The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-01
ON THE WAY TO SANTIAGO.
Two Phases Of the Character of Private
Aggie.

Aggie.
Aggie was the moving spirit among
the enlisted men Of the regiment. He
was a Philadelphia boy and his right
name was something else. While the
regiment was at Tampa he insinuated
himself into the good graces of M Of
the village bellies. After a couple Of
clandestine meetings on the streets he
received an invitation to visit the young
woman at her home. He went. accom-
panied by a non-commissioned officer as
a sort of chaperon and guarantee Of
good faith. His m at the door
bell was answered by the young wo-
mans mother in person. She invited the
callers TO take seats i'm the parlor and
shrieked shrilly up the hail stairway:
"A-a-a-aggie! Two soldiersr'
The non-com used to initiate his
shrill summons cabitally. and ever after
the private was known throughout the
regiment as Aggie.
From the day that the regiment left
its armory to the afternoon Of July 1.
when he rmped of San Juan hill with
half a dozen bullet wounds in his body,
Aggie was the life of his company. His
first exploit vas at Lakeland. Fla.
Strict orders had been issued that no
enlisted man shour visit the village
without a pass and passes were not
easy to get. There we're reasons, the
principal Of which was a pretty bru-
nette. why Aggie particularly desired to
pass an evening in Lakeland. After all
the excuses he could invent had failed.
ne decided 10 resort to stratagem to get
through the guard lines. The army
Transfers, either in wagons or on mule
back. were an exception to the other
wise rigid rule. and " ere permitted free
exit and entrance. So at dusk one eve
ming Aggie stole a mule from the corral
ana rode boldly up TO the g~uardhouse.
Unfortunately the officer Of the guard
was on the spot and recognized the
pseudo teamster.
Halt that man. he called to the SEN
try as .Aggie tried to ride boldly by.
Then hurrying up, he shouted:
"Dismount from hat horse. SIR
Aggie sat silent and motionless.
"Dismount from that horse.' repeat
ed the officer.
Not a word or motion came from the
impressive Aggie.
DO you mean to disobey me. STRIP
shouted the now indignant officer.
Aggie gszed down at him and meekly
replied: mo. sir!'
Then. sir" roared the officer. why
don't you dlsmount from that horse?
Because. sir" responded Aggie, with
impressive elaboration, lit isn't a boss,
but a mule. sir"
IL was too much for the officers fun
ny-bone. From a fit of screaming an
ger he went into a paroxysm Of laugh
ter. And through his intercesslon on
the following evening Aggie secured the
coveted pass.
Aggie's first trick at guard duty was
on board the transport Vigilancia on The
voyage to Santiago. He was on the
second relief and on duty from 3 to 10
In the evening. His post was In a mar
row gangway on the second cabin deck.
There was nothing there To g~uard-not
n thing 20 do for two long hours but
stand like a fool and fddl with a
musket." Right beside Aggie's post
there was a stateroom and in that
stateroom a game OF penny ante was In
progress. Now. IL there was anything
In the wide. wide world more than an
other whose Establishments Aggie could
not resist II was the seductive game of
draw. The stateroom door stood open
and the chink of the pennies and nickels
and other echoes OF the game titillated
Aggie's ears. Finally. one Of the play
ers spied him and invited him to sit in.
The temptation vas too great. Aggie
put his gun down Just outside OF the
door. stepped into the stateroom N set
in for just one hand. Then he stayed
for another and nothe and another.
A dark figure stole noiselessly up the
dimly lighted gangway. 1t was the off,
Ger of the guard for that day. the worst
martlnet IN the regiment He took in
the situation at a glance. and without
betraying his presence grabbed Aggie's
gun and slipped dow the
He might have arrested his man on the
spot. But he had him dead to rights.
and there was something of the feline
nature in him. He wanted to play with
his victim as a cat docs with a rat. He
would give his man full play and gloat
over him while he told futile lies ond
then confront him with the gun and the
facts. For be II known tina the num-
Der Of each soldiers gun is registered
I'm the first sergeant's books. Morrow
er. this was no laughing matter. In
the regular army men are sent TO pris-
on for the term OF their enlistment for
exactly this offense. For a the
favorite of the regiment was uncon-
sciously in a very tight hole. Then some
presentiment warned him. He Jumped
up from the game and glanced out Of
the state doc just in time to see
officer and CUR disappearing up tie
stairway TO the first cabin deck. There
was no I'M for plans. IL was a mo-
ment for action Kicking on his shoes.
Aggie followed his enemy. Fortune ia