The weekly intelligencer., 1899-04-01
MEDDY AND THE MAJOR.
story OF the Santiago campaisn Told
at . MeetinE OF the ANTI
Typhoid Club.

The ex.volunteers OF the Santiago
campaign who compose the Anti-Ty-
phoid club were holding their regular
weekly meeting. member who ad-
mitted that he had taken drink OF
water had been promptly suspended
for one week, In spite Of his plea that
he had taken the fuid from pint bot
tie under the impression that It was
gin. A member OF the hospital corps
read a paper describing the deadly re-
suits Of waterdrinking on soldiers
aud attrlbutlng hi. own good health
during the Cuban campaign 10 his dis
eovery Of a quantity Of wood alcohol
among the medical stores, which he
had used. slightly diluted, as preferable
TO straight water At the conclusion
Of the reading member who had been
pufang industriously on eorncob
pipe raped the fire and ashes out
against the edge Of the table, took =
pull at his stein and observed;
Il have been deeply interested In the
paper OF our learned medical comrade.
II throws light upon an incident Of
the campaign that has been enveloped
In mystery. You may not all know
that our learned friend here, Meddy,
put In six days 20 hours and 50 minutes
in the guardhouse. That's the limit for
which an officer can lock up an enlisted
man withoutpreferring formal charges.
It happened after the surrender, and
while we were camped on the ridge
back of Santiago, Meddy was doing
the early morning cooking for the sick
In the regimental hospital, and also for
the surgeons. He had TO turn out be-
fore break of day and hustle wood and
water. build a fire and cook Cruel for
the sick and beefsteak for the officers
Of the medical staR.
well, one morning, Just at dsybreak,
Maj. Bolus the chief surgeon, woke up
to hnd q disheyeled, mad-lool1ing pri-
vste of the hospital corps, with blood
reehng butcher knife in his hand, bend
Ing over his cot and gloating over him
with bloodshot eyes. The major recog-
nized the private as a man whom he
had reprimanded severely and In un.
parliamentary language the day be-
fore.
For q moment the major was para
lyzed with horror, and then, with a
howl for help, rolled out of his cot on
the other side. Extricating himself
from his blankets, the major grabbed
his sword and backed against the side
wall of his tent. The private continued
to glare at him, his blood-streal5ed
eyes distending with some violent emo
tion. To this day the major could not
be convinced that the emotion was sur
prise and not murderous rage.
"'Wh-what do you waut?' stam-
mered the major, his sword and scab.
bard rattling together like the tinware
In peddler's pack.
The private extended his blood.
stained weapon rspier-fashion, and
starting around the foot OF the cot to.
ward the major. opened his mouth 10
speak.
Halt gasped the major in turn
extending his weapon In very wobbly
fashion. H-haltl Wh-what do you
mean, Sir2'
THE private glared wild-eyed at the
major some more. but II seemed odd
that a desperado's knees should knock
together as his did. Again he started
10 speak, and made gesture with the
butcher lnife, but the major parried
the thrust and exclaimed
I'm c-call the guard, slrl w-what
do you w.want. slr?'
"Ths private was trembling with sup
pressed rage, but at this threat he low
cred the point Of his butcher knife and
suffered.
"'I w'anted-hic-t know, major
wh-whether you wasted your steak
rare or-hic-well done?'
Then the major ordered the private
under arrest, and while he made no
formal charge, ] am confident that he
believes to this day that murder was
intended. The private, boys, was our
friend, Meddy, here, and 1t appears to
me that his learned paper on the sub
tect Of wood alcohol may explain hi,
ineoherent, disheveled and murderous
appearance that morning, and also his
neglect TO put aside the knife with
which he had been cutting up steak be-
fore disturbing the majors sleep"
The hospital corps man realized that
II was up to him, and gave a skrmish.
line signal TO which the waiter prompt
y respondsd:-N. Y Sun.