Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1900-02-09

corporal came springing to her aid. To
Gray himself 1t gave only a few minutes'
forgetfulness of his trouble, for, smart
Ing under the sting of a woman's only
half-hidden disdain, he would have well
coined with almost savage joy some
fierce battle with q skillful foe, some
scene in which he could compel her re-
spect and admiration. He was still
smarting and stung when at last that
opportunity came.
Long will Manila remember the
night! 1t followed close upon the heels
of warnings that for weeks held every
officer and man to his post of duty.
Day after day the strain increased.
The insurgents, crowding upon our out
posts in front of Santa Mesa on the
north and of Santa Ana on the south
side of the Pasig, had heaped insult and
threats upon u silent sentries, COM
PEELED by orders to the very last to sub
NIT to anything but actual attack
rather than bring on a battle. "The
Americans are afraid" was the gleeful
cry of Aguinaldo's officers, the jeer and
taunt of his men. The regulars were
soon to come and replace those volun-
teers, said the wiseacre of his cabinet,
therefore strike now before the trained
and disciplined troops arrive and sweep
these big Doors into the sea. And on
the still, starlit night, sooner perhaps
than his confederates within the walls
intended, the rebel leader struck, and,
long before the dawn of the lovely
Sunday morn that followed, the fire
flashed from 100000 rifles in big semi
circle around Manila, and the long-ex-
pected battle was on.
Hours after dawn, hours after the at
tack began, the -teenth were in eN-
tended battle order to the south of
Malate confronted by thickets of BAN
boo that fairly swarmed with insur-
gents, yet, only by the incessant zip and
"whiew" of their deadly missiles and
the ceaseless crackle of rifle fire, could
this be determined; for with their
smokeless powder and their %Indian-like
skill in concealment nothing could be
seen Of their array. Over to the west
ward on the placid waters Of the bay
the huge Monadnock was driving shell
after shell into the dense underbrush
across the abandoned rice fields and the
marshy fats hat lined the shore. Over
to the east resounding cheer. and crash
ing volleys, punctuated by the sharp
report Of field guns, told that the COM
rade brigade wal heavily engaged
and, apparently, driving the enemy be-
fore them. To right and left their vol
unteer supports were banging into the
brush with their heavy Springfelds;
and still there seemed ne symptom Of
weakness along the immediate front,
M sign of yielding. If anything the
fury of the insurgent volleying IN
creased as the sun climbed higher, and
al along the blue-shirted line msn grit
their teeth and swore ~ they crouehed
or 10y full length along the roadside,
pssring through the hlmy veil that
dfifted slowly Aoross their front-ths
smoke from the SprinShelds OF the vol
unteszs. To lie there longer with the
bullets buzsing close overhead or bit-
ing deep into the low embankmsnt,
sometimes tearing a singing path
through human hssh aud bone, waS
adding to the nerve strain Of the hours
gone by. To rush headlong across tha&
intervening open space, through deep
and muddy pools and staSnsnt ditch,
and hurl themselves upon the lurking
enemy In the bamboo copse beyond,
had been the ardent longing Of the hns
since daylight came to illumine the field
before them. Yet stern orders with
held: Defend, but do not advance, said
the generals message; and the whisper
went along from man to man: There
Is trouble In town behind US, and the
chief may need Us there"
But, as eight O'Clock passed with no
word Of uprising In the rear, and the
cheering over toward Santa Ana grew
loud and louder, the nerve strain upon
the tenth became well-nigh intolers-
BILE. For Gods sake, can't we be doing
something instead Of lying here firing
into q hornets nest?" was the nurmur
that arose in more than one company
along the impatient line; and the gruh
voices Of veteran sergeants could be
heard ordering silence, while, moving
up and down behind their men the line
officers cautioned against waste Of am
munition and needless exposure. "Lie
fiat, men Keep DOWN." were the
words. I'VE won't have to stand this
forever. You1l o get your chanos."
And presently It came. The cheer
ing that had died away. far over to the
left beyond the wooded kno1ls that sur
rounded singalon and Block House IL,
was suddenly taken up nearer at hand
Then crashing volleys sounded along
the narrow roadway toward the east,
and q buglo rang out shrill and clear
above the noise Of battle; and then
closer still, though unseen in the gloom
OF the dense thicket in which they lay,
the men Of the Second battalion, strung
along a Filipino trail that led away K
the rice fields, swung their big straw
hats and yelled for joy. A young Of
fcer, his eyes flashing, his face flush
ing with excitement, came bounding
cut from the grove at the left of the
erouching line and made straight to
where the veteran battalion command
er knelt in rear Of his center. It was
NIL No. .lA--x II - ~ . -.