intimate that they
really went up for the whiskey, which was, of course, unjust and wrong.

We had been here but a few weeks when a batch of recruits arrived at the
regiment, two of which were assigned to our company. One of them had a few
locks of rusty red hair hanging down over his shoulders, while his face
was partially covered with a faded yellowish red beard. He was at once
dubbed the Collie. The day after his arrival he was met by a friend of
Harding Witt. This friend suggested to the newcomer that he could not have
been informed of the regulations of the service or he would have been to
the barber-shop and that soldiers who did not have their hair cut and
their whiskers trimmed within forty-eight hours after joining the company
were liable to imprisonment for five days. Our friend with the yellow hair
innocently fell into the trap and begged his comrade to conduct him to the
company barber. This was precisely what was wanted, and the newcomer was
escorted to the tent occupied by Harding Witt and his friend, which had
been ordered to give the impression of a barber-shop. A large chair had
been placed in the center of the tent with a mirror in the front of it,
and near the chair was improvised a table on which was arranged a razor,
scissors, cologne water and perfumery. Harding impersonated the barber,
with coat off, a large white towel pinned in front of him like an apron.
He sat reading a novel as the two entered. On seeing them he sprang to his
feet and shouted "Next!" The recruit took the chair and Harding commenced
operations. He took out his watch and laid it on the table, explaining as
he did so, that the time was short but he would try and have him shaved
and his hair cut by parade time. He had trimmed the beard from one side of
his face and had cut the hair from one side of his head, when the drum
beat. The recruit was dismissed till after the parade when he was told to
return and the job would be finished.

When the Captain took command of the company his eyes fastened on the
recruit instantly, and he ordered him three paces to the front. As the man
lumbered forward, for he was as awkward in actions as he was rustic in
looks, the boys were ready to burst with laughter. Indeed some of them
did shout. The captain took in the situation, saw the poor fellow was the
butt of some one's joke, smiled and ordered him to his quarters. After
parade, Harding finished his job.

Later Tom Winn and I found a large co