The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-04-20

Gray himself 1t gave only 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 skilful foe, some
scene III which he could compel her re-
spect and admiration. lie was still
smarting and stung when at last that
opportunity came.
Long will Manila remember the
night II followed close upon the heels
of warnings that for weeks hslG 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 Posig, had heaped insult and
threats upon our silent sentrics, com
PEELED 10y orders TO the very last to sub
nit to anything but actual attack
rather than bring on battle. "The
Americans are afraid" was the gleefui
cry of Apuinaldo's officers, the jeer and
taunt of his men, The regulars were
soon to come and replace those yo,un-
teers. said the wiscacre 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 10000 rifles in big semi
circle around Manila, and the long-eN-
pecte5 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 10y thickets of BAN
boo that fairly swarmed with insui
gents, vet. only by the incessant zip and
"whiew" of their deadly missiles and
the ceaseless cracltle OF rife fire, could
this be determined; for with their
smollelcss powder and their lndian-like
skill in concealment nothing could he
seen Of their array. Over to the west
ward on the placid waters Of the bay
the huge Monadnock was driving shell
after she'll into the dense under brush
across the abandoned rice fields and the
marshy flats that lined the shore. Over
to the east resounding cheers and crash
ing volleys. punctuated by the shari
report Of field guns, Iold that the com
rade brigade was heavily engaged
and, apparently, driving the enemy be
fore them. To right and left their vol
unteer supports were banging into th'
brush With their heavy Springiiclds
and still there seemed no symptom o
weakness along the immediate front
no sign OF yielding. II anything tn
fury of the insurgent volleying In
creased as the sun climbed higher, ant
all along the blue-shirted line men gri
their teeth and swore as they crouche'
or lay full length along the roadside
peering through the filmy veil tina
drifted slowly across their front--th
smoke from the Springfields Of the vol
unteers. TO lie there longer with tn
bullets buzzing close overhead or Bit
; ing deep into the low embankment
sometimes tearing singing pat
! through human flesh and bone, wa
adding to the nerve strain of the hour
gone by. To rush headlong across tina
intervening open space, through dee
and muddy pools and stagnant ditcl
. and hurl themselves upon the lurkin
enemy in the bamboo copse beyond
} had been the ardent longing of the lin
= since daylight came TO illumine the fiel
before them. Yet stern orders witt
: held: Defend, but do not advance, sal
the generals message; and the whispe
r went along from man TO man: "Thei
IS trouble in town behind us, and III
chief may need us there"
: But, as eight o'clock passed with n
word of uprising in the rear, and III
cheering over toward Santa Ana gre
loud and louder, the nerve strain upo
t the -teenth became well-nigh intolerj
BILE. FOR Gods sake, can't we be doin
] something instead of lying here firin
5 into a hornets nest ?" was the mufmJ
, that arose in more than one compan
along the impatient line; and the CRU
, voices Of veteran sergeants could /
heard ordering silence, while, movln
up and down behind their men, the lin
, officers cautioned against waste of an
, munition and needless exposure. Ell
, fiat. men. Keep down." were III
q words. 1--WE won't have 10 stand TIL
. forever. You'll soon get your chance
! And presently it came. The chez
= ing that had died away, far over TO III
!, left beyond the wooded kuols that su
+ rounded Singalon and Block House /
was suddenly taken up nearer at han,
- Then crashing yolleys sounded alon
. the narrow roadway toward the cas-
> and a bugle rang out shrill and clet
above the noise of battle; and the
= closer still, though unseen in the glooi
y of the dense thicket in which they la
the men of the Second battalion, struu
\ along a Filipino trail that led away
- the rice fields, swung their big stra
= hats and yelled for joy. A young 0
= ficer, his eyes flashing, his face flusI
- ing with excitement came boundin
out from the grove at the left of II
), crouching line and made straight
y where the veteran battalion comman