The evening times., 1898-09-12
TALES FROM THE SOLDIERS.

TALES FROM THE SOLDIERS.
The day was a round of pleasure for
the boy who wore blue clothes. brown
leggings and hat which bore the in
sigma, ID. c. W
For the nonce he was everybody. and
everything He smiled at the girls as
though he had known them for years,
and they seemed pleased. He had the
right of way on all the streets, nor was
his franchise questioned. His order was
good for drink in any saloon, nor was
his credit limited. Aye, he even dared
stop electric cars on the wrong side of
the street and was permitted to have
his desire.
So IL came that one of him found a
resting place on a street corner His
back was braeed by an eIectrfc-Iight pole
and he was pleased TO be far from the
dizzy whirl of pleasure. for even this
may grow bitter when deprived Of ALI
effort
He sagged around for time and won
dered why people all dressed alike and
walked six abreast. also why horses were
hitched eight abreast and cars ran in
punches OF ten.
ne was sun wondering why this was
when an urchin sidled up, and. after a
brief inspection. said: Mister soldier
gimme a hardtack"'
The soldier braced up and eyed the
urchin critically for moment He shift
ed one foot, and, after assuming judicial
attitude, remained staring at the fntrII-
der
Gimme hardtack. will yer?'' repeated
the urchin
The SoIflfa,- sIc,.-T,- -,;-.l4
scratched his head in meditation
"Hardtack, he said slowly 'sWha's
hardtack? Think I've heard tha' b'fore.
Hardtack!'
&c wan continued the urchin. gimme.
a hardtack"
The soldier paused and suddenly braced
up as though impressed with discovery.
"Oh, yes, hardtack. Tell Y m boy. Go
up street. turn right L War Department:
tina where's hardtack.
Another OF him dweIls in the regfons
round about the Government Printing Or
tce. known as Swampoodle. He was re-
eefyed with open arms. and at the supper
table ne was hungry only for inforna-
ton anent his old chums
Where's Barney WhiJe?'- he inquired
on, didn't you hear about Barney? He
was drowned last July
Where's old man O'Brien?"
Poor man. he's been dead a month.
come Sunday. He had hard time OF il.
Seen young Browning IateIy?''
BrowninG's in the hospital Had his
leg cut OFF by an engine"
rs Haggerty workin in the pool room
yet?"
NO, he's in Jail. He was arrested for
KILN niger
Where's Conlon nOw?''
Poor ConlOns 3 in the hospital He fell
off building where he was workin'."
And yet, said this volunteer to a
friend after supper. they were dead
against me enlisting becz use they were
afraid might get hurt
Company D was well represented along
the line Of glory. The boys. however. are
afflicted with poet who has a special
penchant for war cries and howls One
of the boys of this company hunted up a
Times man last night and. with great
pride submitted the following a 5 a con-
tributiOn 10 the humor of nations:
We have naUght TO sav Of Harrfes
But we have praises for Urell;
Who : this hero Hairless
Who Is this Jrel2
one gained fame from merit
That time can never mar.
He won IL IN the rebellion
Not through the Evening star
The boys are preparing to don the sarb
of the civilian once more. Their faces
grow sad as they think OF taking OF the
old blue clothes which served them so
well in days of strife and pain Not all
Of them are thus romantic, however. Not
all-for even now an old clothes empo-
rum on d Street proudly exhibits a
blouse for sale which bears a Camp
Wikoff badge, upon which is Inscribed
ID. c V. And, therefore. some bold
volunteer i Drawing the sights of Wash
ington in the cool of shirt sleeves
There are no officers and privates in
the District regiment according 10 the
weird lexicon Of the boys These are
graded into brass collars and dog rob
bers'
Imagine gettin' up all this for the
brass collars" qUoth red-faced private
yesterday morning as he viewed the mass
of color on Pennsylvania Avenue.
"Aw." said his comrade. dis is for the
dog robbers just as much"
Come off. Who'd blow themselves Just
for us. Why. they wouldn't even give Us
somethin' 10 eat in Cuba. All this is
just done for the brass collars
Just then a big sign loomed up before
them Welcome TO the boys in the
ranks The men who shouldered the
rifles
oh, ! don't know" said the red-faced
private, and his chest expanded nearly
two inches in unconscious pride.
Tarsntula tales have become the thing.
Tales Of Santiago and Spaniards hav. been
relegated and the District volunteer can
now hold his audience only with strange
annals of terror in which the tarantula
is the central figure. According 10 their
own accounts they had TO share their
spider.
Several of the boys had a group of adj
miring girls terrified by the awful dol gS
of the poor tarantula when hitherto
silent comrade stuck in with his account:
Yes: and when threw the blanket on
it, it scratched and bit around like any
thing Then l shot il. but IL still kicked
and wriggled 1t took three shots to kill
il. Maybe il wasn't a big one! 1t was
about four feet long and as big as your
wrist
What was?'' asked the ether volunteer.
The tarantula was. answered the
first.
why. you're crazy; a tarantula amt
a snake. it's lizard that stingS.
You're both twisted. said the third
volunteer. I've got one in box and it
locks Just like rabbit
NEW JERSEY REPUBLICANS.
Mr. Pitney's Canvass for the Csu-