Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-01-24

ieie noihe tne same day To enlist
Their names went down ON the muster
cards one after the other. They had
ouhked together, were rockies In the
same four. had been next tn each other
IN the long. hot days OF extended order
drih. so generally practIced In modern
infantry warfare. Spear was stricken
by that much dreaded disease. typhoid
IeNer, Few days before the regiment
was ordered To the front. and the next
man in height fell into his place and
closed up the gap in the front rank.
Inc morning Spcai bundled up his
blanket and few belongings and was
taken from his quarters by the amin.
mnce he told Carter that he felt that
his days of drilling were over. As the
ambulance rumbled down the company
street he held up his throbbing head
ana took farewell look at his com
rades. who were drawn UP I'm line for
morning drill. and wondered whether
or not he would ever see them again
The white tents danced before his
eyes like fieecy clouds Now as Carter
stopped over his fevered comrade he
could hear him murmuring in his de-
hrium: "Oh. If only could have gone
with the boys. / know | could have
gone up with them 10 the very mouth
OF the Spanish guns. Now. there's Car
ter Won't ne be brave au.. come back
heroE What cruel fate keeps me here
IN this accurSed placer
The sultry July night wore on. All
was quiet except the sentries calling
the hours. Carter listened to the heavy
voiced sentry sending the word.
Eleven O'Clock. and all is welI." TO
his piping voiced conrad, on the next
beat and marked the contrast. But he
lowered about the cot of his diving
comrade. Even the rattle Of the sword
OF the passing officer Of the dav did not
detract his attention from the pinched
race or Spear once he flung a thin.
almost transparent hand over the edge
OF the cot, and Carter attempted TO
take IL between his hands and cool IL
but somehow IL seemed something in
tangible. and he could not grasp IL.
The surgeon came along and. pulling
the curtain aside. glanced in. The
nurse was moistening the lips Of the
dying soldier and smoothing back the
hair from the pale forehead. AT the
turn OF night his troubles Will be over"
the surgeon said. dropping the curtain
OF thin mosquito bar and passing cut.
why could l not have died on the
held or hattleF murmured the passing
defender OF his country's flag why
must | be stricken down 10y a camp
disease and die without the honor OF
having fired Il gun at the enemy?'
III 81, 4
OF day, a lusty sentry at the guard
house OF distant regiment took up
the call. Twelve o'clock" and before
1t had reached the starting point and
he had added the words "and all is
well!' the same cry was going around
all the other regiments in that great
camp of preparation.
But Private John Spear in the great
long hospital tent did not hear or
heed the call. His eyelids fell. his
hands lost their tension. and he re-
mained strangely quiet. The nurse
softly tucked IA sheet about his form
and pulled n latticed screen on each
side OF the cot. 50 that those adjoining
might not know what had happened.
and softly retired. Private Carter still
stood and gazed ON the form Of his
inanimate companion from boyhood.
He did not seem To know what had
happened. He had never heard OF
thought transference. the sending OF
the soul out on missions. or any other
OF the modern theories on this and
kindred subjects. He thought he was
there. Who can say ne was not? His
body was lying on Cuban soil In a
state OF relationship next akin to
death. His body was there But who
knows where his soul was? And who
knows what mysterious things the at
tachment OF these two friends may
have brought about?
The body of Private Spear lay In the
hospital cot, but Private Carter how
cred over 1t. Somehow he could not
leave. He wanted TO remain beside
his friend.
That night and the next day passed,
and the remains of the dead soldier did
not show all the symptoms of death.
There seemed to be lingering spark
about him. His parents
had been advised by telegraph Of what
had apparently happened and asked
whether the remains should he ship
ped home or buried In beautiful Ar
lingtOn.
The shrill bugle brought the body OF
Private Carter 10 his feet with bound
at the foot of San Juan hill on that
fateful morning. He did not feel Just
like himself At first he did not seem
to know just where he was. The sur
rOundings looked strange Looking
down the line. he saw his comrades
To their feet to get into posi-
tion for roll call. When the name OF
Private Carter was called. he did not
answer. but glanced TO the right as II
expecting to see some one not within
his line OF vision. He was at the head
Of the company and intuitively side
stepped to the left 10 make room for
the man on the pivot. The first ser
geant looked up from his book. saw
Private Carter in his place and check
ed him Us present.
After the company was dismissed for
breakfast could be procured
Private Carter astonished his COM
rades by asking strange questions. He
wanted 10 know. among other things,
how they had got there and why II