The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-02-13
A STOWAWAY SOLDIER.
by HELEN GREY.

Tommie Murnane was a south Market
kid" IN San Francisco. With soldiers
marching down Van Ness avenue TO the
Preside almost every day. going 10 Ma
Mia 10 fight the Spanish, the boys in the
Golden Gate School all wanted 20 be SOL
diers
Tommie went 20 dress parade every
cay. all the boys did he had been down
and watched the transport which was -
take the soldiers TO Manila. Il lay in the
bay just beyond the Sausalito slip. and
Lad been painted gray. Il had taken on
coal and he wondered how long IL would
lay at the dock before the soldiers went
aboard That was where Toms plans
came in.
Madison. Walsh & Co. had a contract 70
supply the transport with potatoes. They
were TO be carried on board in gunny
sacks. Tom knew one Of the drivers.
He raced down 10 the wharf when he
heard the transport was loading No one
was allowed inside Of the sheds, but he
rad been there before and told the man
at the chain he wanted 10 get out to one
o. Madison, Walsh & Co.'S drivers and the
man let him by.
Tom began TO help his friend, the driver,
and first thing he knew he was IN the
hold Of the ship, and then il cid not take
him long to cover himself In q big coal
bunker
1t was pretty dirty, but Tom aid not
mind dirt II only they did not take him
for Spaniard. He was glad he was
a carrot top" but forgot his hair
would be Just as black as the rest of
him.
To make a long story short, the next
morning the soldiers came on board at
about II o'clock. There was no end OF
cheering and cannon, ana Tom Rugged
himself in his coal heap that he was
really in it," even if he was the only
one who knew it.
Tom had his pockets for his base of
supplies, and managed very well, but
| he lost track of time. The days were
so long down there he forgot whether
| 1t was still to-day or If it we're al
ready tomorrow.
He intended not TO appear before four
| days and when he thought 1t was time
| he climbed out and was sitting where
the fireman could see him when he
came for coal.
| The man did not see Tom, so Tom
! had 10 speak, and hewanted TO be po-
| lite, so he said:
Good morning, general. l hope you
are having a smooth trip"
well, what DO you think the captain
will say to you?'
Dunno. Say, whatn he do? Can't
| send me back"
Come along and Wen see."
| The captain looked him all over, then
he said: You are Tommie Murnane, /
| SUPPOSE"
How did you known" Tom gasped.
I'VE have had trouble enough looking
for you. l suppose you forgot 10 tell your
\ people goodbye"
NO, ! didn't forget"
You'll have to be put in chains for the
rest Of the trip"
| Toms spirits fell.
Send Sanderson to me-" he said to the
man who had discovered Tommie, who sa-
luted and said, Yes, SIR and went. away
so you thought you'd like to be d
| soldier?''
Yep" Tom did not dare to say more
/ he was only thirteen and was always
| ashamed that he cried easily-that is, he
! did not cry, but the water came out OF
| his eyes. He felt a little seasick, too
and he had been eating a good deal OF
| truck, and all at once ne wondered if his
| mother was scared about him.
| Sanderson came in and saluted, and the
| captain asked him if he thought he could
fit Tom with some chains, and Sandersor
| said he could.
Take him along, then. Better turn the
| hose on him first. When he's clean bring
! him TO me-
Most Of the men were on deck and they
were undressing, and Tom wondered why
! Sanderson took him into place where a
| lot Of uniforms were piled and began &c
/ hunt over pile of blue shirts.
| A long line of men We're standing on the
| deck without any clothes on, and two
/ men were playing the hose on them
washing them in cold salt water. Ton
/ had been in the ocean al Lands End and
/ was not afraid, and thought it would be
a lark when SandersOn told him to "gei
/ out Of his tOgs'
/ He was a very different looking boz
when he got out of the range of the cold
1 stream, and the nen asked him a great
/ many more questions than he could an
/ swer and said it was q cruel shame he
! had to go into chains
J Tom wondered a little when Sandersor
/ told him to put on the fiannels he had
/ brought. They were just ike what the
/ soldiers wore, but rather more than twic,
/ too big for Tommie
| When SandersOn began to sew on 6
uniform Tom wandered if he had forgot
ten the chains. Sanderson cut off d PAL,
/ OF trousers and Tom watched An idea
4 was getting into his little red head.
| The men hurrahed for Capt Carrots
when they saw Tom. He had thrashat
more than enc fellow for calling hin
! carrots but he did rot think it would
/ be wise TO thrash an American soldier
| SO he only grinned.
| The captain looked him all over ant
made him turn around slowly, and ther
1 he told SandersOn, That is all" an,
/ Sanderson went cut.
How do the chains feel? VIII thos,
suit?"
Say! By gum! All a blamed josh!' Ton
I forgot himself
You think the clothes Will match you
/ complexion" The captains eyes Wer.
so awfully like Tommie's mothers wer,
sometimes, though his were brown anI
hers were blue that Tom could not hell
it, Those tears got out of his eyes an,
ran down his cheeks; one big drop go
: on the end of his little snub nose.
Tom felt an arm around him, and wa!
drawn close to the coat and the tear.
Gid not stop. He even put both his arm:
around the captains neck.
so you wanted 10 fight for Uncle Sam p
Tommy nodded vigorously; he could no
speak.
We'll, l think you are the right stuff
and l need just such a boy. You see,
have boy al home about your age MI
boy will be fourteen next October. How
Old are your
/ Thirteen last Christmas"
Pretty old. Now, you will be my or
DERBY. Can you dust? You know soldier:
have 10 DO anything they are told"
Ranger had TO scour some kettles.
think it's fun"
'All right. / have no kettles FOR you
10 scour. but you can keep these thing.
clean and stay where l can always cal
you"
Yes. sir" Tom had got his deares
I dream all true.
The captain wrote TO his father from
! Honolulu, and he was willing 10 have Ton
| stay, so that is now Tom came to be with
the First California at the battle outsid.
| Of Manila.
Tom had an attack" That was wha