The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-02

s'''''s"-sss
That's an we can DO now" said the com
poser Of this simple epitaph. such as that
and thing of the rest of the boys that's
gone and the fever that going to get those
that amt shot"
The sun was we'll IN the heavens by this
time, and its rays beat down fleroeIy on
the gray line of road and glanced back
in dazzling flashes from the ripping San
Juan; they caught the slopng barrels Of
the rifles carried by a squad of men
marching northword and made the dingy
shelter tents pitched on the hill show like
patches of snow. The FRESHNESS of the
morning was gone and there seemed to be
blight on everything. As l rode on, the
buzzards hoped clumsily along before
tame as barnyard fowls; not deigning to
stretch their broad pfnions in flight. but
merely lodging into the bushes until pas
Sed. In places the trees by the roadside
seemed alive with them and the sky above
was darkened by their outspread wings
There was a pestilential odor in the air
from the decOmposing. haH-emptied cans
of meat left by the wayside from not too
well buried mules. After the last rain
boughs Of trees had been thrown into the
mire TO prevent the wagons from sinking
hub deep and nov. denuded of bark and
leaves. they had stretched and warped
themselves from one bed into which they
had been ground and arched out. bare and
bleached like the ribs of skeletons.
The men shutting on ahead were COL
ored troopers of the Tenth Cavalry. They
had the S anne query as the men of the
git to fightin' boss?'
No, they had not had fighting enough.
they said; they wanted to show them
Spaniards there wuz a few of us left?
"Dey'u be er hot time in e OF town eff
we all gets er chanst at it, said one,
with a grin. Il got ter have one er two er
dem Spanyuds for my bunky yit. Yasstr
he's daid; dey done killed him. Wish Ter
Gawd thish yer truce business wuz over"
SO il was everywhere-a brooding over the
death of comrades, a feverish desire to
get at ii and have it over" a gloomy an
tcpaton. realized every hour, OF sick
ness to come.
General Wheeler was in his tent Che had
picked out the most dangerous spot on the
line to pitch it. Of course). and he was
walking nervously up and down. his hands
crossed behind his back. I asked him
what ne thought of the chance Of a sur
render and found him despondently hope
full. He seemed TO realize that the chance
for another Of the good. hot fights. such
as his soul delighted in. had passed. and
that a bombardment was about the only
alternative 10 a surrender. IF it was only
the SpsuiSrds." he said, there would be
no questioned waiting, but you see the
Spaniards don't care continental what
becomes Of the city if they can't hold it.
and We would be simply destroying the
property OF our allies. 50" I-esisnedly. y
suppose there IS nothing for IL but 10 wa.t''
General Lawtou expressed himself TO
about she same effect bU. the stan officers
generally We're less inclined than their
chiefs 10 consider ;he Incidental damage
70 Cuoans in Santiago. How long. how
long, they exclaimed. ASH turned a wtrv
E;tie sergeant o. the Seventh Infantry
was peering over the breassworLs Of the
Spanish trenches. iufront % which an
officer was walking slowly along. There
would be pretty shot" he sad; - bee
ut.ful shot. IEt wasn't for them blamed
white flags" He wore a bronze ''d.s;ia-
gu-shed marksman's" badge. and his !nter
4 est was intense and enthusiastic. Il never
saw better light than We have got here. q"
he continued. The sA3odng's perfect.
BIZ: lis a horrible thing 20 shoot man
down that way. lust as II he was q clay
4 pigeon.'
on Monday morning the sergeant got
/ his pigeon and he did not seem 70 BE- t-ou5
led much win remorse when he told me
about II.
It was just in the same place where
was when I saw YOU the other day" he
said. and this officer vas waking across
That open place The frs; shot struck a
IJt.e TO the -isat and lie stopped and
looked over % where I was. Then saws I.
I Tveso,y0u. and took ;. n aooutan Incl.
10 ttthhtththhsegsoI ahao ''theshit esa-ce
10 the lef, and he wen down in = heap. rs
good TO set 10 work again"
KENNETT :. HARRIS.