Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-11-18

Calling. gun Bills now doing the pub
lie service by honoriug those
same straps in the Philippines.
But before entering on the renl story
it may be we'll to acquaint the general
reader with the difference between
shoulder straps and chevrons. Be it
known then that the wearer of Shout
der straps is an exalted individual,
moulded from little finer clay than
ordinary mortals. He is q commits
sioued officer in the United States
Army, and as such, is on his dignity
all the time, never descending to the
level Of his plebeian brethren, the
rank and file or enlisted men.
The wearer of clevrons, on the
other hand, is just plain soldier like
the rest of them, only given little
authority VERY little at that and a
few dollars extra pay.
Now, Gatling-gun Bill never ex-
pected to be anything more than a
non commissioned officer, a wearer of
chevrons, because, in the first place,
like all other soldiers, ne heartily de.
spised the officers with their fine
manners, exclusive clubs and elegant
homes. Then, in the second place. he
did not have the education necessary
to DO promoted from the ranks and
could become commissioned officer
only by special act Of providence or
the legislature, for some act OF bray
cry which deserved recognition in that
way. Like every other soldier, OF
course, he was hoping that some tluke
would bring luck his way and make
him one of the elect, for even though
the officers were despised lot, there
was certain fascination about life in
the upper circles. He could stand a
good deal of despising if it came to
that.
Still, as has been said, he never ex.
pected to become an officer, SO one day
when his captain smiled on him be-
niynly aud made him sergeant of the
gatling-gun squad, he was greatly
elated. The height Of his ambition
had been reached almost.
Gatling-gun Bill had served two
years in the army when the Spanish
American war broke out. He had be-
come fine soldier il that time and
was deeply imbued with the spirit Of
the service. He had made record
on the rifle range the first year and
after his promotion had surprised
every one with the mannavering Of
the gathns-gun. 1t was his pride and
he had been told that there was no
better man in the whole army in q
similar position than he.
He used to pat his gun affectionately
after practice and he looked with pity
on tho poor fellows who had to work
with such crude weapons as pigiron
shot putters, as he called the heavy
artillery. In Bills eyes there was NO
weapon on the green earth which could
DO made to do anything like the work
Of LIS gafling.gun. He knew it was
tue greatest mac .ine in the world and
wondered why the army was not en-
tirely reorgani: ed into gatling-gun
squads. That i.deed would be an
army. in his opinion.
And 80 when Inc war broke out Bill
was in the seventh heaven Of delight
Mt thought OF being ablo to get in his
work on real battle field. In his
dreams he saw terrific combats, hot
fighting on many fields, and the
greatest activity aud severest engage
ments always around his gun. He
saw himself master OF the situation
many times, driving back the enemy
with terrible loss at all points, con-
quering where Il envy and light artil-
lery, cavalry and infantry had been
defeated.
For Bill was young yet and oil his
war experience amounted to two
years. practice on specially prepared
ground s, firing Mt wooden enemy
tina never seemed to care aud neither
reiterated nor returned the fire.
At Tampa Bill got q taste Of the
real thing. There he had to drag his
gun through heavy sand, maneuvre
in swamps and junyles, ford rivers and
do other unpleasant things. He was
quite disguised with the War Depart
ment for not having the bushes cleared
away and the streams bridged. How
could any one be expected to show
off when placed in such o position?
However, he told himself it would
be different when thoy once got into
actual campaigning. The engineer
corps would have things fixed up ship.
shape so there would be no bothering
with tangled underbrush and unforda.
BILE streams while advancing OH the
enemy.
As has been remarked before, Bill
was young.
In the courso Of time the troops
reached Cuba aud it was not long
Afterwards whom the fighting began.
Then Bill discovered the meaning OF
tho word Campaign" in its broadcast
sense, and found that all his knowl.
edge OF 'inaueuve,ing was Of no avail
iu the thick chapparal Of the island.
He had hard work to keep up with
the advance, and when it came to the
Battle Of Santiago he was left miles in
tho rear protesting vigorously and
hurting 0hutucbsuo Nv AAS iVShs WptO
the troops moved on triumplantly to
the crest Of San Juan hill.
IL was late that night when he
finally managed to bring his squad
md gun to the firing line. He was
assigned position and moved to. it
without comment. He was fast losing
fifth in the gatling- gun as weapon,
and meditated at length on its proba-
BILE value as a piece of scrap-iron. He
had not had chance yet to use it
once in the campaign, and did not see
exactly where his chance wouil come
IN. The morrow held possibilities,
but they wero very vague and not OF
oil encouraging kind.
ITO Think" he said to Mango Pete,
q mud-plugger las they call the infan-
rymen) with long experience on the
plains, 10 think that should have
spent year drillin' my squad and
gottin' EN- to top.notchcrs an then
be lost in tho first scrap ever seen"