The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-05-18

patient answer. "Sooner or later the
order must come to pitch in; then
every man will be needed at the front.
They are calling for re-enforcements
even now at Blockhouse Eleven. The
general sent in two California com
panies, and then rode over 10 Dyer's
battery. You might go TO him there,
if you like. He'll want to know this,
anyhow"
But even as he spoke, up the street
at @ sharp trot, and followed by
single orderly, came the brigade com
mander. The crash Of musketry at
the front, and the cheers Of the Cali
fornians, as they drove in through the
rice fields to the support Of their com
rades Of the First Washington, had
deadeued the sound OF the ponies
hoofs. Silently, but with intense
interest, the general listened 10 the
drivers story Of the fire from the nipa
huts on the skirts OF the town, and
even before it was more than half
told, excited ordinations among the
soldiers called his attention away.
Lashing his pony TO top speed and
bending down on his neck, an orderly
came tearing in from the front, run
ming the gauntlet between tworows OF
native houses from which the sharp,
vicious crack of the Mauser, and the
heavier report Of the Remington,
could be plainly heard.
"Send a platoon TO thrash those
fellows and burn those huts at onceW
was the instant order. "Send q com
pany back toward Paco Church. Did
they fire at you from there?" asked
the general, turning suddenly on the
signal officer.
81 think 80. sir, was the modest
answer. "At least they fred several
shots from somewhere close nj hand.
you'll have hard work keeping
your wires up to-day, my lad, said
the commander, thoughtiully, "and |
can't help you very much, either.
But oil the same, | shall have to rely
upon you"
"You may, SIR" was the answer,
and the old soldier aud the young
shook hands and parted.
Two hours later came the longed-
for order, "Advancew With crash
ing volleys and ringing cheers the
men Of California, Washington and
Idaho plunged through the muddy
stream at their front, and charged
home upon the intrenchments TO the
south and west Of Santa Ann, md
then, wheeling to their left, drove the
insurgent force pell-mell to the banks
of the Pasig, many of the enemy, in
deed, drowning In their frantic ef-
forts to swim to safety on the farther
shore.
Meanwhile the extreme right of the
brigade, in hot pursuit Of the insur-
gent reserve and rear-guard, drove on
eastward along the highway, over
wholming the enemy every time he
strove TO make stand, and at last,
worn and breathless, halted for the
night. On the back of n pasteboard
cartridge case their brave leader,
Colonel Smith, of the First California,
wrote TO his commander the brief,
| soldierly report of their success, and
sent it back to Santa Ana by galloping
orderly.
"Wire this news at once to General
Anderson" was the order, az the
brigade commander turned his horses
head up the river road, and spurred
away for the extreme front. The wire
was in Santa Ana already, so energetic
had been the work of the signal corps,
but when the operator touched his
key n moment later the line was life
less s-dead
Wires cut" said he, briefly, and
went leaping down the stone steps in
search of his young chief. In another
moment the tall lad in brown khaki
was lashing his pony back along the
orpse.strewn road TO Paco. Through
n lane of blazing nipa huts he tore his
way, keenly scanning the newly
strung wire. Over the SCARED Con-
cordia bridge, where the battle ragged
so hotly in the early morning, the
plucky little racer bounded TO the
Manila side, and SO on down the
! Gale Real between the smoldering
ruins of the native huts, from which
had come that treacherous fire in the
rear that killed aud wounded mem
bers of the sacred band who serve
under the protection Of the Red Cross.
Dense volumes of smoke and flame
were pouring from the roof aud win
| dows of the great church and convent
in Paco Square. And yet, " said the
soldiers, huddling in the shelter OF
the nearest building, there's gang
OF 'em in the stone tower the flames
can't reach, and they are firing at
every man who shows a head along
the street.
Peering through the murky veil.
the young officer could dimly see
other crouching forms of blue -shirted
soldiers firing upward at the tower
window-wasted shots that only Hat
tened harmless on the archway above
the hidden heads of the daring occu-
pants, who poured through narrow
Sits deadly fire on the roadway.
Over at Battery Knoll Captain Dyer
had trained one of his guns TO bear
on that lofty little fortress, and now
aud then n shell came screeching over
the roofs, and burst with crash and
crackle at the tower; and still any at
tempt on part of officer or man TO run
the gauntlet along that road was me;
with the instant crack of Mauser
and the zip of a bullet. 1t was a
lane OF death-but duty beckoned on
Despite n vigorous balk and protest,
the little beast war urged into a trot.
aud the brave lad with his eyes ou
those precious wires. rode sturdily on.
Another second and he was seen
from the tower. barely two hundred