The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-19
WAR ADVENTURES OF A BOY.

| A few days ago Mrs. Dawson OF Buff
falo. wife of the army hospital stew
ard at Fort Porter, was made happy by
the receipt of postal card bearing the
brief message: II Will be home In a few
| days. am Well" 1t was signed just
plain WILL" The card was mailed at
| New York and was the first Mrs. .Daw-
son had received from her son IN weeks.
| VIII is 16 years old. Until he reached
home he was looked upon as only an
ordinary boy. Today he struts around
the military reservation, the pride Of
his parents and the envy OF his broth
ers and sisters, as well as of the other
children i'm the neighborhood. He is q
hero, a traveller and n wealthy man.
Leaving home absolutely penniless he
returned with 5000 cash, which he earn
ed, and dressed In new clothing. Be-
sides he was wounded by the Span
iards, suffered from yellow fever and
was bitten by a tarantula
When the Thirteenth Regiment left
Fort Porter for the south at the begin
ming of the war IT went by a special
train. Among other boys and men going
on this train as blind baggage" was
of whom had run away from home
VIII Dawson and his older brother. both
without a cent They managed to exist
until the train reached Tampa after
which IL was smooth sailing for them.
as the soldiers OF the regiment found
them and saw to 1t that they had
enough to eat. But it was not for this
kind OF life that Willie left home. He
looked the ground over and tried to
ma something which the soldiers i'm
the big camp wanted and he could sup
ply. In that hot climate he decided it
was something cold. and borrowing
quarter from one Of his friends, n pr-
Vate in Company G he started n lem
onade stand. The first night he repaid
the money he borrowed and n few DAYS
later started two more stands. estab-
fishing his brother and another boy i'm
the business. When the orders came for
the regiment to move To Cuba, VIII
made up his mind that Cuba was the
country for him.At this point his broth
er went back on him. and the two boys
separated. the older one coming home.
VIII secured a\iob as a cabin boy on
the transport Orizaba, receiving for his
services $25 a month and his board He
made himself popular and was allow
ed to continue the lemonade business
Business prospered. and i'm a short time
he had accumulated more money than
he had ever seen before.
On the arrival of the TRANSPORT off
Santiago Will went ashore When the
troops moved he followed. and he was
present at the battle OF San Juan, and
when IL was over the surgeons had 10
remove from his foot n Mauser bullet
which he proudly wears as a charm on
his watch chain. He saw the destruc-
tion OF Cervera's squadron and collect
ed souvenirs which he brought home
with him 1t was while in Cuba that
he had his experience with yellow fever |
and the tarantula, neither OF which
seemed to do him much injury.
When the transport sailed for Porto |
Rico Will decided to cast his lot with IL |
rather than with the regiment, and |
went along At all times the boy kept |
business uppermost in his head and /
tried in every way to increase his ]
wealth Once he tried his luck at the /
table but when he counted up |
his loss and found ii amounted to 500 |
he refused again to risk n cent In that |
manner. In Porto Rico he made some 1
additions to his wardrobe. paying prices |
several times more than the goods were |
worth. From that island the transport
went to Montauk and staying there for
some time Will had nging for home.
He brought with him letter from the
captain of the Orizaba. praising him
'or his industrious habits. and request
ng him to return to the vessel when
It was again placed In commission.