The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-16

I
used to 60 across the trail from the post
to II Waco, three miles away-and there
were lot Of ugly looking black bears on
that trail, too, can tell you--and, well,
we'd load up on Jawbones' barbaroua
Siwash whisky. Jawbones was the hall
breed Siwash who sold It, Wilson never
went along with u.s. He didn't drink We
kind of liked him for that, too, for, with
! big heads and sore stomachs, we were all
swearing off every pay day-after our
money was spent at Jawbones'.
No, Wilson put in his off duty time
tramping through the pine and spruce for
ests along the beach, with stick in his
hand, always alone. One day the tide
rushed in suddenly and caught him at the
foot of the cape. He had to climb the 600
foot rock, which was almost perpendicular.
Wouldn't have tried IL for million, even
to save myself from drowning. Ho smiled
u little when I told him SO. He'd been
aloft on ships, you know.
Well, this is the finish. Tt has been
long time In coming, but you had to I'M
derstand what manner of man Wilson was.
One bright day the sentry up at the
lighthouse yelled down to the sergeant Of
the guard that an American man-of-war
was coming over the bar. Candy is saIut-
Ing station, so that men, war are always
reported by the guard. Wilson was walk
ing No. post, in front Of the guardhouse,
and he repeated the lighthouse sentry's
call to the sergeant inside. When the old
guard was marched off, relieved by the
new ono, Wilson won't up to the lighthouse
with one of us to have look through the
glass at the man-of-war. He grew little
pale as he made her out through the coast
guard binocular, but said nothing She
was one Of the old black ships of the old
navy, and had dropped her mud hook of
Astoria, ten miles across the bay. Her
steam launch, dancing on the rollers way
off in the distance, was heading our way
as Wilson looked through the glass. As
the launch began to come near Wilson
went down to the little dock alone The
officer Of the day and three men of the
guard were on the dock, waiting to receive
the naval officer in the launch, who carried
the compliments Of the commanding off,
Ger of the ship to tho commanding officer
Of our post.
The launch pulled up alongside the dock,
and as the guard came to present a fine
looking young naval officer stepped ashore.
He was the living image of Wilson, only
younger. All of the fellows of the guard
noticed the resemblance Instantly, but
they did not see Wilson, who had hurried
ly left the dock when his counterpart with
the sword and the silver anchors on his
blouse collar stepped from the launch
The young naval officer and the officer
of the day got into an ambulance and were
driven to tho commanding officers quar-
tiers. Mess call went in few minutes,
and we were all marched in to dinner. The
mess hall was on the floor below the Sleep
ing quarters.
We had scarcely sat down and begun to |
bully the kitchen police before we heard
loud shot from the floor above. We made |
rush for the stairs to find out what the |
matter was: AS we scrambled up, the am
bulance carrying the young naval officer,
returning to the launch from his mission,
drew up ont III front of the quarters. Tho
sea officer had heard the shot and was hop
ping out Of the ambulance to investigate.
We found Wilson sitting on the edge Of
his bunk in his shirt sleeves. His shirt
was soaked with blood, and there was a
big hoo in his right breast. His rlo lay
on tho floor beside the bunk. He had tax
Ell off his right shoe and pulled the trigger
with his great toe. He was very white in
the face, but smiling,
well" he said in q low voice as we
stopped over to examine him, "you fellows
can sit around the stove and have some
thing to talk about on rainy afternoons
now. But it's all right--aH right
Just then the young naval officer pushed
through the crowd Of us around the bunk.
When no caught sight of his brothers face,
lie reelcd, and one Of us had to catch him
% prevent him from falling
jack Oh, my Godl'' was all the young
elbow with the silver anchor could say. It
vas easy for us fellows standing around to
ee how his heart was aching under his
blouse.
cts all right, Ed; all right Wo all
neaked away then. Well, no, l can't say
hat any of us felt very hilarious just then
or fact
The little lieutenant of our battery went
n. In few minutes be came out, just al
most carrying the young naval officer, a
nan about twice us big as he was.
We all volunteered for the firing party,
nd the four young wind pushers who
for the batteries quarreled over
'hich OF them should blow "taps" over
no grave. We'd all spent many an after
Don cleaning our guns after firing volleys
} those passed from our outfit over the
wide, but that certainly was the-well
le breakingest up funeral that Candy ever
Nv. Wilson's brother was there, in full
ross. But the name that was printed by
lie post painter on Wilson's headstone
as not Wilson. 1t was the same name as
nat of the young naval officer. The ceme-
ry at Candy is only n couple of hundred I
ct from the roaring sea. In few weeks
70 ladies, one quite old and white haired,
e other young, pretty, but sad looking,
Inc TO Candy in mourning. They had {
wilson" body sent somewhere back to 4
% states.
1t was a long time before we got at the t
side of tho story. Then we found out {
at "Wison" had got his commission at /
est Point and had resigned year after q
s graduation on account of some diff
lty. He had shipped in the navy as q
lejacket. After his first cruise he had
ell drafted to ship ON which his broth 7
who had meanwhile graduated with f
stinction at Annapolis, was serving as a a
itch and division officer. The humllia- {
N of 1t had been too much for him, and ! C
wilson" had promptly deserted. Then n
got him. He had probably been medi- v
ing suicide for long time and the final il
hit Of his brothers face in such an off o
earth place as Fort Candy wrought v
on him as the working of fate that |,
med to him to be crushing. Thus the
. ball. We did not talk of him around
stove at all. But his gun was taken
of the rifle rack and slowed away out 81
sight.-Clerence L. Cullen in Washing. "
Star. Il
81