The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-11-30

| into II series of little sobs.
Come. come" said the colonel. with
pretended grufness. Don't cry. Ex-
plain yourself and will consider your
application, whatever it is. Whose life
do you want me TO save?"
"Senor Boutelle's," gasped the child.
"Boutelle. Boutelle," repeated the
colonel. in a low voice; "that must be
that stalwart Sergt. Boutelle, of COM
pany d. reduced for drinking. What
the deuce this brat means about him
can't make out" Then aloud:
"Well, my bold young petitioner, how
shall save Private Boutelle's ufe?"
"You have the power. senor. He-he
slept last night on the guard-line. and
they tell me he will be shot in the morn
ing"
so, so," comme3tcd the colonel.
"Who told you lie would be shot?"
IAN officer at the guardhouse, II lieu
tenant, think. senor."
"Ill settle that Lieut.. Hobertson's
business if he keeps on with his joking
tricks" muttercd the colonel to him
self. i've told him once, he ought
TO resign from the army and join the
minstrels."
"Oh, coronel, beg it of you! I'll
IL l."
"If you what?"
"Oh!" cries the child. dropping the
wrapped-up nachete ard passionately
clapping her hands together, while
tears stand in her eyes, 'if thought
my life worth anything would give it
to make my friend live. lie is young
and handsome, he has many friends and
relatives at home in America. Espe-
cially there is a beautiful young lady
that he-thst he is very fond Of. |, |
am nothing. am an orphan. | would
like to die for him."
The colonel is man of family, and
has little daughter himself. Very
likely he is n bit ashamed of having
abetted and brought to this height the
torture of the diminutive tangle-haired
creature that stands before him with
moist eyes and heaving breast.
"Your petition is granted, Good-by,"
says the colonel, hastily, clearing his
throat and tossing his pipe into the
tent.
How can Good-by's infinite relief and
joy. frantic us her late grief, be de-
scribed? She cried: "Gracias, graciasl
n thousand million thanks, most super
latively kind and great-hearted
COLONEL" and, rushing forward, seized
and kissed one Of the colonels sun
burnt paws.
The colonel laughed little, and. pat-
ting Good-by on the head, said:
"Yes, my child, there won't be any
executions In this camp while I'm here.
You needn't salute my other hand.
Now tell me how you came to take such
an interest in Private Boutelle. What
do you mean by this fiery regard? l
think you are the youngest young lady
I ever met that was willing to die of
hand for somebody else. In America
sometimes the young men pretend they
are going to die for young ladies. but
they hardly ever do"
Good-by blushed, smiled and endeav-
ored to explain in n happy, serious little
voice just how the matter stood, with
all the why's and wherefores. 81 think"
she concluded, 1t may be as his rever-
snee the priest said one Sunday, that
the sun here in Cuba shines down
straight into our hearts and makes
them warm and quick. Do you think
that Is so, Senor Colonel? Are not hearts
also warm and quick in America"
"Well!" quoth the astonishefcolonel,
"here is science from babies and suck
lings. Yes-I don't know-perhaps-
you can study these things in books
when you get older, Good-by."
Meanwhile the coloneIs orderly had
been sent 10 the guardhouse to fetch
Private Boutelle. The well-propor-
toned, handsome giant Of soldier
marched up across the parade ground,
and, stopping half dozen PAGES from
the colouel's tent, silently saluted the
commanding officer, Mt the same time
nodding impercsptibly to Good-by
whose strange tete-a-tete with the
colonel had perhaps been reported to
him by the orderly.
"Boutelle," said the colonel, "what's
your offense this time. anyway"
Liquor, sir"
"The old fault. Now look here. Bou.
telle. l might tell you what n fin X fellow
you are and what bad fellow that
friend Of yours, the bottle, is. could
preach you q regular temperance ser.
mon, and bring down the house by In
Producing the story Of this little Cuban
girl that thought you were going to
be shot and wanted to give her life
for yours. l could, but it's out Of my
line. and perhaps the chaplain can dc
it better. The chaplain gets paid tc
talk on temperance and preach ser
mons. suppose I'll give him the story
of Good-by so lie can work 1t into q
sermon some time up home. All
want to say to you here is this: II
l had friend that thought as much
Of me as Good-by does of you, I'd try
never to disappoint or lose that friend