Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-11-26

a.
proclaimed to the world that COM
pany would be organized on certain
night Without any intention what
ever of being present at the meeting,
strolled to the village that evening
and mechanically assembled the steps;
not that [ had any intention OF en-
rolling-none in the world. Kate and
T. hadn't been married but three
months, and I knew it would break
her heart il left her then. And, be-
sides, my profession required my con-
slant attention. If things had been so
| could have left would have been
among the first to put down my name
i guess I would. Still, impellel
by some marvellous fascination, wall
dered in. My old friend Troutman, q
fellow whom | had tolerated with n
sort of patronizing Indifference, was
making vigorous speech, and the
listeners howled approval ut every
thing he said, though, goodness;
knows, it was duh enough and violated
every rule of oratory. But 1 suppose
10 their untutored ears it sounded
very fine. At its conclusion Trout
man invited every one who wanted to
join the company to come forward and
sign the roll. A rush was made to
the front. / started to 60 out, when
that chump of Troutman announced
that one more man was needed. lie
waited and I noticed several glanced
at me. 1t was rather impertinent, but
you couldn't expect anything better
among people with such raising. !
looked over in corner and my eyes
rested on Jack Hastley. He, too,
was gazing at me, with slight look
of contempt, I thought. l was about
to reprimand the unmannerly beings
for their insolence, when Hastley,
with curious glance at me, walked to
the register, took up the pen and com
pleted the list by signing his name. l
met him outside, drew him in corner
and handed him $50 He took it and
thanked me with little more feeling
than 1 thought one Of his breeding
could exhibit. Then L noticed that
he wasn't such q bad-looking fellow
after all. He had broad forehead,
clear-cut mouth and nose, dark, in
telligent eyes, and then he had a
resolute air about him that made you
think he was something of a mau,
even if he was pauper. When he
looked at me that night there was
something of such expressive earnest
ness in his face that almost forgot
his father was laborer and his
mother had to do her own house
work.
Well. the volunteers were called
out, and Kate and T. went to the depot
to see them off. She burst into tears
when Hastley got on the train and
waved his hand, but / supposed it was
because she was thinking of that poor
old father and mother lie was leaving
behind.
After that came the Santiago fight
and some of the Kingston volunteers
got hurt. / was sitting in my stndy,
and my thoughts involuntarily revert.
ed to ''my sub" 1t was warm night
and all the windows were up. don I
know how he got in, there was nc
noise of the door opening, but when
wheeled my chair to the desk / saw
seated opposite me the subject OF my
meditation. was naturally somewhat
astonished, but welcomed him as
courteously as | could under the cir
cumstances He gazed YEARLY around
the room. His complexion was curl
Gus mixture of pallor and sunburn
His face was much thinner than when
L had seen it last, and he had the APP
pearance of one who had been about
starved to death. His eyes roved con
stantly, but they lacked lustre and in
telligence. told him [ was glad tc
see him and asked how the boys We're
He jumped all preliminary movements
and began describing the attack OF
San Juan and El Caney Heights. His
voice sounded strangely unfamiliar
but I attributed it to his rough expert
ence.
"Tt won't do to say those Spaniard:
can't shoot" he went on, 'because as
we went up the air was as full of bul
let's as bees around hive. L ha(
never been under fire before, and
believe I would have gone back if i
hadn't been for the brave fellows
around me. We rushed on. tore dowl
those awful barb wire fences and I be
gan thinking we would soon be at thu
top and give rousing cheer for tn
American flag, when / was struck,
| think, by six Mauser bullets. On
passed directly through the heart.
I jumped out of the chair and ex
claimed: What on earth do yo1
mean? You must be mistaken, Jack
how in the mischief did you recove
so soon?'
80, I didn't recover" he said
coolly, 81 am there yet" ] shivere'
and moved away from him. Then h
went on: CHATS what I came to Sc
you about, Will. You're about tn
only man I've any claim on and Ivan
you to do me favor"
Then I noticed the sunEen conditiO
of the eyes and that his lips neve
moved while he was talking:
He abruptly asked;
"Where's kate?'
| 1 flushed Mt the familiar method O
referring to my wife. AMI coldly tol
him l supposed she had retired.
He looked disappointed and said, q
il in hurry to change the subject: