The Afro-American advance. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1899-19??, 1900-01-13

stream. Just as faint streak OF
light illumined the eastern sky one
morning two privates clasped bnnls
with the pickets on No. 7, listened to
last word of caution from an officer
and then silently waded the stream
and disappeared in the timber on
the opposite shore. The officer stood
lnotioniess for a few moments, with
ears strained for sound Of the seoutg,
and then, as the blazing sun teaped
above the horizon without the pre-
iiminary OF dawn, he turned and
walked through the dusty streets OF
Jaro 10 his quarters.
II lacked nm hour Of midday. A mile
TO the south Of Jaro. in slight dip in
the rolling prairie, two men in khaki
uniforms wriggled cautiously through
the tall sun.criaped grass. The sun di-
reetiy overhead volIeyed white-hot ar
rows TINT pierced them through and
through. They reeked with perspira-
ton; their faces were fhorn-forn and
dust.smeared. The horny right hand
of each was wound In a blue handker-
chief TO protect IL from the blistering
heat Of the rifles they dragged along
the ground beside them. They moved
by inches, their faces fattened 10 the
ground.. After gaining eneh foot or so
of ground they rested side by side, their
cheeks fiat TO the ground and looking
in each Others bloodshot eyes. They
painted and their tongues lolled like
those Of heat-spent dogs In August.
Their dust-crusted lips Raspcd for wa
ter and their lungs sucked wistfully for
air. Thus slowly, arduously, they pro-
Rressed for another mile. Then one Of
them lifted himself cautiously 20 his
knees and glanced first forward and
then TO the rear. Then he flattened
out again, and. painting, whispered;
Were two-thirds Of III way from
| timber TO timber"
sight any Kakiack pickets?" asked
the other.
A shake Of the head was the answer.
i and again the two men painted and
stared in each others eyes. Their lungs
lnbored huskily. The animate earth
seemed In dizzy, strangled silence for
lack OF mir.
"sevenapot." finally gaspcd the
larger man Of the two, III you were In
the Waldorf-Asioria right now. what
would you order?"
sevenspot Tapped a swollen, dust
rough tongue along his cracked lips.
'Darned nv | know" he whispered,
"but nv I were In DolaD's I'D order
corned bafe an billed eabbig nm keg
nv cool beer"
"Bill," continued sevenspot, after n
breathing spell, 'pwhat putt college
man lolke you In tn regulars %
Bill hezitated, under perssure Of mois-
tcnlng his lips with moisturcless
tongue. Then he whispered vehement
4 ~, fiercelyi Back In the states, In
time Of peace, an enlisted man is a dog.
isn't he9"
sevenspot nodded.
"liut now"
ScvenEpot nodded again.
"ilut now" continued Bill, passion
ately. "nnd right here, soldier is a
man, And he wouldn't step inside 10
kick the shins OF the fenthcr-bed men
who look down upon him In the states,
would he7 The featherheds back there
wonder what fool soldier Of $3.50
finds 10 be proud Of. II one of them
could be In my boots right now and
could feel like I do In here. right now.
he'd know. wouldn't he?"
Biil struck his brenst with his
clenehed fist, and Sevenspot nodded
And then" said Bin, less vehement
| ly. "there was "a"
He came 20 full stop. SevcnApnt
waited and then finished the sentence
for him; "a woman In Il! Not q
brown, but a white Margarital An We
think she'll weep n bit when she sees
your name among m dead heroes ?
An you're married TO betel.chewin'
brown wan"
"Scveuspoi," began Bill. "have you
ever noticed"
With his rifle barrel ScvcnSpot list
lessly poked taruutula that was COM
ing his way and headed Il In the other
direction, II would have required an
effort TO lift the rifle and smash II.
"Sevcnspot," resumed Bill, did you
ever hear bird sing on this lslandq"
Seyeuspot shook his head. Then he
sald "liut there's an ondacint lizard.
about two feet long. pwhat rousts In tn
,imbers over me bunk an shouts In his
alapc, An there's another that elat-
ters all night long loike a SEWN ma
chine, Maybe he do bc n singer"
The big man paid no heed to this wit
| ticism,
"Did YOU ever hear a woman sing on
this islaudP" he asked.
"Never," said SevenSpot. "hut Mar
garIta. that swatc Kakiaek wife av
yours. nill, called me something tn yes
therday, Pwativer II may name, IL
sounds uneomplimenthary."
"And is No, said Bill, "and did YOU
ever hear man sing ON this island9"
"Niter," said SeYenspot. "ouless We
call il singln' when Beno Brown gets
spitlliea,ed an h0wls woe Is me, with
no whiskee.
"Scseuspot," persisted Bill; Ibid YOU
ever hear girl laugh on this islandP"
SesenSpot shook his head.
:" IT'S tonne, he said. "that we moved
ON bit az we are To make that ridge
an get tn lay av tn land tn ayenln an
back by mornin'."
They wriRTled ahead TO the crest of
the next swell Of the prairie, As they
rested Bin asked;
"or boy whistler"