disposition of each
horse, it seems of some consequence to me, for unbroken as some were, I
was never unseated--not once!

THE PAXTON HOTEL, OMAHA, NEBRASKA, August, 1888.

ALMOST five weeks have passed since we left dear Fort Shaw! During that
time we have become more or less accustomed to the restrictions of a
small city, but I fancy that I am not the only one of the party from
Montana who sometimes sighs for the Rocky Mountains and the old garrison
life. Here we are not of the Army--neither are we citizens. General and
Mrs. Bourke are still dazzled by the brilliancy of the new silver star
on the general's shoulder straps, and can still smile. Faye says very
little, but I know that he often frets over his present monotonous
duties and yearns for the regiment, his duties as adjutant of the
regiment, the parades, drills, and outdoor life generally, that make
life so pleasant at a frontier post.

Department Headquarters is in a government building down by the river,
and the offices are most cheerless. All the officers wear civilian
clothes, and there is not one scrap of uniform to be seen any
place--nothing whatever to tell one "who is who," from the department
commander down to Delaney, the old Irish messenger! Each one sits at his
desk and busies himself over the many neatly tied packages of official
papers upon it, and tries to make the world believe that he is
happy--but there are confidential talks, when it is admitted that life
is dreary--the regiment the only place for an energetic officer, and
so on. Yet not one of those officers could be induced to give up his
detail, for it is always such a compliment to be selected from the
many for duty at headquarters. Faye and Lieutenant Travis are on the
general's personal staff, the others belong to the department. Just now,
Faye is away with the department commander, who is making an official
tour of inspection through his new department, which is large, and
includes some fine posts. It is known as "The Department of the Platte."

Everyone has been most hospitable--particularly the army people at Fort
Omaha--a post just beyond the city limits. Mrs. Wheeler, wife of the
colonel in command, gave a dancing reception very soon after we
got here, and an elegant dinner a little later on--both for the new
brigadier general and his staff. Mrs. Foster, the handsome wife of the
lieutenant colonel, gave a beautiful luncheon, and the officers of the
regiment gave a dance that w