The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-07-20


front of the headquarters of one of
the infantry regiments, talking with
the colonel, two captains and n subal-
tern. The camp was set upin grove
of Florida pines. McDutf listened
very attentively to everything that the
colonel and the captains had to say;
for these men had smelled powder,
felt steel and heard the Indian war
whoop. But he closed his ears to the
sub. (who talked q great deal), and
put him down as windbag. Perhaps
the reason for this was that Sandy was
scribbler, and felt that there was
good copy in what the older men had
to say.
He lit Cuban cigarette, and men
toned the recent victory of the Ameri-
can feet over the Spanish. The sub
slapped his knee and turned to the
colonel.
''By thunder, SIR" he exclaimed;
tthose fellows deserve all they get. 1t
would give me keen pleasure to meet
one face to face and shoot him down
like a dog"
The colonel looked at him for few
seconds without speaking. Then he
said: "Mr. Brown, you may hate a
man, and think nothing is too bad for
him; but when you have had to kill
one you will not consider it such u
keen pleasure. ~
Brown did not reply to this, and the
colonel seemed losti somber thought.
Sandy was rather pleased with what
he considered the ''sitting upon" of
the young lieutenant. One of the
dearest clauses of his philosophy was
that the men who talk least about
fighting are the ones who fight best.
One of the captains, who served in
the Cavalry against the Indians, told
IA story of major of Irish extraction.
"We were out on rather a rough
campaign, with this major in com
mand," he began. twenty-five
friendly Blsckfeet, hired as trailers
and scouts, were put in my charge.
One night the major sent note over
to me which read something like this:
Send over six of your crazy Indians
to do guard duty.
81 resented this term when applied
to my own men, so the first thing in
the. morning / went over with them
myself. l saluted, reported the men
ready for duty, and then told the
major. that, first of all, my command
was not crazy, and second, that they
were here to act as scouts and trailers,
and knew nothing of regular military
work. The major requested me to re-
member that we were long way from
the epost and that he was my superior
officer. bowed, and returned to my
own tent. Half an honr later those
six Indians were back in their quarters.
1 returned with them Immediately and
tried to make excuses for them, say
ing again that they were unfit for
sentry duty. The major was in
woful rage.
"'You say they are trailers,' he
cried; then bring them over here
double quick
"He called to one Of his men and
ordered him to drive two stakes into
the ground at distance Of about two
hundred yards from one another. Then
the major gave a carbine to one of the
redskins and told him to shoulder it.
Now, you red idiot, he said; do you
see this stake here aud that stake over
there?'
"The man looked and grunted.
"'All right; spend the next two
hours trailing from this one to that
one. See?'"
They tried to laugh at the captains
story, and then McDuff said, "Good-
night" and started back for the town.
At the hotel one of the regimental
bands was playing, and the grounds
and the rotunda we're gay with sum-
mer dresses and dapper uniforms.
Sandy seated himself in quiet corner
and talked "war" with Billings, of the
Exchange.
''We will start for the island within
seven days" said Billings.
''That's been the time ever since 1
came down here. Why don't you
make it ten for a changer" replied Nc
DUE.
At that moment the band struck in
to ''The Star Spangled Banner" and
every one arose. While standing thus
McDuff noticed familiar head and
shoulders at the other side of the
room, surrounded by attentive uni