The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-09

A Civilian Person, who Could iii Spare the
Time, Plays 9ood Samaritan ut Manila.

E00 uDDGI u0Nk WIN hEh -
! He was Just q plain private. and really had no
| right TO be In the place whore the officers 60.
The attendants from the hospital had put him
aboard Just as the tender was about TO start on
her morning trip from Cavite to Manila. When
he was with his mates ut Pelo Alto and repre-
scented Stanford In athletics he weighed almost
100. but seven weeks in the hospital had
changed all that. His eyes were deep black
pockets in the tightly drawn faded parch-
ment skin that held together his brain rack.
Hislegs and arms were like the slender bamboo
stems among which his comrades had been
fighting south OF Manila. Helay fat on his back.
wrapped up in the folds Of the brown canvas
uniform that fitted him once. His ridiculous
shoes stuck straight up, except that now and
then they wabbled q bit on the feet that no
longer fitted them. Under his head was q pair
Of mould boots wrapped In his extra shirt. He
wasn't very comfortable. but he was going
back to his regiment. 10 the boys once more,
where there would be friendly faces and some
one to talk to him. and. II his imagination
could force itself far enough. something like
the breath OF home. It was the "~oivilihn per-
son" who rated place with the officers
that broke the joe with the cheerfully feeble
question:
Been sick r.
Somewhere down in the black caverns the
eyes responded with the suggestion OF q
twinkle. Then the voice struggled into audi
bility:
mo-" 1t said: been fishing"
"oh." said the civilian person. Thought
you'd been in hospital"
Seven weeks" answered the voice; but
I'm going back to my regiment"
He tried to smile. but when the thin lips drew
back he seemedto be afraid his Jaws would fall
apart. and gave 1t up.
ogavan waaka - fha voioa aaid aOafn. " and I
haven't even ired q shot. Haven't don q bit
of work since we got here: haven't seen a
Spaniard. not even q Guam prisoner"
The thin lips parted again and there was the
old suggestion OF q twinkle In the deem eyes.
The civilian person sat down beside him. Turk
fashion. on the deck. Pretty comfortable 2"
he asked. Somehow he wanted to talk. but he
didn't know Just what to say. The soldier
actually grinned-
Pretty fresh when I started" he said. The
voice was almost o whisper. The tug had
struck the long roll kicked up by the breeze.
This thing bothers q bit" he went on. but
I'll get along. I'm going back to the boys. you
know"
The Rapido got out into the bay among all
the ships. The sick man rolled his head and
saw the new transports and the men-o-war.
IT never saw these boats before" he whis-
pered.
Would you like to sit up on the bench 2"
asked the civilian person.
Cant make II" whispered the soldier.
The civilian person thrust one burly arm
under his shoulders and the other under his
knees. Strengthened up with him. easily a. II he
were a child. and sat down with him at the
rail where he could see all the bay. and the
shipping and the green fringe and white walls
and red roofs OF Manila and the big bright
Stars and Stripes floating over the Lunetta,
so,dN;eorr SO G n a as don ! wweis;b % mnra.n niD th9
He looked at all the ships. and the civilian
came. and what troops they brought; then
about the capture of the city and the work the
| was the first to reach the Lunetta. and one Of
his mates was shot down there. -.
Say" Whispered the en sick man IT,, "it T, great great
in the hospital. but the doctors are busy, and
they get sort Of used to seeing. you round. and
s 70 Wish * the thsy ISPt talk e me. but H / Guess they
Sometimes they died there in the hospital.
One night one died right near me; He was
Pm reiflty f fiSe; y we're sR iSts ii f leate es d baa he se dia az
my life till that niGht: /! guess It was mid.
N oIG mf e saty ava cr snsy Tedfe down al esle @g hands 4 SEt s HHi
knees. I eouldn't, walk much. 70 his Got and
died and I er;awled back to my cot. and by and
by they found him.,
nan. "HS 9g s ! y XII nc sS eIViIi to GET gsts out to your COM
"Oh. 1 guess I'll make it. somehow. 1 amt
e. as iES il Is Is t %a'' but III make 1t by and BY
The sick man dropped his head on the rail.
Guess III have 70 GO back ffI he /, said: at lat;
d def fyS iii sb he soe me p dSEn ana ID l lPft be lie al he ris 2R the
The civilian person had work to do that re-
shoes for a pillow, and then told a lie, -.
II haven't anything te d. he said; II yoq
"a The 20 Oi Pee > $ ss@H fi nj s@s t R %fItch SHYS and a feeble
o aHRf Es1 psasGn GUY lT6 &c % Sss a liz !lsh ff a Fh 81 ds seS
eyes that was not a twinkle. The Rapido tied
up f n nsT leR %as FL Manila BEFORE" said the
soldier witt the laugh a. I in his eyes again ITS
city lay under the ,unclouded ttropic sun and
man walked who could ride. and a long string
Of negatives answered the queries Of the civil
place. he found a man who did not answer. oc-
cupied" to his demand. More than, an hour
R BED s sisE s e959se I hS oe the deck eRe in hs sbe sw aSis5p:
civilian person picked him up and carried TbI him
'q%R aeSo G &sIo, s tfG% BE- Rss sa pace and helped
day" whispered the soldier. II wish I could get
some commissary things" Il was 2 long way
son had work to do; 4 Filipino pony makes
long two miles. The civilian person thought
Of these things, and lied again.
Lets go by. the commissary's," he said.
"Ive got lots OF time"
It was almost noon when they reached the
"Sales from & to IL" sign. and the civilian per-
son asked what the soldier wanted. There's a
large list Of good % fht thing z Int In the he sHI%pm mis- g"s
they were what the soldier wanted: This civil
| man. and came back to tho cart with his arms
full Of cans. The soldiers look made him think
1t would be all right, somehow.
Two miles at a mile an hour takes two hours,
| and the work. of the civilian person that would
brook no delay was drifting away to another
day. A boy came by the carriage selling the
frozen cholera that passes for waterloo in
Manila.
Watt said the sick man. II want some OF
The civilian person put his arm further around
the soldiers shoulder to give him an easier rest
/ .-I ,ntl, - NJ .rAt, an ~ aua that n,k 49,