The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1901-03-29
From the Enemy's Line.

Teddy" Wilkins, Sergeant, was ly-
ing on his breast behind a heap of
earth listening to the zip of Mauser
bullets over his head. The Spanish pic
ket line was sheltered by group of
trees not far away, and occasionally
guerilla sharpshooter sent a message
of defiance from the high branches.
The Sergeant belonged to New
York regiment which had hurried to
officially declared that the United
States was at war with the proud old
land which had taken the trouble to
discover her.
Three or four of the guerillas had
dropped from the trees and the Span
ish stragglers had been driven back
toward Santiago by rafting fire from
the Springfield rifles of the volunteers.
The weather was entirely too hot to
follow up an advantage gained over a
few rice fed conscripts, and Company
K was resting bit and wondering if
the comissary department would call
upon them that day.
"Teddy" Wilkins was smoking the
artistically colored meerschaum which
he had brought from home. There had
been no tobacco in the rich brown bowl
for days, and the Sergeant was con-
tentedly putting at some of the dried
grass of the country.
"Hello!' exclaimed De Jones. Here
they come to our pink tea! 1 won
der how they found out we were re-
ceiving this afternoon. Get out the
Boston waters, Sarg., and I'll hunt up
the souvenir spoons"
They proved to be a slender young
woman, who walked with a springy
step, and an elderly woman, who was
anything but sylphlike, who seemed
to roll along the brown earth. There
was a look Of terror in the eyes Of both
of them. They advanced toward the
American soldiers and held their hands
above their heads.
Mercy, mercy, Senor!" cried the
girl, in broken English.
Tell them to sit down on the sofa
and make themselves at home" sug-
gested De Jones. "The young one is
rather good looking, at that"
Sergeant Theodore Wilkins of Com
pany K bent his stiffened limbs, ad-
justed his cartridge belt, and went to
meet the newcomers.
I'VE beg protection" said the young
er woman. 1--WE have come from the
city, and We beg to be spared by the
chiuo1ru Df 1nc ~, vi ,,
Wilkins, who remembered somewhat
of his Ollendorf, attempted to say
something in Spanish which he meant
to be reassuring. The girl shook her
head and puzzled expression came
into her eyes.
do not spik Spanish more,
Senor," she said. II have the English
very well. l went to school in Con-
necticut."
Whereupon the men had been en-
gagged in the gentle occupation of ex-
changing compliments with Spanish
foemen burst into an uproarious guf-
faw, to the great annoyance of Ser
geant Theodore wilkins.
THAT Spanish of yours is great"
suggested the corporal.
A Lieutenant came up just then. The
two women said that they had Just
come from beleaguered Santiago in or
der that they might escape death in
the bombardment which was sure to
come. The Lieutenant told them that
they need fear no danger, for "los
Americanos" did not make war upon
women and children. He ordered Ser
gean Wilkins and guard of two men
to escort the visitors out of harms
way.
Teddy Wilkins was young. He was
so youthful that he had had hard
work in getting into the regiment
when he enlisted about year before.
He had been educated in a military
school, and the mechanism of drill
seemed second nature to him.
He remembered as he escorted the
refugees through the chaparral that
there was situation In grand opera
| which was not 80 very different from
the one In which he found himself. He
wondered II Carmen were as beautiful
AZ the Cuban girl who picked her way
among the fallen branches and the