The St. Johns herald., 1900-05-19


 in command of battalion. We had poncho and a blanket between us. l .av down. but Allan walked slowly back and forth near me. his hands c!asped be- hind, his face turned upward toward those glittering stars that shine with such bril!iaucy in the southern sky. Then he turned and looked toward his sleeping men,. Finally he sat beside me and peered into my face.
 You're noi asleep?" he whispered. I stretched forth my hand and he clasped il fer q minute. Andy" he said. and Lis voice. usually 90 calm and maf,er-of-fact. quivered. "I have re- ceived my summons from Heaven. shall be shot to-morrowi
 l lifted myself on my elbow.
 Don't" exclaimed.
 There is one thing that wish 10 speak Of 10 you tonight" He fum- bled inside the breast Of his blouse. gazed nj him wondering and with slow horror creeping through my veins. How many true soldiers and brave men had received nctice the night before! He brought forth small package wrapped in tissue paper and unfolded ii. II con taiued a photograph, four letters and a tiny Testament. He silently handed me the first. and. leaning forward. struck match so that could see il the better The fickering light disclosed the face cf beautiful woman-a wom- an whom ] knew.
 
 locked al him, astonished. Despite our intimacy. this was the first time he had spoken of #. He read my glance.
 "it has beer too sacred 10 speak of, even to you. have not been able to realize it''-his voice faltered-"but now want you to send them 10 her if fall"
 He replaced the packet within his blouse.
 'It only happened the night before I left" he explained. ''I had not dared 10 dream of if before. l hope-I hope that she will not remain unmarried she was born 10 he happy. This must not mar her life-tell her so."
 grasped his hand in mine. and then he lay down beside ne and turned his boyish face once more to the twiHkiing stars. Though we reither Of us slept, We lay silent on that Cuban hillside till the dawn Of day.
 How calm he was. and forgetfu! of all save duty. as be received his orders and formed his men for that bloody chargel We found him at night after the guns were still and the rattle Of the mus ketry had ceased, lying on his back where he had fallen, the cold starlight bathing his still, upturned face. lie clutched lis breast with his left hand, his right. grasping his sword, was out stretched. straight. l removed the package. Ii was blcod-stained-a bull lei had passed through it.
 The fever took hold of me. and. heart sick and footsore, crawled down 10 Siboney and boarded the first return ing transport. At the post cffice on shore-composed Of tent and attend cd by government official who. poor fellow. died soon of the yellow fever l found sore letters and carried them on beard ship with ne to enjoy the treat of reading them at leisure. and then | noticed that one was addressed in the same handwriting as that of the letters 10 Allan Clave. written by the woman 10 whom he was engaged. said that knew her-that explains il. The letter had been forwarded to me from Tampa. and this is what ii said:
 New York. June 10, fS9S.-Dear Cousin Andrew: As usual. I have gotten myself into horrible mess and turn 10 you 10 help me out You remember last spring I vis- ited ar army post, where the tn infan- try were stationed? I had desperate fir tatlon with an awfully dear fellow named Lieut.. Alan Clave The regiment was or oered 10 the front. He was fearfully in earnest. and l suppose I was carried away by the excitement and giory-at any rate, you know that am impressionab'e. But you know. too, that cannot keep that sort Of thing up .ong--dont blame me. can't help il, ii's the way I'm made. have tried 10 write him regularly al Tampa, and his Ietters-wcli. it's got 10 be stopped. for his sake. Now. l thought you might be able 10 see him. and perhaps you could explain. l Sin ply can't write. Paint me jet black if 1t will do ai.y good, only do it. and I shall be evere3i@siy grateful. Tell him that it was all foolish mistake. T."
 dropped the letter as if ii had stung me. was almost alone on the after ieck of the transport. We were slowly working our way along the Cuban coast. took Allan's blood-stained packet from the inner pocket of my coat and slowly unroIIed it. looked al the photograph a minute. then struck T match and lit il and the letters, iu- e!uding the one that I had ius; been by one. and lei them con- sume in my hand til but fragment re- mainCd. when threw them out into 1be swlr,ing wake of the ship. where for a moment they made fiery trail t4itb which the copper rays of the setting sun mingled, and then they disappeared forever.
 'She was born 10 be happy, this must not mar her lfe--tell her so!' whis- Dered 10 myself. And then, Thank God he is dead!"
 The little Testament with the clean loie bored through it still have.-Les- ie's Popular Monthly.
 He Feared to Presume,
 The American tourist is so firmly convinced that he is being cheated on Ill hands during his European travels hat he occasionally OyersteDS tbo