Middletown transcript., 1898-11-19

~s 8k5 Tampagave up bis
life for SCOOP"
He was full of American grit that
never let's man fall down on story.
Collins worked for Boston newspaper
before the war. sold COL" as he was
affectionately called, was hack re-
porter. He worked hard, but he was
never known to turn up news. He
could write beautiful 'stuff,o but be
didn't know news from ham sard-
wiches. He could write the cauli-
flowers for an account of street
parade, and do it well. If a house had
fallen on the grand marshal, however,
be wouldn't have known a thing about
it.
"I'm going to the front b1ys," Col
Inns announced in the local room the
day after war was declared. 81 don't in
tend that fifty years from now my
olks'll have to say, Grandpa wrote
police news on a Boston newspaper
during the war;"
sold Co.'s" decision was greeted
with roars of laughter. "Goin' to
drive an ice wagon?" asked one. NO."
ioshed another; he's going to push a
banapa cart"
"Old Col" was young for all his nick
name smacked of the decrepit. and he
was sensitive. What was horse play for
the rest cut him like whip lashes.
"I'm coming out of the fight a col
onel or corpse. boys" said Lieuten-
ant Hunt of aCincinnati regiment as he
went ia at San Juan. He was killed
just as the battle ended. Collins set
his teeth and determined to come out
of Cuba, a success or dead man. He
died at Tampa as he was coming back
from the war covered with glory.
When Collins sailed his paper had
no idea it could depend upon him for
big news. That was to be secured by
New York connection t'Old Col"
was to write. If his stuff turned ont
first rate, we'll and good. II not. be
was to be soaked" He got on the
ground just in time for the Rough
Riders fight and the big engagements
that followed. When other correspon-
dents were afraid to leave the lines and
travel across country with dispatches
Collins trudged every bit Of the way on
foot. He lodged Spanish sharpshooters
swan streams, starved and tainted
from exhaustion to reach the cable
station. There he found that his
paper had had quarrel with their
New York ally, and that he had no
cabling facilities. He had no idea bow
new his stuff was. To telegraph $3.50
worth or more of stuff might mean
that his PAPER would refuse to stand
for it, and he would bear the whole ex-
pense. He had been turned down so
many times he doubted his own judg-
ment. But he was such good fellow,
mad struggled 50, and hbUrne such hard
ships, that the correspondents of anoth-
er big news agency took his matter
and put it on the wire for him. Back
went Collins into the thick of things,
feeling that now he must be of consid-
erable use TO his paper. He did not
know it, but his stuff was great
''scoop." The other Boston reporters
had been afraid to leave the trenches,
and Collins's account was the only one
that appeared that day in Boston
paper. Collins worked like mad, rever
sparing himself, and fairly laughing at
danger. He had no tent, nothing to
eat, no place to sleep, no helpmate, and
not even the knowledge that his matter
was being printed. He somehow failed
to get connection at any time with his
paper. He wrote stories pathetic,
humorous, grand, columns and col
umns of them, and forwarded them
pluckily by mail. The more important
matter went by cable.
One night he came sick, rain soaked
half starved into a tent in which a
Cincinnati and New York newspaper
man were trying to find shelter.
"For Gods sake, boys" he said,
'.can't you take me in?" They were
sleeping on SQUARE of canvas,
folding part of it +. yer for cover. Col
lins was welcomed and jollled and
cheered as much as possible. When
great, strong men got sick in Cuba,
thousands of miles away from
home, they were apt to do weak things
they would leave for women and chill
dren in this country. Collins cried like
baby. He had half dozen pictures
Of her hidden away in the breast of his
old duck jacket.
"SGe's rich GIRL" he said, .sand
her people are away up, you know.
But If make a success of this boys. l
shan't be ashamed tosask her folks for
her"
Collins took passage for Tampa IN
the Aransas with lot of other corre-
spondents when the fighting was over.
When the time came for the health of
flcer to come aboard, Collins was too
weak to stand up. brace up, COL"
they all intreated him. "We'Il ali te
kept: here il the doctor fEds you
sick.n
Collins was dressed with the help Of
the others, frightened up and made to
appear as dapper as possible. The
health officer came on and the boys all
fiocked around Collins in bunch and
held him steady SO that he wouldn't
wave around in a weak way. He
passed muster. AS soon as the officer
ct the boat he lay down again and.