Evening journal., 1899-04-26

from the Billiards of Dakota and the
sun-balSed plains Of Tcxas--the cavalry
mencome. They are landsmen. They
arch through dust-clouds ara race
through rainstorms, but thtN droop
when on board a rolling 81 D. Their
bowed legs fit equally well TO the back
of a mustang or Wales, but iaey will
not adjust themselves to asNaying hur-
ricaue deck.
Twenty feet below the surface of the
sea are the air-tight aud cold storage
compartments. Other compartments
where hundreds Of hammocks are
swung in tiers are above this. When
the matches are closed this second deck
IS also air-tight. Here COO cavalrymen
sleep. 4 sheet-iron flooring above them
forms the bottom of the stables. and the
sieel-shod hoofs OF the horses make a
din for the ears Of those below like that
OF many boiler factories. Another tier
of horses, and then one sees the day
light and feels the ocean breeze.
Ten hours In the black hole would Kill
horses and some people of olden times
but IL only gives headaches TO Ameri-
can cavalrymen. 1t was sad, though, TO
watch the men trying TO put nerve and
strength In the horses they loved-the
dropping, dying troop horses. II was
very sad 10 see the animals hang their
heads out into the draughtless passage
way, and dstend wider their crimson
nostrils Their eyes were illmy and
opaque-very unnatural and pitiful,
and their lower lips hung low and quiv-
cred on the fourth day out.
Then the hosting gear became very
busy, and men grew sick when they
heard the rattle of loosening chains and
so many loud splashes from the sea
below. Five days out, and there was
more room in the stables for the sur
locating troop horses still on their feet.
Their limbs were swollen now and stiif.
The air in the stables was deathly and
heavy
"Another horse down." cries the sta
bic guard, and the hosting gear crcaks
again.
A strange, ugly mood possessed Cher
ub, the bloodhound, these days, lie
refused food and was often heard
growing ominously, from dark places
He occasionally walked the upper deck
but was friend TO no one except
Shadow. Long nfter taps when all save
ship lights were out, and the cavalry
men swung and sweltered in their ham
moclss, Cherub was heardgrowling and
skulking about in the darkness. And
his eyes shone with n baleful glitter.
Then Shadow would go to him. and for
a time Cherub would rest.
The dusky boy was sad. The senti-
ment had been torn from him and an
ugly wound was left behind For the
men from the north Shadow would have
been martyr. The others he feared
and tried brayely 10 serve.
shadows no good on dis ship" he
said on the morning Of the fifth day
1--WE hated-can't do right-pussy'.
toms cross an Cherub's crazy sick
ought to be baclS-wiv' the niggers."
Many n sob with the preceding made
: IL almost incoherent. 1t was no morbit
melancholy, but helpless, hopeless
/. expression of grief. No man would
: have smiled had he been present-pooi
little heart-broken Shadowl
, Even as 1 was thinking Of men, blacl
and white, and souls unsullied. my ears
were filed with the roar of brute. il
u came from the deck below. There wa,
something hideous and fear-inspiriuf
about il. never heard such a sound
Cherub never made such sound be
fore. Yet / knew - came from bis
throat.
q The cavalrymen lounging and laugh
: ing upon deck stood erect now and fell
: for the six-shooters in their belts. Blu
:. the weapons were all stacked below II
the hammock compartment by speca
order. Again was heard the cry Of {
tortured beast. Shadow moved TOWARD
= the sound very slowly. Soldiers anS
. sailors were running and shouting OF
=, the deck below.
= "Cherub Is madl Shoot the brute
;. Look ont up therel" All these word
we heard. Then Cherub dashed up thu
. companionway. His chain dragged be
hind. His fangs were horrible TO see.
4 A sailor in his way was thrown over
d and to-day there is an ugly scar on hi
l. throat. Others were bitten. Shado1
was speaking in a low voice. We eouh
~, not understand The bloodhound an
u the boy were close together. We, VIII
were watching, shuddered. Slowly
N cautiously, a dark hand moved out an
Is grasped the chain. The red, flashin
10 orbs of the brute lowered from Shat
1, ow's gaze. We hoped no more when tn
70 bloodhound growled.
Without haste, seemingly, the dar
IN hand holding the chain moved towar
10 the halyards. The fingers worke
a swiftly for n moment. but how long
~ seemed 10 us!
I Then like a fash Shadow was bcyon
= the length of the chain, and laughn
n like one whose nerve is gone. Cheru
beat his body upon the deck and upo
~ the halyards.
IS We were in the tropics where there
,g TO cure for canine madness; Cheru
y did not roar or suffer long. and for hii
in Shadow, who loved all things small an
H. great, wept long.
IT, But out of that grief there came
ee the heart of the little duslSy boy a il
-e. sweet and lasting. for somehow II