European in it.
This in itself was not encouraging.
The train had hardly got under way
when an old Arab sheik sitting oppo
site me leaned forward and calmly took
my cigar from between my lips and,
placing it between his own, smoked It |
himself.
To have resented the insult would
have been equivalent to inviting the
man to stab me. 1 therefore paid no
attention to him and, taking a news
paper from my pocket, began to read
that is, I pretended to read, but I had
no Idea of what was on the sheet be
fore me, my mind being taken up with
the fact that I was in a compartment
with seven Arabs and utterly at their
mercy. My eyes appeared to be fixed
upon the paper, but I was casting
quick glances sidewise at the natives
and knew by their chatter and occa
sional looks at me that I was the sub
ject of their conversation.
Then a lucky thought occurred to
me. I reached up to the rack, got my
box of cigars from my hamper, took
out one for myself and handed the box
to the sheik who had robbed me of the
one I had been smoking. He took It,
appropriated a handful of the contents
and passed it to the others, who did
the same, and the box was returned to
me empty.
Notwithstanding my peace offering
I expected every moment to feel cold
steel entering my vitals. Most of the
Arabs wore long knives where they
could be seen, and I knew not what
other weapons they had concealed. As
for me, I was unarmed, and even if I
had been armed my opponents were
geven to one.
I cannot describe the agony of that
night, expecting, as I did, death at any ;
moment. The Arabs in my compart
ment paid no attention to anything
that was going on in the rest of the
train, but I had a vague feeling that
something very important might be go
ing on. I can't account for this feel
ing, for I heard no sound to produce it. j
I only knew that I felt that there was j
murder in the air.
Finally their looks and acts were so
suspicious that I bethought myself of
some other way similar to my offer of
cigars to placate them. Then my
luncheon occurred to me. Reaching
up again to the rack, I brought down
my hamper, opened it and displayed
the eatables. Every man's eyes were '
on them, but not a man moved to
touch any of them. I offered the ham
per to the man who sat next me, but
he declined. In turn I handed it to
every man in the compartment; but,
though they all looked with eager eyes
upon the viands, not a man would ac- i
cept a morsel.
At first I was astonished at this.
Then I remembered that no Arab will
break bread with an enemy.
The moment this occurred to me I
knew I was doomed. I put my hamper
back on the rack and, wrapping myself
in my overcoat, lay back In my seat,
with my eyes closed, to await what
ever was In store for me.
I heard a great deal of wrangling
on the part of the Arabs, but I thought
I would rather rely on my Weakness
than on being prepared for resistance
that would be useless. So I did not
open my eyes. Presently I felt a hand
on my arm. Thinking my time had
come, I looked, and there was the
pheik who had taken my cigar from
my mouth holding out a piece of dry
bread. I took it and, biting from it
chewed vigorously.
A flood of relief and Joy seemed to
have been poured over me. I knew
from that moment I was safe. Reach
ing up for my hamper. I took it down
and handed it to the sheik. He helped
himself, then passed it around to the
others, each man partaking plentifully
of the contents.
Now that they had broken bread
with me and I having no more to fear .
I again leaned back in my seat and
this time slept. I knew that I was as
safe from my Arab companions as If I 1
were In my own bed at home. r
But I did not reach Ismailia that J
night. In the morning I found that the '
natives bad murdered the engineer, I
stoker an£ every European on the train '
except myself.
How to Tell the
Soldiers and
ji Stripes on Sleeve? and Collars
Denote What Branch of Serv
ice and What Office the
Wearer Holds.
IN these martial days, when the eyes
of the civilian nation are upon the
army and navy, every one. from the
. boy scout and campfire girl age to the
graybeards and grandmothers, is, or
should !>e, anxious to know all about
these two arms of the country's de
fense. With the streets of all cities
and towns full of officers of both
branches the most obvious bit of
knowledge to be first gleaned is how to
GENERAL- •
MAJOR. GENERAL ♦
BR I
LIEUTENANT CQLONEICSrVvw)
*0 IwmmJ
♦ CHAPLAIN *
ill lilt
CA PTAIN - *
FIRST LIEUTENANT ,
SECONP LIEUTENANT -
distinguish not only the more highly
placed ones, but those who belong to
! the various divisions of the military
and naval personnel.
With this end in view there is pre
sented herewith a comprehensive se
ries of insignia. As will be realized at
a glance, it is no easy feat of memory
to place all these accurately in one's
i
GEIAL • •
♦ GENERAL GENERAL
BRIGADIER LIEUTENANT
GENERAL COLONEL
COLONEL (Silver)
MAJOR (Qold)
CHAR.AIN
CAPTAIN
FIRST LIEUTENANT
SECOND LIEUTENANT
mind ready to be called forth when
occasion arises, as it does many times
b a stroll down almost any street.
I>ut this i 9 a small matter indeed com
pared with what must be memorized
by the men who wear these insignia.
The ones sQown herewith are only
j 5
Rank of Our
Sailors In Uniform j;
Streets of Cities and Towns ;■
Filled With Uniforms and
Everybody Should Know ]|
What the Insignia Denote.
the more important in the way of em
blems to mark rank, for in both army
and navy there are minor sleeve and
shoulder signs which denote particular
callings in the services, such as gun
i ■
!.c3Q v nri
fejjl K"'^|
ADMIRAL V-REAR
ESZSSS ADMIRAL
CAPTAIN
Er—•^
LIEUTENANT
C^'MAS?vg COMMANDER
LIEUTENANT j /
*UT- \JAT j
E3 fefj
LIEUTENANT I „ I ENSIGN
JUNIOR It* /
GRADE 1 LINE
> I (WARRANT
OFFICER-
L ■ 'VfcfV f
commanders, gun pointers, signal corps,
hospital corps, professors of mathe
matics, civil engineers, medical corps,
paymasters, engineers of various sorts,
musicians, subsistence department,
saddlers, farmers and artificers. The
meaning of most of these insignia,
however, is so plain as to need no ex
planation.
One row of symbols is worn ex
tending from the neck to the shouldei
COLOR, BA^kL,OH
SERGEANT SQUADRON
AND JUNIOR
♦ s I!I t
J ELECTRICIAN A
SERGEANT, A
CLASS
c ACCOAST^^^v
ART,LLERY) (gP'Sjjp}
' KByiWf ' : ,S " CORPORAL
BATTALION a m
OF /A W>
ENGINEERS
LANCE
W
with uniforms of khaki, while the more
elaborate ones are worn across the
shoulder with uniforms of blue cloth.
Most of the other insignia are found
either on the neckband or sleeve.
Numbers on collar devices show to
what regiment the wearer is attached.
Militiamen are distinguished from
those of the regular army in that the
former wear bronze initials of their
state in addition to the devices shown,
which are indicative of the branch of
the service they are in, while the regu
lars wear the initials "U. S." Mem
bers of volunteer regiments wear the
. 3ERGEAMT
FIRST A >
SERGEANT^^^^
TROOR BATTERY
OR COMPANY AN6
QUARTERMASTER
REGIMENTAL
AND SENIOR A EEaSEBBSa
GRADE
MASTER
SERGEANT
S3 tESsssssm
5r..'.,,r.7VM tzzx
REGIMENTAL COMMISSARY
SERGEANT --
initials "U. S. V." When wearing the
khaki uniform a second lieutenant is
distinguished by a bronze coat of
arms of the United States on his serv
ice cap and on his belt and a gold and
black braided hat cord.
The wearing of colored hat cords, bs
the way, is a comparatively recent in
novation in the army, and. since there
are many more privates in any mili
tary organization than there are offi
cers, it is perhaps as well to memorize
the significau;?e of these. Here it is in
brief: Yellow for cavalry, light blue
for infantry, red for artillery, maroon
for medical corps, black for all staff
departments, red piped with white for
engineers' corps, black piped with red
for ordnance department buff for
quurterthaster corps, salmon with
white edge for signal corps. All com
missioned officers wear a gold and
black braided hat cord when wearing
service hats, and the coat of arms ol
the United States is worn by all com
missioned officers on hats, caps and
belts. -
Collar ornaments of commissioned
officers in the navy are: Ensign, a silve;
FOURTEENTH CAVALRY
REGIMENT
REGIMENTAL COMMISSARY.
REGIMENTAL SQUADRON i
AND BATTALION OF
FOURTH CAVALRY *
SQUADRON AND
BATTALION,
QUARTERMASTER nbfjffiV
OF SIXTH K'wS
CAVALRY» nfcUMf
AIDE-DE-CAMP
Willi'/ ON A
NJllly .flfok ©ENERAL
OFFICER'S
ADJUTANT STAFF
GENERAL'S JgL
DEPARTMENT
ORDNANCE
DEPARTMENT <®'
JUDGE ADVOCATE
GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT
anchor; junior lieutenant, silver bar
and anchor; senior lieutenant, two bars
and an anchor of silver; lieutenant
commander, a gold leaf; commander,
a silver leaf; captain, a spread eagle;
rear admiral, two silver stars, one of
them surcharged on a foul anchor; vice
admiral, three stars, an end one sur
charged on a foul anchor; admiral,
four silver stars, the rear one surcharg
ed on a foul anchor: admiral of the
COAST ARTILLERY *
FIRST
FIELD ARTILLERY
REGIMENT
' A
REGIMENT . M.
OFFICER of THE
GENERAL STAFF
QUARTER
MASTER
GENERAL'S
DEPARTMENT,
OFFICER
M OFFICER OR
THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S
DEPARTMENT*
CORPS
ENGINEERS,
SIGNAL CORPS, OFFICER
RECRUITING SERVICE*
navy, a rank held only by the lat€
George Dewey, four silver stars.
Rank insignia for the marine corps
for commissioned officers are the same
as the army for shoulder ornaments.
The corps device, a globe surmounted
by the eagle and backed by the foul
anchor, is worn on the collar. The
sleeve insignia ior full and mess dress
are the same as the British Royal
Horse artillery.
A TOURING
EPISODE
By PAULINE D. EDWARDS
»- I
My dear Belle, I have had ail adven
ture, and I must tell you all about it.
As soon as the spring opened 1 became
wild to go on an auto tour with our
uew machine, that is admirably fitted
for long trips, having a rack in the
rear large enough to carry a Saratoga
trunk. Of course I couldn't tour alone
or with a girl friend. Mamma would
uot hear of that, and there was noth
ing for it but she must go with me her
self.
We started when the leaves on the
trees were well grown, with excellent
road maps, and by supplementing the
information they gave us at every fork
La the road we got on very well. One
evening we were nearlng a place called
Huntingdale, which seemed to be rath
er a collbctiou of summer cottages than
anything else, and we did not have
the name of any hotel at which to stop.
Passing an autolst who had alighted
to examine his engine, I asked him if
he could direct us to a public house
where we could spend the night. He
looked up at me, and our eyes met
Did you ever look into the eyes of a
man for the first time and recognize
through them a sool that was In har
mony with yours? This I did when I
met the gaze of this man. Not only
that; I knew he saw in me what I had
found in him.
"I am sorry to say," he replied to my
question, "that there is no hotel In
Huntingdale. You'll not find one that
you would care to stop at till you reach
Arborville, twelve miles beyond."
I looked disappointed. Mamma was
getting tired, and before we could
make the twelve miles it would be
dark, and we made it a rule to travel
only by daylight
M I can direct you," continued the
young man, "to a private family hotel,
but they are not taking boarders there
this year except myself. However, if
you care to try I think you can get in
for one night."
We said we would certainly care to
try, and the young man, pulling down
the hood of his auto and cranking it
got into his machine and led the way
to an attractive looking house on an
eminence. When we reached it he
asked us to remain in our car till he
stated our case for us. We thanked
him, and he went inside. In a few
minutes he returned and said that he
had fixed the matter for us satisfac
torily. The landlady was confined to
her room, but he was very much at
home there himself and would see thai
we were made comfortable. He hand
ed ug out of our car, and after our
trunk had been removed and our ma
chine started for the garage we went
up into the house.
I wondered that so luxurious an
abode should be used for boarders. Ho
tels and boarding houses be they ever
so well furnished are bound to show
some wear.
Mamma thought she was too tired
to dress for dinner, but I told her in
such a place it would not be safe to
dine in traveling costume, so we both
put on evening dress. On entering the
dining room we saw that places had
been set for three, and the only person
in the room besides ourselves was the
young man who had been our con
ductor. Seeing that he was in evening
dress I was very thankful that mam
ma and I had decided to change our
costumes.
"Our landlady," he said, "has com
missioned me to take her place at ta
ble and do the honors In her stead. I
presume I shall have to introduce my
self, having no one to Introduce me. I
am Edgar Sterling, at your service."
Mamma introduced herself and then
introduced me, after which a waiter
who seemed rather a butler than a
waiter served us, and we had a deli
cious dinner. Wine was opened with
out our having ordered it Both mam
ma and I declined it when the waiter
was about to pour it into our glasses
whereupon Mr. Sterling said:
"The terms in this house include
wine, so you are not under any obliga>
tion to me."
We permitted the waiter to fill our
glasses, but since the wine served was
champagne we concluded that the bill
for our one night's stay would be some
thing frightful. But I had fallen un
der a spell induced by the devotion of
Mr. Sterling, expressed in his eyes, a
pleasing smile he had and his constant
attention to my every wish.
After dinner mamma remained be
low but half an hour, when she went
upstairs to bed. I passed the most
delightful evening of my life, and
mamma was obliged to call me several
times before I could tear myself away
from my entertainer.
The next morning we breakfasted
alone, the waiter having informed us
that Mr. Sterling had gone out early
in his car. We asked for our bill, but
were told that the landlady was not
In a condition to make It up and if we
would leave our address a statement
would be sent us when she recovered.
Upon our return home we expected
to find our hotel bill. We were still
expecting to find it when one evening
Mr. Sterling called and put a new
face on the matter. He confessed
that he had taken us to his own resi
dence, that the landlady was a myth
and that the waiter was his butler.
He apologized for his deception by
saying that it had occurred to him to
take this couree rather than attempt
to force before us the hospitality of a
stranger.
Xow, wasn't that Just too delightful
an episode f> keep?
From Mr. Sterling's attention to me
I expect soon to tell you of another
episode.