Natchitoches populist., 1898-12-30
WAR ADVENTURES OF A BOY.
Ran Away from Home, Was Wounded In
Cuba, and Made Money.

A few days ago Mrs. Dawson, wifi
of the army hospital steward at For
Porter, Buffalo, N. Y, was made
happy by the receipt of q postal care
bearing the brief message: 81 will bt
home in a few days. | am we'll" II
was signed just plain will" The
card was mailed at New York, and
was the first Mrs. Dawson had re,
ceived from her son in weeks.
VIII Is sixteen years old Until he
reached home he was looked upon as
only an ordinary boy. To-day he
struts around the military reservation,
the pride of his parents and the envy
Of his brothers and sisters, as we'll as
of the other children in the neighbor-
hood. He is hero, traveller and
a wealthy man. Leaving home abso-
lutely pennileSs, he returned with 5000
cash, which he earned, and dressed in
new clothes. Besides he was wound
ed by the Spaniards, suffered from
yellow fever and was bitten by tar
antula.
When the Thirteenth Regiment left
Fort Porter for the South at the be-
ginning of the war it went by a spe-
clal train. Among other boys and
men going on this train as "blind bag
gage" was Will Dawson and his older
brother, both of whom had run away
from home without cent. They
managed to exist until the train
reached Tampa, after which it was
smooth sailing for them, as the SOL
dlers of the regiment found them and
saw to it 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 find some
thing which the soldiers in the big
camp wanted and he could supply.
In that hot climate he decided 1t was
cold, and borrowing a quar-
tei from one of his friends, a private
in Company c, ne started lemonade
stand. The first night he repaid the
money he borrowed and a few days
later started two more stands, estab-
fishing his brother and another boy in
the business. When the orders came
for the regiment to move to Cuba,
Will made UP his mind that Cuba was
fnr Il i'm, A hi yv,4
lls brother went back on him, and the
two boys separated, the older one
coming home. Will secured a job as
cabinboy on the transport Orlzaba,
'eceiving for his services $25 month
md his board. He made himself pop.
liar and was allowed to continue the
business. Business pros
oered, and in a short time he had ac-
more money than he had |
,ver seen before.
On the arrival of the transport off /
Santiago VIII went ashore. When
he troops moved he followed, and he
vas present at the battle of San Juan,
md when 1t was over the surgeons
lad to remove from his foot Mauser
Juliet which he proudly wears as q
harm on his watch chain. He saw
he destruction of Cervera's squadron
md collected souvenirs which he
rought home with him. 1t was while
n Cuba that he had his experience
With yellow fever and the tarantula,
either of which seemed to do him
luch injury,
When the transport sailed for Porto
iico VIII decided to cast his lot with
rather than with the regiment, and
vent along. AT all times the boy
ept business uppermost in his head
nd tried In every way TO increase his
'ealth. In Porto Rico he made some
editions to his wardrobe, paying
rices several times more than the
Gods were worth. From that island
le transport went to M0ntauk, and
fter staying there for some time VIII
ad a longing for home.-New York