The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-02

awaken Until morning. My bedfellow's
arm was across my shoulder. ana L
squirmed away very gently so as not to
awaken him and turned over to look at
him.. / o have been so careful.
He was stone dead and smiling as
though he'd never known a pain
The lieutenant knocked the ashes out
of his pipe and reached for his tobacco
pouch.
well. we regulars are only hired
men and nobody makes much fuss over
us, but / reckon we showed the span
iards what kind of men Uncle sam
hires. The volunteers were hot stun
though, particularly those rough riders.
Those chaps were unique in war MS
tory. Nobody ever say a troop IKE
them. and nobody but an American
could understand them. We Western
men were sort OF dubious about the
experiment. I've been stationed out
West all my life, and ] know the sort
of men who were the largest element
of the rough riders mighty well. THOSE
fellows are the coolest, most reckless
set Of d~aredevils that ever lived. we
all knew they were game. through ana
through. and that they'd risk their lives
as readily as a cent, but the army men
all shook their heads and said the
rough riders wouldn't stand dlsclpilne
and stick together.
You see, when these chaps get INTO
a scrap out West, every man pulls out
his shooters or knife and gets out OF
the hole the best way he can, wlthout
looking for any help. They are lawless
and hot-headed, and / confess | houSh
they'd break ali orders and go in, every
man for himself. and the devil take the
hindmost. but / was all wrong. Every
one of them fought like the devil, but
their officers had them in hand, and
they were as soldierly and well dlscl-
plined as regulars.
"They did get a little excited and
hilarious sometimes. After ! was MT
| lay where / could see the rough
riders position. They were lying down
on the ridge. under fire. and every once
in a while one would pop up, throw up
his hands and drop again. Then an
other would do IL and another. l
couldn't make IL out. With the first
one thought it might be a death leap
but / decided they wouldn't all be Dying
the same way. By and by a
man came dragging back from the
front. and | said to him:
What makes those Johnnles JuIhp
IN and throw up their hands n drop:
Gle grinned through the blood on MS
face and said: oh, the darned fools
are so fun Of ginger they just can't ne
still. and every once in a while one OF
them lust jumps up and gives a CO.
manch yell to let off steam
"There was nothing the matter with
our men at Santiago n Guaslmas:
but. I'm telling you. we had the KIN OF
officers = man would follow to hell'-
and the man leaned back on his pill
lows. looking as though he had at least
beer to the outposts of the region men
toned.
The Spanish sharpshooters ala as
much damage down there as the big
guns, and they took pains TO nick out
the men with the stripes. ! suppose
they thought they were the fellows we
yalued most. That accounts Tor the
number Of officers wounded and dead.
But. bless you. there was no use PINK
ing one % our leaders. They had 70
plug him through the lungs or shell on
a leg TO st0D him. / saw any number
Of them badly wounded. but paying no
attention to it at all. The doctors could
not keep them at the rear II they were
able to toddle. Why, our lieutenant
BRYAN. got a bullet through his head,
in at the temple and out at the top
an eighth of an inch swerNe would nave
settled him. He plunged right ahead
with his men: hut some Of them got
hold of him and forced him back to
the rear. The doctor saw him, BAN
daced him up, put him down on a
blanket. and told him he mustn't stir.
He waited until the doctor was out or
sight. then he made a sneak through
the brush. caught up with his men and
went to fighting again as though MS
head wasn't tied up i'm b~andages. He
kent il up like a good one until he be-
gan to stagger and lurCh and couldn't
keep his feet; and then he was swear
ing mad because the men made him go
back to the doctor. That's the kin of
men we followed down in Cuba
DO you know. IL breaks my heart to
think we fellows can't be turned loose
on the summer resorts. lust wouldn't
we have the time of our lives, In a
year or two Wen be blasted pensioners:
but now were heroes. and any one of
us could he a bowling social success.
We're wasting our sweetness mere.
Now, If we could just flock to the re-
sorts. we could all marry rich n hero
wurshiping young women, and that
would relieve the government Of paying
us pensions. ! feel I'm missing the op-
p~ortunity Of my life, but that leg isn't
in shape for sea bathing or mountain
climbing" And he looked cheerfuliy
down at the bandaged stump.-New
York sun.