Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-11-25

i: he S'. S: e. s' e; ::
pass the required physical and men,
tai examination, and in the second
place Uncle Sam had sent out orders
to recruit every available candidate,
and any one was considered available
who had one lung and could see out
of one eye.
Thus did "Hayfoot" Harry become
o member OF the Ninth shortly after
war had been declared.
OF course he was not "Hayfoot"
Harry when he entered the service.
That beautiful and euphonious sobri.
quet only came with time-a very
short time, in fact. He was sent to
the awkward squad Immediately on
his enlistment and there he remained
until the Captain lost his religion, the
First Sergeant threatened suicide and
the ranking Corporal became raving
lunatic.
And all this because he did not
know which was his left foot and
seemed unable to learn. The more
he was coached on it tho worse he be-
came, until at last the drill sergeant
in desperation and despair cried out:
"Say, you, you club.footed Shang.
hui, if you lead right foot again I'll
hayfoot you. DO you hear?'
And promptly on the next order OF
forward, march," Harry led off
with his right and was duly hayfooted.
That operation consists in showing
good.sized wisp of hay down the out,
side of the left Logging. 1t shows
which foot is to start first on the
march. AS long as it was there Hurry
got along fairly we'll, and he was
never without it until the regiment
was packed on transports and started
for Cuba. Then the hay was re.
moved; not SO tho name; that stuck
to him forever and he is known by it
to-day.
But Harry was not stupid by
any means. In the manual of arms he
was as proficient Us the oldest man OF
his company. And he was crack
shot, too. Up to 1900 or 1900 yards
he could make as good score as the
best sharpshooter. Like all men he
had his virtues and vices, about an
equal quantity of each. But he was
genial, generous, whole-souled lad
and we'll liked by all. In Cuba he
showed the stuff he was made of.
"Holy cat!" he exclaimed when the
regiment landed in hot fire from tho
Spaniards. "HoIy cat, this is some.
thing like it. This is the real thing.
I shouldn't be surprised if we saw
fghtin' down here. Maybe we'll git
all that's comm to u.s."
Which, as after events proved,
showed that he had the true spirit of
prophecy.
Shortly alter the landing Harry WAS
detailed to the pioneer squad. This
is body of mon selected from the
different regiments to precede the
army and build bridges, roads and
fords. 1t is headed by an officer with
three or four commissioned Off
GERS who take charge of detachments,
woiking on half a dozen different
jobs at the Same time, the whole pro-
ceeding in regular order and never
getting very far from one another.
One morning the detachment in
which Harry was working was de-
tailed to construct ford over
stream. 1t was at bend of the river,
hemmed in on all sides by dense jun
gle. AS the work was proceeding
rapidly every one thought to have the
job finished by noon, when suddenly
a Kissing OF bullets filed the air and
two men fell, MORALLY wounded. In.
stantly axes and shovels were dropped
aud the squad made rush for the
road. They were going it helter-
SHELTER, the Sergeant in the lead,
when they were arrested by sharp
commando:
"Halt!"
Every man stopped and turned.
Harry had given the order and when
they realized it were about to proceed
again when he called out:
clay, youse, where you goin'?"
"Jest watch our smoke an you'll
sce," replied the Sergeant.
"You amt runnin' away from the !,
Greasers, are you'" returned Harry. !
"Not bit of it, but they need us
Jest now up ut headquarters and we
better git there mighty lively, too.
Come on, boys"
NO." yelled Harry authoritatively,
come on with me. Well turn in
and give 'em rassel."
~ command you to follow me,
men" said the Sergeant holly.
Take your old command an 90 OH
home with it,"
Harry plunged into the woods and
was Immediately followed by every
nan of the detachment.
"I'll have you all court.martialedi1
md shot for disobedience," yelled the
Sergeant as parting shot.
But that had not a particle OF effect
IN the men who were now dominated
~ Harry's personality. When they.
we're out Of sight in the woods Harry
lalted the squad and said:
Boys, have an idea they's quite
! bun'h Of Spaniards layin' around
They's about thirty of
Is hers an I guess we're good for n