The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-05-02
Col. FunstOng Valor.

OlllCt tUt OhbDIthh vi N'''
the native Filipinos, the whole coun-
try has admired the daring achieve
ments Of plucky little sandy haired
Fred Funston, Colonel Of the now IA
nous Twentieth Kansas regiment.
His name is on the tongue OF every one
who admires true bravery and 1t Will
90 down into history for deeds that
rival the heroes Of ancient or modern
times. OF him it can be said truly
that he Leads while others follow "
lie is the darling Of his regiment. be-
cause he has always been the first to
volunteer on any dangerous enter
prise In the last two days he has
swum two rivers Mt the head Of his de.
voted band, while bullets Of the saw
age enemy sang their messages Of death
all around him His crossing the
bridge of the Rio Grande. near Apallt,
eQualed the conduct Of HoIatius of old
so celebrated in story and song. With
numberless acts Of almost incredible
daring charged up against him. he has
infused his spirit into his followers
till one can say, without cavil or in
vidious comparison. that the laurels ~
Koosevelts Rough Riders look cheap
besides those won by the brave kansan
and his mon The st Louis Republic
gives the following account Of Ooh
Funston's Life:
Col Funston was born in North Car
isle. Ohio, Nov. o. 1860. Three years
later his parents moved to Kansas.
where they settled in Allen county.
Both Of these old people are till alive.
and there is no prouder couple in the
country than the father and mother of
this gallant ,oldier. And he is as de-
voted to them as any son could be.
Each week there comes a bulky letter
from across the Pacific sea. and when
its arrival becomes known half the
neighbors gather about to hear the
white haired mother read the story Of
her boys triumphs These letters are
usually written by the wife Of the gal
liant Colonel, but he always finds time
10 add at least few lines
Mrs Fred Funston who is with her
husband in the Philippines. has been
his wife but a few months Last year,
while the Twentieth Kansas was at
Camp Merriam. near San Francisco
Miss Edna Blankard. Of Oakland. Wis.
tied the encampment with her father
who was soldier in the civil war
She was introduced to Col Funston
and he apparently as hard fighter in
love as in war wooed and won her.
Three weeks later they were married
and she accompanied her husband 10
Manila
Col Funston adventures began be-
| fore he was eighteen years old. While
attending the country school in Allen
county, he and two Of his boy friends
decided it would be much pleasanter
TO live among the Indians than to go &c
school and do chores about the farm.
They secured three guns and quaint.
ty Of ammunition. and gathering g
supply Of food, set out to find a camp
Of native Americans. who were often
seen about that part Of the country al
that time.
Finally they came to the Usage res
ervation, where Black Dog was chief
There the youthful adventurers took NJ
their residence and remainded for two
months. until found by their parents
and forced TO return home. Thu
boys were loath to leave the camp, a
they had become great friends will
the Indians. This friendship wa
never forgotten by the old chief,
Black Dog. and only year ago he
sent a message to Col Funston to visi
him. Dol. Funston went back will
the messenger and remained nearly 4
week with his old friend. much to thu
warriors delight.
At the age Of nineteen he entered thu
State University at Lawrence. Hi
favorite studies were he languages ant
the sciences
In 1883 he drifted into Little Rock
after spending the summer on ranch
and applied for place as reporter lie
was still in his cowboy clothes, and the
editor looked upon the request as Joke
He gave him chance, however, anc
within a few weeks the cowboy reporter
was writing editorials.
The News. for which he was work
ing, was then an organ OF influence
among the Democrats Of Arkansas. A
couple Of months after Funston went
30 work for it the owner Of the paper
went to a meeting of the Democratic
State Committee in another city and
left Funston in charge The present
| OOlOubl 10 u SAN Nv WN1
then, and he did not like the policy of
the paper Here. he saw, was a chance
to do something for his party. SO the
morning after he was left to run the
paper it appeared with the platform of
the Republican Party at the head of its
editorial columns, and beneath this
was long apology for the course the
paper had followed in the past The
editor wrote that he had made a great
mistake, but he had seen the errors Of
his ways, and from that time on be
would support the Republican Party
and its candidates.
AS il this were not enough, there
were several local stories about Demo
cratic politicians which reflected nc
credit on them. 1t may be imagined
Little Rock had a sensation. Demo
| crats ware 40 angry they threatened tC