The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-08-08
CHAPTER NNIII.

Nii<Ni 4 i+iN ~ III.
The long wait for the coming of the
big transports with the regulars was
over. For the first time in history
America was sending her soldiery past
the pyramids and through the Indian
sea, landing them, after ~ days and
nights of yoyaging, upon the low, fiat
shores THAT hem Manila bay, and shov-
ing them out to the hostile front be-
fore their sea-legs could reach the
swing and stride of the marching step;
yet, toah appearance, as unconcernedly
at home as though they had been cam
paigning in the Philippines since the
date of their enlistment. This, to be
sure, in the case of more than half
their number, would have given them
scant time in which to look about them,
sinceTaw recruits were more numerous
than seasoned men. But no matter
what may be his lack of drill or prep
aration the average Anglo-Saxon never
seems to know the time when he doesn't
know how to fight. So, with all the
easy assurance of veteran, our Yankee
"TQmmies" wriggled into t1eir blanket
rolls and trudged away to the posts
assigned them; and once more the army
assumed the aggressive.
There were changes in the compost
ton of the forces even before the move
began. The dudes and the coughs
parted company; and the former, with
Stanley Armstrong once more riding
silent at their head, joined forces with
Stewards riddled regiment up the rail
way toward Malolos. Col. Frost had
succeeded in convincing the surgeons
that he. would be as much out of place
as his name itself in such a cline and
climate, and was in daily expectation
of an order home. Billy Gray. mending
only slowly, had been sent to Corregi-
dor, where the bracing breezes of the
China sea drove their tonic forces
through his lungs and veins, and the
family rising hue of coming health
back into his hollow cheeks. The boy
had been harder hit than seemed the
case at first, said the fellows of the
-teeDth; but the wise young surgeon
of the Second reserve and a grave
faced colonel of infantry could have
told of causes little dreamed of in the
reginent-were either given to telling
the half of what he knew.
That something most unusual had oc.
CURED in the room of Mr.. Gray the day
that the sad-faced, kind old general Wis
tied the hospital at least half dozen
patients could have told; for an at.
tendant went running for one of the
women nurses, and the doctor himself
hurried to the scene. 1t was on his
arm that, half an hour later, Mrs. Gar.
rison slowly descended the stairs, her
flimsy white veil down, and silently
bowed her thanks and adieux as the
doctor closed the door of her carriage
and nodded to the little coachman. II
was the doctor who suggested to Col
Frost that Manila air was not conducive
to his wife's recovery, and recommend
ed Nagasaki as the place for her re-
cuperation until he could join her and
take her home. The Esmerelda bore
the White sisters over Hong Kong way
within a week; and they left without
flourish of trumpet. with hardly the
fiutter of handkerchief; for, since the
battle of the 5th of February, neither
had been seen upon the Luneta. Their
women friends were very few; the men
they knew were mainly at the front
The story got out somehow that CARR
son had asked to be relieved from fur.
Their duty as aid-de-camp and returned
to duty with his regiment, and that
Drayton would not have it. The gen
erals manner toward that hard-worlx-
ing staff officer, though often preoccu-
pied as of old, grew even kinder. He
did not see the sisters off for China
he was far too busy was the expla-
nation; but he offered Garrison fort
rights leave and urged his. taking it,
and was obviously troubled when Gar
rison declined you need rest and the
change of air more than any man ]
know" said he; but Garrison replied
that change of scene and air would not
help him.
There were two young fellows in
khaki uniforms landed from the hospi-
tai launch on the back trip from Correg-
idor one warm March day. One wore
the badge of subaltern of the --teenth
regulars, the other the chevrons of a
corporal and the hatband OF famous
fighting regiment of volunteers; yet
the same carriage bore them swiftly
through the sentineled streets of the
walled city, and the guards at the Ayun-
tamento sprang to their arms and
formed ranks at sight of it, then dis
persed at the low-toned order of lis
commander when it was seer that, in
stead ofrstopping at the curb aud dis
charging an elderly general officer. il
whirletl straight By and held two youths
in field uniform.
"One Of ems young Gray. of the
tenth; he that was hit in the charge
on theTPanay road" said the officer of
the guard to q comrade. "But who the
devils the other? He had corporal's
chevrons on. Some fellow just got a
comm ssion; perhaps" And that was
the only way the soldier could account
TOT a corporal riding with commits
stoned officer in generals carriage.
They had a-long whirl ahead of them.
these two aud the corporal told Gray.
az ne already had the general and Col.