Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-31

ECHOES OF THE WAR.

Whatever NAV be said of Aguinaldos
nude and ragged bushwhackers call them
rebels, savages or treacherous cutthroats'
as it suits the fancy; there is one admis-
sion made to their credit and that is their
faculty of imitation. This was remarked
long before the outbreak Their ability to
grasp the rudiments of the language OF the
conqueror as we'll as Of various trades was
oonspicuously shown in printing offices and
newspapers started by Americans In me-
chanical branches they had shown wonder
full aptitude as pupils, becoming quite pro-
ficient in the handling of tools in few
weeks This faculty is now turned to some
account in war. Freedom Of Manila re-
lates an incident showing that the Filipinos
are familiar with American army commands
and sentry signals. During a fight on April
12 members Of the Minnesota regiment
heard commands given by the insurgents In
English One company Of this regiment
went to the relief of another which had been
attacked at night near Bocave bridge. When
it approached the bridge it was challenged
in the regular American way with Halt!
Who's there?" The captain replied, Com
pany e, Thirteenth Minnesota" and in
stantly the command "Fire!" was heard and
volley was poured into them from the
bridge several men being wounded. There
are among the Filipinos many officers who
speak English and they have adopted the
American words of command for many
things for the purpose of deceiving our
troops in their night attacks. All the com
mon commands, such as Load" Ready"
Aim" Fire. STEADY" Come up on the
line" Forward" Halt" were distinctly
heard given by them by several of our out
posts that were cut off that night and were
able to secrete themselves very close to the
Filipino lines.
An odd story comes from Washington,
which, if true, takes from the natives some
of the credit of catching on" to American
words of command The story in to the eff
feet that many members of the Montana
volunteers, who were discharged at Manila
for infractiops of the regulations, were un-
able to secure transportation home and were
forced to choose betweeen starvation and
joining the native army. The order Of Gen
oral Otis was that no man discharged from
the army should engage in business or seek
employment in the Philippines. Self -preser-
vation obliged them to join the insurgents
and they proved the best fighters in the
crowd. One of them was the California
officer named Haze, who was found dead in
the insurgent trenches after one of the
when General Otis learned of the desertions
of Americans to the insurgent ranks he re-
yoked the order which had left to disgraced
American soldiers such a desperate alteTna-
tive. He went further. He got word to the
Americans fighting in the insurgent ranks
that if they would come back they would be
furnished with transportation home. Upon
this assurance nearly all of the deserters are
said to have returned.
Denver papers relate many interesting In
cdeuts of Admiral Schley's visit to Colo
RADIO. Among the thousands who greeted
the admiral and Mrs. Schley was promi-
nent oficeholder of Denver who, In his
youthful days, was an ardent admirer OF
the lady when she was heart whole and
fancy free" In the younger days OF Scott
Schley, as he was called by his intimate
friends love troubles came to him as they
did to many young graduates of the naval
academy at Annapolis. Schley was never
recognized as a persistent suitor, and how
he managed to win the hand of pretty An
ME Franklin of Annapolis Is still a mys-
terry to the ofhceholder, who believes him
self to have been favorite with the young
woman
Schley, through his associations at AN
napolis grew to know the prominent fami-
lies in that portion OF Maryland very we'll
There were several of the Franklin girls"
said the oflceholder and disappointed lover
of days ago, land they were all pretty
Miss Annie, whom the young naval lieu.
tenant won for his wife, was the most
charming OF all the girls. ! had known her
for years, and in her home had been treated
like one of the family. Modestly / may
say that ! sought her hand and would have
been favorably considered but for the pres
ence Of the young naval lieutenant scott"
Schley was favorite then with all his
classmates. Miss Franklin met him to-
gether with all the girls Of the surround
ing country. After her meeting with the
dashlng young naval lieutenant, my oppor-
tunities to induce Miss Franklin TO become
my wife waned, and in a few short weeks
was taught that my world in that direction
was not all brightness. Miss Franklin mar
ried the lieutenant and I took a Journey
to the southern part OF the country. Cuba
proved an unhealthy place for me, and
after a year | returned 10 the states but
gave Annapolis and its vicinity a wide berth
II have double cause to congratulate Ad-
miral Schley. He won from me one OF the