Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-05-27

III less trying pursuits, ana more eS-
pecially he saw this when he found he
had one shoulder joint that swung only
half way around.
Before coming to Cuba he had been
Il shipper in Rochester brewery. AS
soon as he got into Santiago he noted
the dearth of beer in that city He de-
scribed the situation concisely in a
collect cable dispatch to his old firm:
mo beer; ship" An answer told him
that a shipment had been on the way
for a week consigned to Cuban with
a French name doing business on Gale
Marina. This dispatch intimated that
he might head off the native He met
the Cuban and genially led him out to
the American camp. Here he fed him
on canned beef and bacon, and in
cidentally secured the bill Of lading
Later he lost the native in the mazes
| or a cavalry camp, where guard dis
covered him peering Suspiciously into
tents. The Cuban explained to the
scofiing sentry that he was searching
for his friend. His adventures in the
guard tent for the next three days will
probably furnish that Cuban with
thrilling evening talks TO his grand
children 4 half century from now.
The Americans were not enthusiastic
admirers of the Cubans.
Meanwhile the American eX-mule
owner paid the freight on the goods
when they came. and cabled for more
He saw the possibilities in a thirsty
army. He found a suitable shack on
the much-travelled road at the edge of
the town. This he pre-empted after
only moderate resistance by the two
big lazy halfbreeds who We're sleeping
there: exactly how he never told told.
though he dWelt with much minuteness
on other parts Of his tale, especially 50
as to the Cuban's trip to his old cav
airy troop. OF course it was nobody's
| business where he got the ice so long
as there was enough to keep the beer
properly cold.
His judgment Of an Unprecedented
| American thirst was justified by the
returns. Across a plank stretched
from one barrel to another men in
dirty brown or blue threw silver quar-
| tiers at him. and he threw bottles Of
/ Rochester beer back at them. And the
men who We're giving up the money
considered that the eX-mule driver was
| doing them favor to sell ii 50 reason
ably. When the heroes of the Santiago
! battlefield came to this place they
| usually stayed till they We're out Of
| money. They never got drunk, be it
| known; they never had money enough.
| Between cOnsignmentS the dealer
would sit in his door and lament with
| passing inquiring thirsty soldiers the
inequality of demand and supply.
! When the soldiers broke camp for
home late in August they passed this
| dealers place on the way to town. In
answer to many touching pantomimic
appeals he replied in expressive gesture
| that he had just sold out.
Great business" he called out after
| the last files. AS the men looked re-
| gretfully back they saw him waving an
arm that moved only half way around.
| 1t is said that he moved into the heart
| of Santiago after the original army
went home. No doubt his American
enterprise is being duly rewarded down
| there. Certainly the army of Santiago
will hold him in sweet remembrance as
! a benefactor to his comrades. AS that
connoisseur in malt liquors, Corporal
Dan Hogan, put it,
"Only US fellows can truly appreciate
| the good that man did. 1t takes dry
| tack. salt sow-belly and san Juan
water under a tropic July sun to give
| a man the right thirst. | wish | had it
now My happiness would be to come
up to that mule drivers shack with
| that sign Ice-cold American beer
looking down at me and three months
| pay in my pocket. l wish" concluded
| Corporal Dan Wistfully, Il was just
| there now. Id camp in the road out
side his shack ana read the sign all
day long, knowing | had the price with
! that thirst. | would.