The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-03-02

Clarence Addington was disconsOlate
almost to a degree of desperation IL
very truth he believed his mental per-
-turbation to be entirely without prece-
companions, who, together with him.
self, constituted the correspondents
mess, were to man in similar frame
of mind tended to vindicate rather
than temper his dejectedness. Until
yesterday full month had elapsed
since his arrival in the Philippines
month of hustling and scurrying from
one outpost to another on the firing
line in the interest of his paper-with-
out developing a single item of genuine
interest. But yesterday battle had
been fought, a battle embracing all
the elements of splendid story. Ten
hours of steady fighting, wherein ev-
cry foot of GROUND, lost or gained, had
been stubbornly contested for by both
sides; then the final indomitable
charge by the American forces and the
utter rout of the enemy.
All, but it had been magnificent
And the opportunity had promised to
amply compensate for the tedious,
wearisome ordeal that had preceded it.
Far into the ensuing night the enter
prising scribes had toiled, reeling off
their copy by the light of Pickering,
close screened candies in anticipation
of being allowed the privilege of hur-
rying the same to Manila for transmits
sion by cable to their various papers.
But such expectations had early been
| thwarted, the general in command hav-
ing issued an order prohibiting all per-
| sons in the American camp from pass
| ing the lines that night. So the eager
| correspondents had curbed their i'm
patience as best they could and sleep
| lessly bided the morrow. But morn
| ing had only brought additional dis
appointment, for reports had been re-
ceived at headquarters setting forth
| the intelligence that a portion of the
enemy's forces had made detour dur
ing the night, overrunning the jungle
in the rear of the American army. Not
| withstanding this somewhat awkward
| circumstance, not one of the 10 cor
respondents had hesitated in his de
termination to get his story through
to Manila, even though forced to car
| ry it on foot. The commanding Off
Ger, however, had entertained views OF
his own on this subject, with the re
suit that second order had been an
nounced forbidding any attempt to con
vey news matter to the rear until {
safe avenue had been developed for th'
purpose.
Small wonder then, the chatting, fret
ting and fuming that agitated the press
contingent of that particular outpost!
"The supreme eminence of all that'
ironical!" soliloduized Addington as b,
stood ruefully surveying the quire ant
a half of close written copy he ha'
prepared the evening before. Here
an account that would 90 a way to
ward justifyiDg a journalistic exist
ence anywhere but in these iniquitou
regions. What's the sense in tagging
an army half way round the earth t
see a fight you can't report? Bette
have staid at home and looked for al
assignment on a cooking main. Be
sides, there's the chief. | can hea
| ullll udl,SOtlLc W llcI l1llS INIiOll OOlliS
amblng along week after the assC
ciated dispatches
Here Addington paused, while tn
mental picture of his wrathful superio
assumed it's utmost proportions. IL
/; cidentally he allowed his gaze TO per
citrate beyond the immediate latitud
occupied by his moody associates. Hoy
! different the rest of the camp appear
ed. Look where he would, al was eI
thusiasm and expectancy IS the SO
diers busted themselves pl cparing fo
the days work. whatever it might b'
Here was a battalion o8 infantry a
sembled in light marching order in
patiently awaiting the command
move forward to again dispute til
}, question of supremacy with the fO
Close at hand a battery of field arti
lery was taking up u position pfepa
atory to shelling distant point, whel
portion Of the enemy's forces wei
| reported to have congregated. A ha
cynical smile fitted over AddingtOn
Is features as he watched these prepar
tions. How often since his arrival ;
the front had he allowed himself to
carried away, deluded by precisel
such tactics. 1t was all right enoug