The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-10-28
AMUSING incidents of War.

If Il little humor is welcome to the
best of us, there are times when 1T
Is relief even i'll the midst of danger.
None knows this better than the sol
dicr who will stop To laugh before fill
ing even his cantCcn. though the water
may in IN hour be of priceless value TO
him, writing in agony from Il wound.
An instance of this sort is rs fresh as
if / had made merry over 1t only yes
tcrday. We had Il long and tedious
march through the mountains without
water for inca and horses, and the
thing WIS getting serious Chewing Il
bullet was all very well for Il time. but
our tongues were now swollen, and as
for the animals, they walked painfully
on with dropping heads and disconso-
late tails. At last the van came across
Il Mexican who managed 10 make out
what we wanted. and informed us that
just beyond Il ridge like the Sharpcncd
backbone of some pctritied monster
rising about three miles 10 our left.
there was Il spring of good mineral
water.
The column faced about and with re-
Rpwcd hope we started for the spot.
and after half an hour came in sight
of little dip where we guessed lay
FASTENED forward To get the first drink.
running Il close race. When they ar
rived it was To find that there was n
spring sure enough, but it was Ill but
dry. Tho sandy bottom was still moist.
and 10y the dnt of getting down on
ones knees ana patting the sand little
water would rise. The two men seeing
this. and each anxious To secure what
there was left. both made Il break for
it. They nearly trippcd each other up.
and Then clinchcd, determined 10 win
the prize or know the reason why. One,
John kctchum, finally knocked his COM
panion down, but. rs ill-luck would
have 1t, he fell into the spring itself.
John icrkcd him out again rs hastily
as possible. but 1t was too late. Jack
Harris clothes had absorbed all the
moisture there was. ard when we came
up with them John. sobbing aloud. was
squeezing his comride tightly in his
arms, but not from affection. Oh. no;
it was to dry and drain him free of
the precious water. There was one
shout of laughter Forgctful of their
sufferings al joined in and laughed the
harder when John turned Il reproacll-
full eye on us rs he gave up squeezing
the hcart-brokcn Jack with Il wcll-dc-
livcrcd kick. II don't see how you can
laugh. This burned fool has sopped
al the water up. and there amt none.
'ccp we lick him, and he's too ALFRED
lousy FOR that
1t WIS while the confederate army
was falling back from Dalton. Ca.
down 10 Atlanta that three scouts vol
;mtccIul to go out and feel the strength
of the enemy nearest ut hand. They
had advanced as close to the union
picket line us they dared. when sud-
denly from the cover of the woods
there came running in double quick
time Il squad of blue-clad men and be-
hind them one or two cavalry officers.
The confcdcrntcs turned without any
ceremony and broke across cornfield.
One calamity led the reversed charge,
and his companions seeing him reach
rail fence in his flight, shouted to him:
Lay down the fence, Bob; lay down
the fence for us" But friendship was
but an empty word to Bob right then.
and he undertook to leap his horse over
the obstruction. Alas! the straining
steed made too short Il spring and fell
athwart the topmOst rail. and Bob hung
there until his friends arrived. when he
implored them: For Gods sake. boys,
stop and lift me of. The horsell Kill
me even il the Yankees don't. ana
laughing themselves, rs did their pur-
sucrs. they good-naturedly helped him
out Of his Observation-Disclosures
Times.