The times., 1899-05-21
ASLEEP ON PICKET.

of the Regulars. IVES doing picket duty on
the heights. Not much to make story
out Of; for after the exciting events of thai
day. ever to be memorable in our history,
anything else that can be told must seem
simple and commonplace. But to Private
Norton there at his post by the deserted
trenches it was destined TO be even more
even,ful than the scenes he had just been
through
Ever since the landing of his regiment.
two days before, the momsnts had been
filled with excitement and rough work that
left little time for thought. But Private
Morton, as a general rule was not much
given TO thought. private in the regular
army must be made into part of one
splendid fighting machine. So Private
Morton was content to do his duty and let
the officers do the thinking.
Though apparently not over thirty years
of age, he was now serving his second
term of enlistment, and had seen enough
of active service in the Indian campaigns
in Arizona and the Bad Lands to make
war for him no novelty. He was counted
a good soldier. and he knew by heart all
the rules of war by which the sharp dis
cipiine Of the regular army is enforced.
But tonight it seemed to the soldier that
the burdens of the service were more than
ordinarily oppressive. For nearly forty
eight hours he had been on constant duty.
without rest or respite marching through
the tropical rain, wadng streams, plodding
in the mud, fighting famishing; for in ali
that mad rush of the preceding days there
had been no time for rest, and hardly
thought for food and drink for even the
regulars had caught the infection and were
nearly as reckless and improvident as the
less disciplined and more thoughtless vol
unteers. The one thing to do was to pos
hat III haf,p ha
re-enforced and before the dreaded fever
should thin their own ranks. II was death
in front, but Just as certain death was
stalking in the rear And so during those
last two days there had been no rest from
duty, no moment in which TO catch a little
sleep or relieve the muscles or mind from
the terrible strain. The line had been
won, and now must be guarded from sur
prise and recapture.
In detailing the guard for that impor-
tant service there were no fresh men from
whom to select; the fatigue of two days
constant marching and fighting could be
no excuse. else there could be no guard.
for all were equally worn and exhausted.
When Private Morton heard the orderly
sergeant call his name as one of the de-
tail for guard duty he had Just flung him
self down on the rain and blood soaked
ground beside a dead Spanish soldier.
There had been no time to select resting
place; the tired limbs had refused duty
the moment discipline was relaxed and
he had fallen almost as a dead man there
among the really dead, with all his ac-
coutrements still strapped about him and
firmly grasping his heavy army rifle. But
with the calling of his name the habit OF
discipline returned, and he was promptly
on his feet to form one of the little squad
that marched away into the growing dark
ness toward the front for sentinel duty.
He was stationed in the shadow of few
closely growing trees, just beyond the now
deserted trenches lately so stubbornly de-
Tended by Span's bravest soldiers with
orders not to expose himself in the open.
but to ncte the least movement or sound
from the direction in which the enemy had
retreated. for il was deemed very likely
( that night attack might be attempted
for the recovery of the hill.
For short time after his companions
left him Private Morton dii not give much
| attention to himself. He followed first
with his eyes, then by the ear, the move
, ments of the little band. as guard after
guard was placed, and tried to keep in
, mind the location of the different men. 1t
was no new work for him to be on guard
and there was no special novelty to him
in the situation. War was war, whether
in Cuba or Arizona. He knew that across
that dark canyon concealed by the dark
the Spanish line and that any moment
fight of Mauser bullets might come in
his direction from out those dim shadows
or even line OF yelling. cursing Spaniards
sprng from the jungle down there a lit
| tie way below him and come charging up
to bear him and his comrades back from
| the hard-earned field But he had been
in equally bad places before, and did not
! know what it was to fear anything in the
| shape of foe. He knew the Importance
| OF his task the perils it involved, and
/ the consequences OF failure.
But now the new-found strength that
I came to him when called to this new task
began gradually TO fade away, and he could
| easily realize how tired and faint he was.
He could easily count up his rations for
| the last two days-just five hardtack. soak
ed in muddy water. in all that time. and as
for sleep, when he came to think of ii he
| did not believe that he had had any un-
less. perhaps, he. had slept while between
| the fighting and the detail for guard duty
I How tired he was now. and how he would
] like to sleepi 1t was to be only two hours
| of duty, then the relief would come. II ne
could only pace his beat il would be some
relief but his orders we're strict-not to
move from his tree. He must keep awake
that was certain If the Dons over there
would only shoot little. so as to break
the fearful monotony. Why not take shot
himself and wake them up? But no, that
had been prohibited, and besides, it would
startle the whole army. and surely they
needed all the rest they could get He
would count the stars. but that made him
dizzy and light headed On, how his
limbs ached. and his eyes seemed so heavy.
His gun. TOO, was growing almost too heavy
TO carry and his belt of cartridges must
weigh hundred pounds. though 1t was al
most empty. II he only dared 10 throw
away some cartridges or take some out OF
the magazine. But ammunition was toe
precious TO waste. and he must save all his
at any cost. How long had 1t been since
the detail had gone and how long before
the relief would come? He must sleer
only for a moment. and standing, so thai
If he should really sleep, he would fall and
awaken No. that was too risky. II meant
death to be caught asleep. He could stall
hole through his shoe with his bayonet
and wound his foot the pain would awsk-
en- him. Somehow. the blood felt so warm
and comfortable there-was he going tc
sleep after all He took a cartridge from
his belt und bit it savagely till he broke
tooth, and his mouth filled with blood: bu
he let 1t run down his face and across his
blouse, with no care for the pain. or rele
from that terrible call of overstrung nerves
for rest in sleep.
How long Priavte Morton fought this
terrible battle with himself-a battle more
dreadful than any on that bloody field the
day before-we cannot tell. II seemed
ages to him: it might have been only tn,
latter part of his time of duty, but at las
the relief was coming. He could not oe
mistaken-that was the sound of his ap-
| preaching deliverance-yes. there was the
| head OF the line within fifty yards of him