The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-05
ON FIRING LINE.
Secret OF a Kansas Soldier
Sealed by Bullet.
Strange Case of One Of the
Brave Twentieth.
HIS QUEER CONFESSION
Thought He Was Dying and
Told All.
Found Death He Courted When
He CraWled Back.

The Kansas man had served with
Funston in the Philippines, had return
ed safely, had been a town hero for
month or so. and was now on the stump
in the campaign, advocating. like all the
soldiers who had been on the ground
and had come back. that policy when
would mean the full retention Of the ISL
ands under the American flag, says a
writer in the Chicago Inter-Ocean- Sew
eral of the campaign orators had met
for a Sunday in a western hotel where
their roads crossed in their journeys to
assignments, and were comparing notes
The man who had served with Funston
gradually assumed command Of the coa-
versation and the talk drifted from a
discussion of the question why men
rushed to serve in the Philippine cam
paign to one of the problem why men,
in many cases unexpectedly, snow not
only rare bravery but downright recA-
lessness in battle. The Kansas man, IoI
whom the name Maxwell VIII 40 a. Aseh
as the article is concerned, said
LAS i was saying We found men out
there who had been wild and whose par
ents were glad to see them enter the
army: we found men who had Deen
crossed in love; we found men VINO hau
been a failure in life even IL they WeEe
mere youths; we found many uareusN-
were cautious on the firing hnei We
found some that had pasts that they
wanted forgotten; we found some unuSt
assumed names, for one reason Or 81 .
other: we found the usual number Of
DULLES braggarts and buffers, ana pc
ing once under fire was the cure TOT
them But all these made up a very
small number in comparison with those
who had enlisted for love Of country,
with perhaps a desire for adventure
thrown in
BOND A QUEER FELLOW.
but of all the curious characters 1
came across the strangest was man
named Bond He was silent as 70 MS
past: he made few friends; there was a
glitter in his eye when we We're in dan
ger which was positively magnetic, anu
we came gradually to respect his re-
serve and to be proud OF MIN. 1neEe
was one man in our company, however,
whose propensity for noSing into others
affairs was especially marked, ana VINO
it was plain to be seen, was offensive TO
Bond. The name of Peters Will DO Tor
this induisiriVe man. He was a good
fellow and meant nothing more than
friendly interest when he was poklnS
around to find out all about his com
paniOnS, and we learned at last TO over
look his Weakness-a1l but Bond. 1t was
evident that Bond was DESTROYS of cur
ing Peters or of Furnishing him for his
offensive behavior. Bond gradually be
came reckless on the firing line. Any one
could see it was not assumed, but was
genuine. and this conduct deepened the
mystery as to his past and made Peters
the more Jealous to find out all about
him.
..One day Bond fell with wound. Pc
tiers 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 offering to write
home and all that sort of thing Bond
spent half an hour in deep thought 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 thrust he
would never forget 1t was about mid
night that Peters returned to his place
with US and the next morning he had a
story to tell to three OF us in whom he
confided."
Maxwell paused and. just as his hear