Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-09-29

those dim shadows, or even a line OF
yelling, cursing Spaniar,is spring from
the jungle down there a little way he
low him and come charging up to bear
him and his comrades back from the
hard earned field. But hc had been In
equally bad places before and did not
know what ii was To fcar. anything in
the shape of foe. He knew the impor-
tance of his task, the perIls II involved
and the consequences of failure.
But now the new found strength that
came 10 him when called to this new
task began gradually to fade away.
and he could realize how tired and
faint he was. He could easily count
up his ratiOns for the last two days
Just five hardtack. soaked In muddy
water, in all that time, and as for
sleep, when he came to think of II he
did not believe that he had had any,
unless perhaps he had slept awhile be.
tween the fighting and the detail fol
guard duty.
How tired he was now. and how he
would like to sleep! II was to be only
two hours of duty. then the relief
would come. If he could only pace his
beat il would he some relief. but his
orders were Strict-not TO move from
his tree. He must keep awake-that
was certain. If the dOnS over there
would only shoot little. SO as to break
the fearful monotony. Why not take n
shot himself and wake them up? But
no; that had been prohibited. and be
sides it would startle the whole army.
and surely they needed all the rest
they could get. He would count the
stars. But that made him dizzy and
light headed. Oh, how his limbs achcd.
And his eyes seemed so heavy! His
gun, too, was growing almost too heavy
to carry, and his belt OF cartridges
must weigh hundred pounds though
it was almost empty. If he only dared
to throw away some cartridges or take
some out of the magazine. But ammu.
milton was too precious to waste, and
he must have all his at any cost. How
long had 1t been since the detail had
gone and how long before the relief
would come? He must sleep only for
moment. and standing, so that If he
should fall asleep he would fall and
awaken. No, that was too risky. Ii
meant death to be caught asleep. lie
could stab Il hole through his shoe with
his bayOnct and wound his foot; the
pain must awaken him. Somehow the
blood felt so warm and comfortable
there--was he going 10 sleep after all
He took cartridge from his belt and
hit il savagely till he broke n tooth,
and his mouth filled with blood, but he
let it run down his face and across his
blouse, with no care for the pain or
relief from that terrible call of over.
strung nerves for rest in sleep.
How long Private Morton fought
this terrible battle with himselfa bat
tie more dreadful than any on that
bloody field the day before--wc cannot
tell. 1t seemed ages to him; 1t might
have been only the later part of his
time OF duty but at last the relief was
coming. He could not be mistaken
that was the sound OF his approaching
deliverance--ycS, there was the head
of the line within 80 yards OF him
Now he could sleep. "Oh, God, how
tired am! How blessed this sleep"
/ And 50 they found him sound asleep
at his post 1t might have been for n
moment: It might have been for two
hours. Asleep he was, at any rate,
when relief arrived. His post was the
most important on the whole line, and
its sentinel asleep. How could they
know he had fought so hard to keep
awake and had only fallen as they
We're at hand? They had found him
so, and 1t was death. He knew that.
He had not been In the service six
| years to forget that. There was nc
excuse that would save sentinel from
death who fell asleep at his post in
time OF war and in the face OF the en-.
emy. AS the grim faces of the men
that fell In about him TO take him to
the guardhouse showed no sign OF
compassion. Morton realized that he
could expect none from any quarter,
but must suffer the full penalty of his
crime.
1t did not occupy much time-his
trial. The days were too busy for that
those days before Santiago between
Eel Caney, San Juan and the surrender.
They were grim and powder black
ened. with torn and faded uniforms,
that group Of officers quickly called
together for court martial, but they
were stern and just The evidence was
clear-there was no defense-the sen-
tence brief. Private Morton for sleep
ing on post was to be shot to death in
the presence of his regiment the fol-
lowing day at noon. The action of the
court martial had been approved by
the commander. and but Il few short
hours remained for the condemned
man between this and another world.
In the old San Juan blockhouse, that
served as prison now, lay Priva K
Morton, stretched on the rough floor
and covered with his blanket There
was time enough to sleep here, and
that sleep which seemed so precious
but short time ago and which would
finally cost him his llfe-why would it
not come to him now and shut out the
awful realities Of his position? Why
could he not stop thinking for mo-
ment and sleep? Perhaps 1t would
come if he would only turn on the 9th
er side. No. that foot panied too bad
ly. Why did it not pain enough to
keep him awake that dreadful night
when was it, year ago or only last
night? He could not tell, for he had
lost all sense Of time.
Was he going crazy? 1t was not
such dreadful thing to die. He had
faced death a thousand times and was
not afraid of that. During that charge
up the hill the lieutenant had called to
him, Private Morton, cut these wires
un ras pot afra IA than hut Ind stap,