Little Pills, An Army Story

ination. We arrived at Fort Scott, Kans., late in the evening. This was the end of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad at that time, and a booming town. The hotels were cro

or beds made down on the floor in sit

f the deep snow, and that he would order me back to St. Louis, which he did. We arrived in St. Louis about the 20th of December, and stopped at the Lindell, one of the good hotels in those days. The controversy between Doctor Mills, the medical director and the de

he boat the day before we left, and as it seemed a little damp, I spread it out on the hurricane deck to dry. As it dried it became hard around the edges and I kept trimming away the hard parts, particularly those of the neck and legs until I had my robe in the shape of a parallelogram. This was disappointing but I still praised it as a souvenir of the chase. We found it a very great he

f seeing Joseph Jefferson in "Rip Van Winkle." He was then in his prime and although I have seen and he

d I was amazed at the vast quantity of freight that it carried. The trip down the Mississippi was without incident but we had frequent delays on the Arkansas unloading f

ival at Fort Smith by the post surgeon, Doctor Theiba

he trouble with us was that we had a bottle of brandy with us. By the time we stopped for breakfast my wife was thoroughly aroused to the importance of the occasion and whispering to me expressed her fears. I tried to assure her that it would be all right, and that no one would search an army officer's baggage, b

readily consented. The team was spirited enough and we went along at a spinning gait. I thought noticeably so for such rough roads and I believe my wife thought it was the ride of her life. After two or three hours the driver said he believed the team was settling down and would probably not give any trouble and if I wished I could go back inside the stage

d a fire started. The table was set in the next room, if so called, for it was only partly enclosed, so it was practically as cold as out of doors. On the table was some headcheese and cornbread, light rolls and sweet potatoes, all frozen so that the frost stood out on them, and some black coffee and no cream or milk. I managed to cut off a piece of the headcheese and co

hree days and were most hospitably entertained. From Fort Arbuckle to Fort Sill we went in an army ambulance, the dis

ent quarters, barracks and storehouses. The plan was for a six company post, and at that time there were two companies of infantry and six troops of c

d would go away simply remarking that everything was all right. I remember going to his quarters one day and informing him that a man by the name of Fields in the hospital had fistula and I thought an operation necessary. He replied: "Can't you stick a knife in it?" I told him I thought I could and he came a few days after the operation and expressed his satisf

ital tent, fourteen by sixteen and two wall tents ten by twelve for bed room and dining room, and still back of that was the kitche

ming." The weather was quite warm but ideally pleasant and he noticed my light clothing and said, "You had better get down off here and hunt some heavier clothes." I followed his suggestion at once and by the time I got to our quarters a half mile away I noticed the difference in the temperature and in a few minutes it came on us in all its fury. It is simply the coldest wind I have ever experienced. It blows straight and with a mighty force and is so penetrating that one is thoroughly chilled in a few minutes. I have s

ending sick calls at the hospital the hospital steward informed me that Stanton was discovered taking money from under the pillow of one of the sick men during the night. I sent for him and explained the matter to him for I was really disposed to let him off as easy as possible. He denied any knowledge of it, so I said to him: "Now look here Stanton, the evidence is too strong against you, you go and give Fields his money and behave yourself hereafter and I will let the matter drop. You are a good man and I would like to keep you." He looked me straight in the face and said: "Fore God, Doctor, I never did take that money." I sent the steward's assistant over to the guardhouse with orders to the sergeant of the guard to send a man over to take charge of a prisoner. A corporal came and I explained the matter to him and I directed him to take Stanton to the guardhouse and to tell the sergeant of the guard that I wanted him to get that money and for him to resort to any means necessary to get it, even if he had to tie the prisoner up by the thumbs. This is of course a very severe punishment, and consi