The evening times., 1898-11-18
A PORTO RICAN ALARM.

IT Is Hotter lndn the sand dunes of
hades.'; said the little volunteer to his
big comrade as he lay beneath a mango
tree munching that forbidden fruit. And
so 1t was, for they were in Porto Rico,
marching to capture it's capital. The day
was perfect save for the heat. For two
days ii had not rained, and the sun was
pouring down from sky as blue as the
Caribbean Sea, except to the northward
among the mountains, where a belt of
heavy clouds embraced the green peaks.
The military road wound along through
the lowlands, smooth and white. but
dusty, from the crunching of the army
wagons wheels, which were grinding its
macadamized surface into the finest pow
der. Along its sides stretched the tents
OF Ernsts brigade of Wilson's division,
the vanguard of the invading army.
lhey were scattered over or miles the
Sixteenth Pennsylvania at the front and
the Second and Third Wisconsin support
Ing them.
Juana Diaz had been passed without the
firing of shot and Coama was the next
objective point. Here the Spaniards were
said TO have massed their forces for re-
sistance, but none knew certainly of their
intentions. They had been falling back
and falling back, always unheard and un-
seen, so that up to this time the citizen
soldiers had not smelled powder nor felt
that flush of fear that comes 10 every
man, be he hero or coward when the
bullets of the enemy begin for the frs;
time to chant a hymn of death above his
head. The Americans had been going
very leisurely, for there was no need Of
haste They were biding their time and
DTeDdTlnE for inc
The commander-in-chief was bent on
avoiding errors that brought 10 death
many men In the siege Of Santiago
80 this fine hot morning the army was
not moving, but was watching. Who
knew but that the tricky Spaniards
might come swooping down that road in
force and become the pursuers instead Of
the pursued! Watchfulness was essen
tial. and far up the road. at least two
miles beyond the main line, was a COM
pany Of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania do
ing outpost duty. A skirmish line was
out beyond, spread through the fields
ana the woods. anxioUsly peering about
for signs of the foe. The greater part of
the company was stationed on a little
rise in the road commanding a good long
sweep down which the Spaniards must
come If they attacked in front There
they lay beneath the mango trees. with
'iAAN1 4tfaHNr lt4Ilil5 NtiTu IaitS OF span
ish cruelty, discussing the possibility OF
battle. and making uncompIimentary
remarks concerning the weather
r. 1e es, said the big volunteer in reply
TO the man by his side who had made
the comparison between the heat OF
hades and of Porto Rico IT'S pretty
not, but it's liable 10 be hotter than this
II these Spaniards ever make a stand
His companion made no reply. because
70 -
came pounding down the road from the
direction of Coamo. He got up on his
knees and saw in the distance an Amerl-
can soldier squirting and whipping a ma
i've pony as though Capt Gen Macias
himself were after MIN with the whole
Spanish army at his heels As the fur
GUS rider came abreast of the captain
commanding the company. he sprang
painting from his horse and stood AT sa-
iute. Ills face was purple with the
heat, sweat was bursting from every
pore in his body. He looked both hot
and scared. for his eyes told as plainly
as words that something terrible was
happening up the road
captain, he exclaimed as soon as he
could find words, the Spaniards are
coming They are driving in our pickets.
IheTe are 200 in advance and a whole
battalion following"
lIli!lEQldItlE
rather alarming information. He pusbe
his men forward half a mile on the
double-quick. securing a more advan-
tageous position, and sent back word 10
the colonel of his regiment that he neei-
ed support. Then he waited grimIy for
ms pickets 10 come in. ready and willing
TO do his share of the fighting right ther.
Il told you. Bill IL 'u'd b. hotter. sail
the big volunteer with more or less sat-
isfaction. The other man only united.
They We're both Very much interested ann
probably trifle scared, but il was tha
kind of scare that makes men night riC.t
where they are until orders come for
them to go forward or to retire. The
company waited and waited with their
hands on their rifles and their eyes st-ai J.
ed ahead, but no hot. painting PICK Is
came trooping back Instead came thre-
native muschacas girls laughing merri-
ly and eyeing coquetishiy the d dos
Americanos. This didn't look Like war in
the least, unless Cupid was the assault
ing commander, and the impatient Penn
sylvania captain advanced with : verdI
men TO make a personal rCcOnnO : IECe-
In short time he came upon his pick-ts
They appeared most unconcerned for men
who were being attacked BY 90 span
iards forming the advance Of a whole
regiment. They had their eyes op n, bIt
it was very apparent they ad.'t seen
any Spaniards. The captain demanded 10
know what the trouble was Why hal
they sent back this melodramat courier
with his tale of an attack, and in arswsr
they gave him the most bsauti u Illus
tration of the ordinary war rumor. one
of the pickets had met native who tod
him that he had seen several Spanish SOL
diers in the woods several hours b foe,
and it was therefore surmi-ed tEat there
might be others somewhere about. so II
was deemed best TO notify the captain OF
the company of the information thus
gained. The natives horss was borrowed
for the purpose, and the young soldier
selected to carry the news was inst uctet
to say that Spaniards were reported 10
he in the nefghborhood. This was enoug1
for him.
Perhaps he was really frightened; per-
hans the rush and the roar of his horse
hoofs stimulated his imagination; per
hans the memory of the hero of the war
drama who dashes onto the stage pant
ing and dust-covered came back 10 him
as he rode through the enemy's country
and lifted him from the realm Of prosaic
truth TO the realm OF romantic hctlon.
Whatever il may have been which caus-
ed his deviation from the truth, ii not
only shocked and angered his captain,
but il sent more or less OF shlVer all
down the line When word OF the al
legged attack reached the Sixteenth Penn
svlvania regimental headquarters bat
TALON was sent forward 10 support the
company while the Wisconsin regiments
were notified to be prepared for trouble.
On back through Juana Diez the rumOr
kept going and spreading, and by the
time it reached Ponce II had grown into
battle. This started the newspaper
correspondents. who were enjoying the
Injuries of Ponce in the absence of fight