The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-11
Love and War.


| 70 the war-as far as Chickamauga- The
| inducement? He loved a girl; he hoped,
| but dared not ask, that the girl loved
him; but all girls love a hero; therefore
he would perform glorious deeds and make
| the matter sure.
Now the war was over and he was mus
tered out; his only scar Of battle stin
neck, souvenir of a case OF mumps con-
! tracted in camp. Alas. hard was fatei
And so it was with doubling heart that
| ne paid his first call
| 1T seems evident soliloquized Lieu
tenant McKennoy, vending his way sadly
| homeward, that my war record is not
my strong suit in this deal. But we shall
see, We shall see," and he sat late in his
room smoking many big, strong, medita-
tive pipes.
The next evening he honored Miss Ere
mont with another call, al which she was
| scarcely able 70 conceal her surprise. Il
did not seem the natural order Of things
for the rebuffed-nay, almost ridiculed-
sutton to bob up serenely.
! Il am so glad that your poor, wounded
neck does not keep you indoors" was her
sarcastic greeting such a serious hurt
was enough to keep any man out Of bat
! tie"
| McKennoy smiled grimly. You are
| pleased to be facetious, Miss Fremont
I
| TO get to the front. We tried our best"
Yes, you are right It needed men.
! Why. from the beginning even the news
papers knew that if there was to be any
| fighting Feddy's Terrors would be right
| in the thickest Of it, and they were. Colo
| mel Roosevelt is a man with a will. All,
If We poor women could vote. how quickly
we would make him PRESIDENT"
! yes, so you said last night" inter
rupted McKennoy, hoping to get her out
| Of that strain.
Really, Mr. McKennoy. if you are so jeal-
| Gus of those no have proven themselves
men of sterner stuff than yourself. you
| should at least have the tact 10 conceal
it."
Women were always cruel" the Lieu
| tenant remarked sadly.
! Cruel she cried Indignantly straight
! ening up in her chair. Cruel But 1 no
| ticed that Company D was so utterly
| lacking in cruelty, so fearful Of hurting
someone, of wounding the poor Span
| iards' honor, that they were c. ful not
to leave their camp. Lieutenant McKen-
noy, I should think that you would ex-
pire from shame Twenty thousand heroes
bore the suffering of crowded transports,
| and bearded the enemy in his lair. The
gallant Rough Riders charged him the
first day. Their brothers, their fighting
brothers, were not behind. Their names
are writ in blood on the slopes of Caney
and San Juan. Nothing kept them from
the 'front.'
AIoKennoy had always known that she
was a beautiful girl, but as she stood be-
fore him now with eyes flashing, a burn
ing red spot in each cheek, trembling in
her enthusiasm she made such a glori-
ba+ he ioraF
in his Utmost soul that she should be his;
and the Rough Riders, and all other he
roes, individually and collectively, might
rot in their graves before they got her.
I'm the drama of war, Miss Fremont"
he said. 'all the star parts are not cast
on the field of battle. Some of the sub
FINEST scenes are acted out in the quiet
camp. unheralded TO the public. seen only
by the few. Those whose lot it is 10 fight
it may be to fall-to shed from buSet
wound or saber cash their lifeblood-are
fortunate, indeed. They may be brave
men; they may be cravens who go for
ward only because they fear the jeers of
their comrades; these are towards. What
ever their impelling motive. they are
urged on by the knowledge that an ex-
pectant nation at home will greet with
loud acclaim their slightest deed; their
triumphal arches are sure to be awaiting
them. But we poor devils in camp Miss
Fremont-who hears of US, or cares to
hear? And yet, believe me, those few who
know consiHer some of US camp loung-
ers' as deserving OF praise as are any"
He had spoken feelingly, and his listen
er was becoming impressed.
81 am sure I do not understand" was
all she could say.
How should you? You have heard only
one side. You knew Charlie Manoy, the
old dressmaker's only SOM"
Yes
"Wen, he died-not gloriously, at the
lannon's mouth, but shamefully, coward
ly, you would say, in a camp hospital
His last words were-I was with him
20, my poor mother! who will care for
her?' But his was a towards death, so
what does it matter? He only had the
fever And Dr. Stanley-you were berat-
ing him last night-'shameful shirk,' I
believe, was your rather strong EXPIRES
sion. Yet that boy. seeing all his chances
Of what the multitude, the unthinking,
consider the only service deserving plaud-
its and praise-work on the field of bat
tle-slipping away from him one by one
cheerfuly and patiently continued his du-
ties among the sick around him. You no
doubt read of DR. Bob Church's heroism
at Las Guasmas. We got the news one
night about supper time and Stanley, Civ
ing no signs of the bitter disappointment
he was feeling because no such lucky
chances were to be his. spent the rest OF
the night in the hospital caring for his
charges, who We're not suffering from bat
tie wounds but only prosaic fever. There
was no glory in it-Only duty. And you
do not call that noble?
ASK some of those poor devils whose
lives depended on his tenderness and skill
at Chickamauga. Miss Fremont, and hey
viii tell you stories of that youngster
that should make you proud to call him
your friend"
81 had never thought of all that" she
said.
There were a hundred chances OF dying
! in our camp" he continued. as she did not
speak. ito one among those heroes a.
Santiago. They could lie in their trench
es secure from Spanish bullets. but how
could we dodge the contagion OF typhoid,
Of malaria. of-er-mUmps? (She was q
young thine) Death was in the air We
breathed. in the water We drank Far be
il from NE TO praise myself, Miss FIRE.
mont; but when a fellow has tried his
best. and done his full duty, too. if I DO
say il il comes hard on him 70 be abused
and ridiculed. especially" in lower tone.
| ..bv one from whom he had hoped such
different things
McKennoy had risen. and stood looking
around as if for his hat He had left 1t
IL the hall as he well knew.
surely you are not going 50 early" she
said, in sudden anxiety, laying her hand
OF his arm.
YES. I do not feel as II I could bear more
tonight"
Il did not mean to hurt you: did rot
mean 10 be cruel," said the girl.
Il suppose I viii have % get used 70