El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-27
AN ACCIDENT
TO PONSONBY
A Story Of
A War Correspondent.

.3s4.SS~S-S~S's-sS'S's'5~t
1t was hot, villainously hot. So was
the firing. So were transport mules
Chinese stretcher coolies, advancing
troops and the poor bleeding wretches
who were being put into the am
balances. So was all the available wa
ter So were the little knot of CORE
spondents who drummed their heels
on the sides of a stack of biscuit boxes
on the side of the railway embankment
and mathematical the war, editors in
general and the press censor in partic-
ular. But the very hottest thing of all
was Ponsonby. And Ponsonby, the
usually calm and urbane Ponsonby,
the we'll tried representative of The
Daily Gadfiy, was now swearing like
q trooper, or, for the matter of that,
like a thousand troopers. Had he not
lost his pony and smashed his camera!
Had not a staff officer ordered him,
Fifteen PAGES behind the staff if you
please, gentlemen?" And had he not
fallen headlong into buffalo wailow,
thereby befouling his usually neat at
tire and twisting his ankle?
Around us was nothing but smoke
and dust through which the midday
sun glowed in a crimson ball. A few
hundred yards to the northward on Ell
Their side of the line of railroad lay
long line of blue and brown clad hui
mainly, from which came a rafting
sound as though millions of crackers
were being ignited in one continuous
stream. Then, cutting the dust laden
air with their sobbing screams, the bull
lets Of the foe came flying overhead.
occasionally alighting on the brown
sun baked ground with dull thuds or
changing loudly on the iron roof of the
station in whose rear we were, dust
begrimed and smoke stained, taking
shelter. A queer looking trio we, boot
ed and spuxred, belted and revolvered.
And the worst of 1t was we had none
of us broken our fast that day. AS
Agden of the San Francisco Screamer
remarked, while we are waiting here
we might as well investigate the hard
tack anyhow"
To this proposition 1 assented. A
big stone and jackknife soon had
case opened and our teeth busy, and
when 1 unearthed a tin of sardines
from my hip pocket even Ponsonby
forgot to swear further. While thus
engaged the firing ceased, there were
a couple of bugle calls, a series of
"yells" from the American troops as
they rose from their rice ridge shelters
and dashed forward in pursuit of the
fleeing foe. Speedily we were follow
ing in their wake, pausing only now
or then to look at wounded man be-
ing borne rearward on stretcher. The
advance line is soon overtaken- They
have lost all sight of the fleet footed
Filipinos and are now resting and
awaiting a well earned meal. Our
notes are soon jOtted down, and we
proceed to investigate a neighboring
hamlet which, after firing, the insur
gents have vacated.
Looks like hot work here said
Agden, pointing to the church, from
which a. smell had gently removed a
corner.
We acquieSce and proceed to inveSti-
gate the interior. After leaving the
church we enter the adjacent priests
quarters and, finding them comforta-
bic, proceed to camp there for the
night. Your humble servant is install
led as chef, while Agden and Ponsonby
sally forth to annex a chicken or any
thing edible which comes handy. By
this time a number of the victorious
are looking about the place, taking
sections of nipa with which to make
camping "shacks," collecting firewood.
seeking water, eggs, etc. Time passes.
Agden returns, but no Ponsonby. 1t
gets dark, but the village is ablaze with
the light of one or two blazing build
ings. We ramble about, looking here.
making inquiries there. Still no sign
Of our friend. Anyhow, it is no use
seeking him further tonight. He is
sure to turn up all right. So after a
pleasant little meal we turn i'm
1 must have been asleep some hours
when something disturbed me. What
on earth is that? There, standing at
the foot of my bed, is a young native
woman. Naturally 1 spring to my
feet, awaking Agden as 1 do so. The
mysterious damsel says something in
Spanish What it means neither Ag-
den nor myself can comprehend, but
how on earth did she get there? The
Insurgents have carried off all their
women with them, and how our pres
ent visitor can have remained behind
is a mystery. She is evidently anxious
about something, for see how she is
reckoning.
After brief consultation as to what
to do we follow the lady through the
door and into the church. She trips
along the floor and goes right up to the |
altar, Selling some drapery at it's side |
rs she reaches it. There right in the ,
thick wall of the church is q doorway !;