The Mockingbird's Ballad

The young politician/soldier bowed as he held his hat brim. "My pleasure, Southern Lady," he said warmly. He turned and was off on his mission.

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"Lieutenant, I need to see the general," Lt. Colonel Roosevelt informed the young, very slight, man at a campaign desk placed under an old twisted palm tree a few minutes later. Roosevelt knew that the young officer was General Wheeler's adjutant. They had met in Washington before the war at a West Point affair at which Roosevelt had spoken. A canvas screened army tent stood buttoned up twenty feet to the rear of the desk. The area had the neat precision of regular army. The ground had been cleared of all leaves and refuse. Even the few coconut size rocks were lined into a parameter.

Jumping up and snapping to attention the younger officer said, "Sir, the General is not here, Sir."

The colonel returned his salute. "Drats, when will he be back?" Roosevelt asked.

"Sir, I don't rightly know," the lieutenant responded.

"Well, I've got to get to the quartermaster. This supply situation is outrageous, outrageous," Roosevelt fumed. "We've just arrived and can't make heads or tails of this place."

"Yes Sir, the general is about that concern with General Shafter, right now," the adjutant informed.

"Very good, bully, yes, very good, excellent," Roosevelt cheered. "Here, Lieutenant," he handed the small handkerchief wrapped object and note to the young man. "An elderly gentleman, clergy by dress, a lady and young man wish to see the general. See that he gets this," Roosevelt said. "Sure hope its not some complaint out of one of the boys' town activities," he reflected seriously.

"It may be awhile before the general is back in this area, Sir. He has a dozen stops to make around this place," the younger man said. The adjutant, seeing a solution though, said, "The meeting, Sir, is in General Shafter's suite at the hotel right now I think. I could get a courier to him now. He left just half an hour ago."

"Capital, Lieutenant, yes, get a courier and see that the general gets this. Not quite sure about all the mystery here. Yes, but I certainly don't want our boys acting reckless with the local citizenry. They might have told me the nature of their business.

Could be they're like my Dutch country people in New York State - they keep their business close, yes, yes, close." Roosevelt reasoned out loud as the perplexed young, short officer stood straight stretching all his 5' 5", 110-pounds. The sun cleared the palm and shone directly on the two. Beads of steamy perspiration rolled down both men's faces into their tight collars. It was another brutal south Florida tropical day.