Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-04-30

he had once met Col. Ray at the
United Service club, and would be
glad to pay his respects to the
| coloners daughter.
1t was an unusual thing for Mr..
| Stuyvesant TO quaf beer at any time.
except after heavy exercise at polo
or tennis, but tonight he was ruff
| fled, and when the porter began
making up the berths and dunes and
damsels disappeared, he hud wan
dercd disconsolately into the diner
and ordered beer as his excuse.
| Then he crossed the platform and
entered the tourist.
The night was hot and close. Tho
men were lying two in berth, as
. rule. the upper berths not being
used.
One or two. Murray among them,
had not removed their trousers, but
most of them were stretched out In
their undergarments, while others,
chatting in low tones, were watch
Ing the brakeman turning down the
lights They made way respectfully
as the lieutenant entered. Connolly
came to meet him and nodded sig
nificantly at Murray, who lay in
berth near the middle of the car,
still carefully watched by Hunt. Eos
ter, wearied, had turned in, and with
his face to the window, seemed to
have fallen asleep. The conductor
came through, lantern in hand
Its the quietest and best behaved
lot, barring that chap, 1 ever car
Red" said he to Stuyvesant. But
he's wicked enough for dozen.
Wonder he don't go to sleep"
"Humphl says he wants bottle
of beer" grunted Connolly. Cant
get to sleep without it. 1 wouldn't
give 1t to him If 1 had a kag."
HE doesn't deserve it, OF course"
said the conductor. What he ought
to have is an all-around licking. But
I've known beer to have soothing
effect on men who'd been drinking,
and 1t might put him to sleep and
save bother"
Let him have it," said stuySesant.
briefly. "I'll send it in by the stew
ard. And, corporal if you or any
of your men would like it, I'll be
glad"
Some two or three looked quickly
and expectantly up, as though they
might like it very much but Cor
poral Connolly said he dissent" he
"nevsr took drink of anything on
duty since three years ago come
Fourth of July" So the others We're
abashed and would not ask. Older
hands would not have held their
tongues.
glass Of cool beer was presently Of
fered him. He gulped it thirstily
down, and without word held out
the glass for more. A grinning
waiter obliged him with what re-
NAMED in the bottle. Murray asked
II that was all, then, with something
like grunt of dissatisfaction. rolled
heavily over and turned his face to
the wall.
''Well, of all the ungrateful cads
ever see,' said Hunt, you're the
beer, Murray? 1t was the Young
officer you insulted." But Murray's
only answer at the moment was a
demand that Hunt shut up and let
him go to slerp.
The last thing Stuyvesant remem-
bered before doing off WAS that the
smell of those journal-boXcs was
getting worse. At two in the morn
ing, in the heart of the desert, the
conductor had made his way through
the train and remarked that, despite
/ that 1aoS D1n nf
the recruit detachment was sound
asleep. In q berth next the door
the steward of the dining-car had
found room, and the entire car
1 seemed wrapped in repose.
Five minutes later by the watch
1t was wrapped in flames.
Speaking of the matter later in the
morning, the brakeman said it didn't
seem ten seconds after he had pulled
the bell-rope and given the alarm
before Lieut.. Stuyvesant, a TALL slim
figure in pajamas and slippers, came
bounding to his aid.
The flames even then were BURST
Ing from under the steps and plat
form, the dense smoke pouring from
the rear door of the recruit car, and
coughing, choking, blinded, stagger-
ing. some OF them scorched and bis
tered, most of them clad only in
undershirt and drawers, the luckless
young troopers came cropping forth
and were bundled on into the in
terror OF the diner. Some in their
exoitement strove to leap from the
train before it came to its Dumping
grinding halt. Some were screaming
in pain and panic. Only one, Hunt,
was dressed throughout in uniform.
The steward of the diner, nearly
suffocatsd before being dragged out
Of his berth. was making vain eff
fort to shove way back into the
blazing car, crying that all his money
was under that pillow. But IL was
impossible to stem the torrent OF
human forms.
The instant the train stopped, the
Haner shot upward through the sky
Light and ventilator, and then The
voice of Connolly was heard yelling
for aid. Selling blanket that has
been dragged after him by some be-
wildered recruit, and throwing il
over his head and shoulders. Stuyve.
SAINT, bending low, dove headlong
; into the dense wall Of smoke.
The flames came leaping and lap
ping out from the doorway the IN
| at hI. rod orJ a o-