Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1900-02-15

not far away, aud occasionally
guerilla sharpshooter sent a message
of defiance from the high branches
The Sergeant belonged to a New
York regime ent which had hurried to
the front almost before Congress had
officially declared that the United
States was at wa" with the proud old
land which had taken the trouble to
discover her
''It seems to me-" remarked the
Sergeant, as he casually inspected
the number Of cartridges IN his belt,
that this business is growing very
diversion; little Of the romance of
war
"Well," replied young De Jones,
who formerly mar shalel figures on a
trial balance sheet, ''you'll get more
romance than You want If You don't
lie Il little closer down there
Three or four Of the suerillas had
dropped from the trees and the Span
ish stragglers had been driven back
toward Santiago by a rattling fire
from the Springfield rifles of the vol
unteers. The weather was entirely
too hot to follow up al advantage
gained over few rice fed conscriots,
/ and Company X was resting bit and
wondering if the commissary depart
ment would call upon them that day
''Teddy' Wilkins was smoking the
artistically colored meerschaum which
he had brought from home. There
! 1o1 70 ho l.,
bowl for days, and the Sergeant was
contentedly putting at some of the
! dried grass Of the country.
"Hello," exclaimed De Jones.
''Here they come to oilr pink tea! l
wonder how they found olt we were
receiving this afternoon. Get out the
Boston waters, Sarg., and III hunt
up the souvenir spoons
They" proved to be a slender
young woman, who walked with a
springy step, and an elderly woman,
who was anything but sylph like, who
seemed to roll along the brown earth.
There was look Of terror in the eyes
of both OF them. They advanced
toward the American soldiers and
held their hands above their heads
Mercy, mercy, Senor!" cried the
girl, in broken English.
Tell them to sit down on the sofa
and make themselves at home" sug-
gested De Jones The young one is
rather good looking, at that >
Sergeant Theodore Wilkins, Of Com
pany X, bent his stif1ened limbs. adj
lusted his cartridge belt and went TO
meet the new comers.
I'VE beg protection,' said the
younger woman I'VE have come
from the city, and we beg to be spared
by the chivairy OF los Americanos.
Wilkins, who remembered some
what OF his Clendorf, attempted TO say
something in Spanish which lie meant
to be reassurine The girl shook her
head and puzzled expression came
into her eyes
DO not spik Spanish more,
Senor. she said II have the Eng
lish very well | went TO school IL
Connecticut
Whereupou tue men who had been
engaged IN the gentle occupation OF
exchanging compliments with Spanish
foemen burst into al uoroarious gut
faw, to the great annoyance Of Ser
geant Theodore wilkins
That Spanish al yours j. great.
suggested tie corporal.
4 lieutenant came up just then.
The txo women said that they had
Just come from Deleagucred Santiago
IN order that they might escape deatL
III the bombardmen. which was sure
10 come The lieutenant told them
ina. they need fear no danger, for
LOS Aincricanos' ala not make war
upon women ami children He or
dered Sergeant wilkins aud q guard
Of two men II escort tine visitors ont
oi harms way
Teddy wilkins was very young. He
was So youthful tina. he had had hard
work In getting into the Ieglioen.
when he enlisted about a year before.
He had been educated III q military
school. and the mechauigm Of drill
seemed g second nature - Aim-
He remembered a liz escorted tie
refugees through the caaparral that
7 there was situation IL grand opera
which was 10. SO very different from