The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-04-19
AN AMERICAN SIR GALAHAD

listening TO the zip or MauSer bullet
over his head The Spanish picket line
was sheltered by group Of trees not
far away and occasionally guerilla
sharpshooter sent a message of def
ance from the high branches.
The sergeant belonged to q New York
regiment which had hurried to the
front almost before congress had Off
cially declared that the United States
was at war with the proud old land
which had taken the trouble to discov-
err her.
Three or four of the guerilas had
dropped from the trees and the Span
ish stragglers had been driven back to-
ward Santiago by rafting fire from
the Springfield rifles of the volunteers
The weather was entirely too hot to fol-
low UP an advantage gained over few
rice fed conscripts, and Co. X was rest
ing bit and wondering if the commits
sary department would call upon them
that day.
Teddy Wilkins was smoking the ar
tistically colored meerschaum which he
had brought from home. There had
been no tobacco in the rich brown
bowl for days and the sergeant was
contentendly putting at some of the
dried grass of the country.
''Hello!" exclaimed De Jones. Here
they come to our pink tea! l wonder
how they found out we were receiving
this afternoon. Get out the Boston
waters, Sarg., and I'll hunt up the SOU
venir spoons"
They proved to be slender young
mi 10
step, and an elderly woman, who was
anything but slyphlike, who seemed to
roll along the brown earth. There was
a 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 Co. X
bent his stiffened limbs, adjusted his
cartridge belt, and went to meet the
new Corners.
I'VE beg protection said the young
and we beg to be spared by the chival-
ny Of los Americanos.
Wilkins, who remembered somewhat
of his Ollendorf, attempted to say
something in Spanish which he meant
to be reassuring. The girl shook her
head and a puzzled expression came
into her eyes.
do not spik Spanish more, senor,"
she said Il have the English very
well. ! went to school in Connecticut"
Whereupon the man who had been |
engaged in the gentle occupation of ex-
changing compliments with Spanish |
foemen burst into an uproarious guf-
faw, to the great annoyance of Ser /
geant Theodore Wilkins.
1.-THE Spanish of yours is great" sug-
gested the corporal
lieutenant came up just then. The /
two women said that they had just
come from beleagured Santiago in or
der that they might escape death in the
which was sure to come
The lieutenant told them that they
need fear no danger, for clos America
nos" did not make war upon women
and children. He ordered Sergeant
Wilkins and guard of two men to i
escort the visitors out of harms way I
Teddy Wilkins was young. He was
80 youthful that he had had hard work
in getting into the regiment when he
enlisted about a year before. He had
been ducatd in military school, and
II mechanism of drill seemed a second
nature to him.
He remembered as he escorted the
'efugees through the chaparral that
here was situation in a grand opera
which was not so very different from
he one in which he found himself He
If Carmen were as beautiful
Is the Cuban girl who picked her way
lmong the fallen branches and the
tones which lay in their pathway
Then he tried to convince himself that
le knew a girl in Harlem who was far ;
more so. The more he advanced this
to himself, the more was
le convinced that it was utterly unten-
BILE.
Senior" said the girl "you are kind
you are--our valiant knight"
Teddy wilkins youth often caused {
i'm to speak hastily. He glanced at I
ne young WOInaHS I1OINer, ana, De1nS' I
onvinced by her look of entire stolidity '
hat the duenna did not understand J
,nglish, he remarked in low and n
tender voice, IT wish that /
GU would say may instead Of our 9
enorita. I should be happy if you n
i'd" !
The young woman laughed and then I
heel1ed herself. i
t'Ah, senor," she said. IT have left
hose behind who were dear to me. I {
mink only of being reunited to them" :
LET me go in search of them" ex- a
aimed the young, sergeant, II will b
0 everywhere to find them in order to !
in even a smile from you" t
"Senor,'' responded the young wo- Il
lan "there is nothing in our Spanish ;,
,ngue to describe one SO noble You r.
re indeed Sir Galahad. They came s
18th us and We're frightened from U.S. !,
have no doubt they have succeeded in i
so placing themselves in the protec- IL
on of los Americanos. Such is my 4
,rnest hope" v
The girl stepped back in a coquettish a
ay so that the young sergeant might u
ak beside her. The more he talked w
it'll her the more he was convinced Ill
lat she was hiding a great sorrow. u
here were lines in the classical fore +,
lad which showed that the young IL
v.