The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-01-09

WENT4- FIVE men marching
along muddy road. Far to
the right and left a waste of
rice and paddy fields; occa-
sionally low hills or a group of trees.
In the distance, vague blue on the
horizon-the blue outline of the jungled
mountains. Twenty five American
soldiers marching southwark along a
Philippine road. A very muddy road.
About half mile ahead they can see
the nipa huts of village half con-
cealed by the green foliage of the trees.
The sun is hot; red hot. The water
in their canteens is lukewarm. The
water in the rice fields is lukewarm.
1t is good long way to any place
where the water is not lukewarm. The
outsides of the canteens, their rifle
barrels, and the metal buttons on their
coats are blistering to the touch. No
one is wearing coat. There would be
little riot if anyone suggested such
thing. But they must carry them
along with their blankets and other
useless truck because military regula-
tions require it. That is also the reason
why they are wearing woolen shirts in
tropical climate. The insurgents do
not carry around cart load of useless
-7Uaggdge or wear woOlen shirts. Con-
sequentIy they never get sick, and they
are able to run much faster
In this little group of twenty-five
men there are all shades of character;
the jovial, the serious, the morOse, the
Indifferent. The majority of them are
from Kentucky and Virginia and
considerable sprinkling from the middle
western states. Two Of the southerners,
Haskins and Billings by name, do not
speak with each other, but each will
converse with any of the rest quite
freely. These two are enemies. A
good many years ago Haskins' grand
father killed hog belonging to Billings
grandfather. He claimed that the hog
was "roOtin' up his tater patch" Grand
pere Billings didn't care tinker's curse
for the "tater patch" but he promptly
filled grandpere Haskins full of shot
for killing his hog. Then Haskins'
father-don'G get 'em mixed up
promptly sent grandpere Billings
through the pearly gates. Then-welI
you know the rest, how it goes on and
on forever. Aud that is how it came
that these two boys were enemies
when they might have been the best of
friends. BY some caprice of fortune
they both were drafted into the same
regiment when they enlisted. They
studiousiy avoided each other because
uniform of their country. Any little
difference they had could be settled in
Kentucky.
Twenty-Five Americans marching
southwark along a Philippine road,
chatteriug and talking of many things
as they went. One slim, we'll shaped
boy about nineteen years of age was
caroling "a song. They had nicknamed
him the "delirious singer" because he
had had the fever three times already
and he always sang incessantly when
the delirium of the fever was on him.
Perhaps he felt little of it today, for
he needed not the mud or the hot sun
but caroled Joyfuliy as he tramped
along:
Through the sycamores the candle lights
are cleaning.
On the banks of the Wabash far away"
"Yes," growled the company crank
sit III be long while before yer see the
Wabash again. tell yer, fellers, this
yer war is goin' to last forever
"Aw, shut up, Bill! Yer alters a
kitkin'," said another.
"Yer bet am" said Bill philosophic-
ally. "Kickers is the only ones what