Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-16
MY SUBSTITUTE.

military parlance as substitute but al
ways regarded him as such. A notice wns
tackled up nt tho foot o. the steps leading
to the little hall In Kingston. Tho crook
ed characters, laboriously formed, pro-
claimed to the world that a company would
bc organized on certain night. Without
any intention whatever Of being present at
the meeting strolled to the village that
evening and mechanically assembled tho
steps. not that had any intention Of on
folling-none In the world. Kate and
had been married but three months,
and knew 1t would break her heart II
left her then. And, besides, my profession
required my constant attention. II things
had been so 1 could have left would
have been among the first to put down my
namc--I guess 1 would Still, impelled
by come marvellous fascination, wander
ed In. My old friend Troutman, follow
whom had tolerated with sort of pat.
ronizing Indifference, was making Wig
orous speech, and tho listeners howled ap-
provsl at everything he said though good
ness knows, 1t was dull enough and VIC.
lated every rule of oratory. But suppose
to their untutorod ears 1t sounded very
fine At It's conclusion Troutinan invited
every one who wanted to join tho company
to come forward and sign tho roll. A
rush was made to the front. ] started to
go out when that chump Of Troutman
announced that one more man was need
ed. He waited, and ! noticed several
glanced at me- looked over in corner,
and my eyes rested on Jack Hustley. He,
too was gazing at mo with u slight look
of contempt, 1 thought. With u curious
glance at me he walked to the register,
took up the pen and completed tho list by
signing his name. / met him outside,
drew him In corner and handed him $50
He took 1t and thanked me with little
moro feeling than l thought one of his
breeding could exhibit. Then | noticed
that he wasn't such bad looking fellow
after all. He had II broad forehead, clear
cut mouth and nose, dark, Intelligent
eyes, and then he had resolute air about
him that made you think he was some
thing of a man, even II he was pauper.
After that came the Santiago fight, and
some of the Kingston volunteers got hurt.
l was sitting In my study, and my
thoughts involuntarily reverted to tiny
SUBJ" 1t was warm night and all tho
windows were up. l don't know how no
got in, there was no noise of the door open
ing, but when wheeled my chair to the
desk saw saated opposite me the subject
of my meditation. / was naturally some
what astonished, but welcomed him as
courteously as l could under the circum-
stances. He gazed wearily around the
room. His complexion was curious mix
ture of pallor and sunburn. His face was
much thinner than when 1 had seen 1t
last, and he had the appearance of one who
had been about starved to death. His eyes
roved constantly, but they lacked luster
Ali Al A. n II
to see him and asked how the boys were.
He jumped all preliminary movements
and began describing the attack on San
Juan and FL Caney heights His voice
sounded strangely unfamiliar, but I at
tributed 1t TO his rough experience.
1T won't do to say those Spaniards
can't shoot" he went on. because as
we went up the air was as full of bullets
as bees around a hive. / had never been
under fire BEFORE and I believe would
have gone back II 1t hadn't been for the
brave follows around me. We rushed on,
tore down those damnable barb wire
fences, and l began thinking we would
soon be ut the top and give rousing
cheer for the American flag, when was
struck, I think, by six Mauser bullets.
One passed directly through my heart"
jumped out Of the chair and exclaim.
ed: "What ON earth do you meanS You
must be mistaken, Jack How In the
mischief did you recover so soons"
'Oh, didn't recover, he said coolly
IL am there yet" l shivered and moved
away from him. Then he went on:
"That's what came to SEQ you about,
Will. You're about the only man I'ye
any claim on, and want you to do me
favor"
nlo., II -
the eyes and that his lips never moved
while he was talking.
He abruptly asked:
where's KateY"
1 flushed at the familiar method of re-
ferring to my wife, and ooldly told him I
supposed she had retired.
He looked disappointed and said, as II
In hurry to change tho subject:
What l want, Will, is this: They have
got me planted on the side of one of those
clay hills down there along with lot of
the braSest boys in the world, but I want
to come home. That hill will wash away
In short time, and i don't want my
bones mixed up with the trash that will
go down tho gully. want you to go
down there and hunt me up and bring me
north. There is IA Photographic they
haven't torn my clothing otf-fastened to
the shirt. You will know who 1t is And
then thors IL great tear on the loft arm
from the hand clear up to tho elbow That
was made by the barbed wire. There arc
two bullet holes through the left leg, one
through the right shoulder one near the
right knee and one through the head
There may be others that struck after the
last one was fired
~ want to be laid alongside Sister
GracrI-his voice shook through the thin
lips-"and then some one may some time
come out there to the little cemetery and
put flower or two over us. ! know
mother will, and hope some ons else. I
have had hard life, Will, and few
months before / went to the war passed
through one Of those experiences that stay
with man. You know what / mean.
She was very kind, and l loved tho very
air she breathed OF course she was way
above mo. She married, and I--well,
died. No, I'll not tell you who she Is, but
want to be whore she can come IL she's
A-mind. almost fancy that could feel
those footsteps near me. VIII you do this
for me, WHIP I know it's asking lot of
you to mako that long trip, but renem-
ber you couldn't have got out of 1t that
night II hadn't taken your place."
And as / made him the solemn promise
to faithfully execute his wish glad smile
stole over his face and he glided from the