Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-04-17
THE Kansas man had served
with Funston in the Philip


with Funston in the Philip
pines, had returned safely,
had been town hero for Il
month or so, and then went on the
stump in the campaign. Several of
the campaign orators met for a Sun
day in a Western hotel where their
roads crossed in their journeys to as
signmentS, and were comparing notes.
The man who had served with Funs-
ton gradually assumed command of
the conversation, and the talk drifted
from 4 discussion OF the question why
men rushed to serve in the Philippine
campaign to one of the problems why
men. in many cases, unexpectedly,
show not only rare bravery but down
right recklcssnesS in battle. The Kan
sas man, for whom the name Max
well will do so far as this article is
concerned, said:
'As | was saying, we found men out
there who had been wild and whose
parents We're glad to see them enter
the army; we found men who had
been crossed in love; we found men
they were mere youths; we found
many daredevils, and, curiously
enough, most Of them were cautious
on the firing line, we found some who
had pasts that they wanted forSotten
we found some under assumed names.
for one reason or another; we found
the usual number of bullies, braggarts
and buffers, and being once under
fire was the cure for them. But all
these made up a very small number in
comparison with those who had enlist
ed for love of country, with perhaps
a desire for adventure thrown in.
But Of all the curious characters
came across the strangest was n man
named Bond. He was silent as to his
past; he made few friends: there was
glitter in his eye if we were in dan
ger which was positively magnetic,
and we came gradually to respect his
reserve and to be proud of him. There
was one man in our company. how
ever, whose propensity for nosing into
others affairs was especially marked,
and who, it was plain to be seen. was
offensive to Bond. The name of Pc
ters will do for this inquisitive man.
He was good fellow, and meant moth
ing more than friendly interest when
he was poking around to find out all
about his companions, and we learned
at last to overlook his weakness-all
but Bond. 1t was evident that Bond
was desirous of curing Peters or of
furnishing him for his offensive beha-
vior. Bond gradually became reckless
on the firing line. Any one could see
1t was not assumed, but was genuine.
and this conduct deepened the mys-
tery as to his past and made Peters
the more Jealous to find out all about
him.
"One day Bond fell with a wound.
Peters carried him to the rear, cared
for him, stayed By him as long as he
could, did everything that could be
done under the circumstances, like of
fering to write home, and all that sort
of thing. He was apparently sizing
up his chances of living. He was also
thinking whether it was worth while
to forgive Peters for the past or to
give him a thrust he would never for
get. 1t was about midnight that Pc
ters returned to his place with us, and
the next morning he had a story to
tell to three of us in whom he con
fided."
Maxwell paused and, just as his
hearers We're be coming uneasy, he said
this was the story Peters had related:
Boys, we've got a murderer among
us, not only n murderer. but the worst
KIND OF one, man who killed his
father, and who, if it We're proved
against him, would, up to this time,
have pretended that it Nras an acci-
dent. He's Bond. Ii explains why he
has been 50 reckless lately; he wanted
to be killei. Matter of conscience, YOU
see. He whispered it all to me, asked
me TO write home, saying that he was
uead and H.. | passed away forgiving
every one and revealing the secret.
His name isn't Bond. but I'm under
| pledge not to tell what it is. He asked
| me TO write without waiting for him
to de actually, and he wanted me to
get nm reported dead so that it would
be cabled home: SAID his friends would
| recognize him under the assumed
name. It's a mighty sad story.
Bond told me that he CINE from
Ohio. His father was a bank presl-
dent and was found murdered in the
bank vault two years ago, Robbers
had killed hiAl and maze their escape.
He had evidently surprised them.
Young Bond was the real murderer.
He was just under twenty-one. He
had been stealing from his fathers
private j siness for more than n wear
so as TO keep on gambling with a fast
set of young fellows whom a SHARPER
| got together resu' 'rly and was plun.
dering right aloug, On Bont's TWEEN.