Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-07-20


Il mean-Ycs Latrobe-killed and
buried a whole week ago"
and YOU told her." she cried clinch-
ing her little hands in impotent wrath.
"Nou-brute.'
Another week rolled by. The tide Of
battle had swept inland and northward;
and all eyes were on the plucky advance
of MacArthur's strong division. while
far out to the south and east the
thinned and depleted lines of Anderson
held an insurgent force that forever
menaced but dare not attack. The
Primeval Dudes. sorely missing their
calmly energetic colonel, had drifted
into war OF words with their nearest
neiChbors on the firing line, far west
ern regiment gifted with great com
mand OF language and small regard for
style. The latter had crowed nightly
over their more vigorously disciplined
comrades because of the compliments
bestowed on them in an official report,
wherein the Dudes received only honor
able mention 1t was Capt. Stricken Of
the volunteers who had led the dash on
the rebel works across the Tripa 10 the
left of Blockhouse i. il was their
Serrt. Finnev who whacked a Filipino
major with the butt of his Springfield,
and tumbled out of him the batch OF re-
ports and records that gave the num-
bers and positions OF every unit Of
Pillars division on the southwark zone.
II was their Corporal Norton who got
the Mauser through the shoulder just
as. foremost in the rush. he bayoneted
the last Tagal at the Krupp guns in the
river redoubt. 1t was his devoted
bunky. Private Latrobe. who volun-
teered 10 carry the division COM
mander's dispatch across the open rice
field and the yawning bitches that sep
arated the staff from the rest Of the
charging -teenth. and who died glo-
riouslv in the rush on the rebel works.
Man after man Of the woolly westerners
had been referred 10 by name, while the
Dudes had nothing 10 show but their
wounded colonels modest report that
where every officer and man appeared
TO do lrs whole duty it would be un-
just TO make especial mention Of even
a limited few" The Dudes were getting
hot over the taunts of the "Toughs,
as some one had misnamed their neigh
bors; and one night when there was
more or less interchange of pointed
chaff in lieu of a fight with a common
foe there was heard shrill voice from
the flank of the rife pit nearest the
westeEners. and what il said was re-
peated in wondernent over the brigade
before the Dudes were another day
older.
well, dash your thievin' gang We
made our record for ourselves, any
how. We didn't have 10 rely on any
dashed deserters from the regulars-as
you did"
And that was why Sergt. Sterne, Of
the Dudes, was sent for by the field
officers of both regiments Me follow
ing morning and bidder 10 explain,
which he did in a few words. He was
ready TO answer that the wounded
Corporal Norton was the very same
young man he saw in the adjutant's
=
Merritt, and was then called Morton.
And that evening the veteran sergeant
major Of the -teeEtR was bldden 10
report at the reserve hospital in Err
mita, close TO the Malate line, was con-
Quoted TO the bedside OF pallid young
soldier whose ticket bore the name Of
Norton, and was asked TO tell,vhether
be had ever seen him before.
81 have. sir" said the veteran, sadly
and gravely. lie is deserter from the
tenth. His name on our rolls was
Morton And that right Col. Arm
strong cabled to "Primate." New York,
the single word Found" Nor was, it
likely the lad wosld soon be lost again.
for a sentry with fixed bayonst stood
within ten feet of his bed with orders
not to let him out Of his sight a second.
Mars. Garrison appeared at the hos
pital that very evening and heard of the
episode. and reached Billy Gray's bed
tide looking haras.ed, even baggard.
During the past three days she had been
accorded admission, for Gray was so
much improved there was no reason to
longer forbid; but eli each occasion tho
wounded volunteer officer and the brace
Of attendants present had precluded all
possibility of confidential talk. She
must bide her time. Gray would be up
in few days, said the doctors and then
nohihg would do, said Mrs. Garrison,
sut he must be moved to their big,
roony, lovely house on the bay side,
and be made str@ng and well again
made to give up those letters, too,
thought she; for she had wormed il out
IL l. II -.