Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-01-04

of company officers 10 JOIN 'ne
colonies own mess.
The term "messmates" means great
deal. II you mess with men, you know
them as they are. You may sit at table
with man at hotel or at city board
ing house for years and never see any
tbInFbut an alternatila of business and
even ~ clothes. But in camp those who
eat tTEether have the same intense, con-
6ped interest, the same ambitions, the
same love-of the regiment-and are
often drawn together by bonds that can
never be sundered. And thus began my
friendship with Allan Clave. He was
first lieutenant and adjutant OF the
regiment. West Point never graduated
boy who was more heart and soul a
soldierit was in his blood and ne
looked It. Yet he was one of that chival-
rous type Of manhood which combines
the highest courage with gentleness.
He would have been miserable In bust
ness. fairly successful in professional
life; as soldier thought him perfect
In appearance he was thoroughly
manly. He had a. fine, clear eye that
looked at'you honestly. There were no
subtleties about him. He tied to the
regulations. but IN everything left to
his discretion It was his instinct to sim
plifv. He never became involved In
speech or In action, and was unsym-
pathetic with the ENGAGEMENTS OF oth-
ers. He felt for me the same really ten
der regard that felt for him. We were
friends naturally, and, both recognizing
this from The first, we waived the usual
more or ess formal processes which
lead to an established friendship.
Week after week we waited in heat
and suspense. Day after day the sun
poured It's blistering rays from above
and the and sent the heat up again
There wa. no escape from it. When a
breeze blew refreshingly II brought
. sand with it, and our dinner was well
peppered. But the young adjutant was
unconscious OF discomfort. He laboreo
early and late in the service OF his
colonel. The men knew him and loved
him, for be had gained their respect
demonstrated with him one day about
the work that he was doing in that ho'
, climate.
candy" he said, smiling, this II
? warl" BIT there was in his eyes an In
tense CLEAN Of happiness which pu@
?. zled me.
Finally marching orders came IRON
1t headquarters. In the dead OF nign
the regiment was loaded on cattle car
b and TRANSPORTED to the pier where la!
the transyorts-3O Of them. We shared
the same tatepoom and made the mos
of such ceer as was provided for us
shall neer forget that miserable voy
age nor low we felt when, with IN
rest of tn, fleet, we came to dri1t II
- the Caribbean, under the lee OF thos
P. grand anddesolate peaks Of Cuba with
- In sight O, MORO.
~ The feet bombarded, the castle an
swered bak, and finally we were lano
ed at Daqiri and marched overland I
Siboney, rhere the remainder OF tn
transport unloaded.
The temptation to launch forth int
descriptions which do not relate to m
10. story asssls me as write. When m
ell thoughts revert to that time ovel
n 81 whelming memories flock to my pen
memoliesof suffering, horror and hart
- ship, memories of heroism and OF sci
a.. sacrifice, Of sickness and Of sudde
st death, Of veariness Of body and OF sou
Of glimpsts into the jaws of hell. b.
- | will brush all this aside to recoul
.se. one little Incident out Of the Thousand
his enacted there worthy Of q recoi
M =. throughout eternity.
We had reduced life to the simpl
ell equation. We had lived as the W
I'D. beasts. Our faces were bronzed
q" bearded. We had faced hidden nre
- had stood unhinchingly by the soe
Aw falling comrades II was the night
axe fore the onslaught of Ell Caney. ND
'me of our messmates had fallen. Allan
,e- in command of q battalion. we ma
. pencho and a blanket between u.s.
.se- lay down, but Allan walked slowly o.
,ze- and forthnsar mt, his haLds ciaspeu
~ hind, his face tttned upward low
= those glitering stars thst SHINE "
Aw, such briliancy ir the southern 8
at. Then he turned and looked 'owaro
e in sleeping men. Finally he sat Des
. me and peered into my face.
ich- You're not asleep?" be whisper
s siao stretched forth my hand and
elasped IL for minute. ANDY
-on said, and his voice, usually so calm
pun, inatter-offact, ,quvered. Il have
'tr~ ceivsd m! summons from Heaven.
shall be slot tomorrow"
Va. ! lifted myself on my elbow.
z. "Don'tl' exclaimed.
There Is one thing that 1 wish
= speak OF 70 you tonight" He +,
Aw bled inside the breast OF his blouse
N H. LIZ