The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-03-11

take it that l come from a good fam.
lily, have had all the advantages Of
wealth and education, and that it's my
fault that / am today family out
cast. I'm not blaming mother-God
bless her-and I'm not blaming poor
old dad. It's all my fault They can't
know whether I'm living or dead, but
l hope they have done grieving for me.
l was fool and worse. Now it's too
late to talk of reconciliation. Camp
life has brought ON consumption, and
my days are numbered. It would only
be going home to die, and I'd sooner
do that here. / came over here for
reckless adventure, and I'm going to
play it to the end. All I'm afraid of
is that shall be laid up the last three
or four weeks of my life and die like
a dog in his kennel instead of putting
up decent finish.''
asked Chips no impertinent ques-
tons, but thought it out for myself
rich mans son, Yale or Harvard,
debts, reproofs, dishonorable affairs,
disgrace and expulsion That was
probably the worst and only what has
befallen many young man. Chips
might have done foolish things, mad
things, dishonorable things, but he was
not a criminal. He was above that. 1
didn't even try to deceive him as to his
state of health. He was a doomed
man and fully realized 1t. Words of
cheer or sympathy would have been
useless Had he told me nothing I
could have known from his reckless
scouting that day that he wanted to
die the death Of soldier instead Of an
Invalid
Another week passed. and twenty
five of us were sent to break through
the Spanish lines and bring up more
ammunition. Chips was looking gaunt
and feeble, but he responded with alac-
rity. He realized the danger and per
haps intended to make it his last fight.
1t was entirely the fault Of the
Cuban colonel who commanded the de-
tachment that we were led into a trap
and the entire command made prison
ers without having chance to fire
gun. 1t was neat stroke Of business
on the part of the Spanish, and they re-
joiced over it for half an hour and then
prepared to reap the fruits-that is, we
were brought before general who had
no more feeling of mercy toward
rebel than for a rat in the gutter, and
he proceeded to try us by court mar
tial. He called in no other officer.
There was standing order on both
sides to take no prisoners, and 1t was
disobeyed only by accident. A court
martial was merely the preface to be-
ing shot and was so understood by
both sides.
1t was beautiful morning as we
were drawn up in line before an old
sugar house which had been turned
into headquarters, and the Spanish
general began business. We were dis
armed, but not bound. The enemy
were ten to one and hemmed us in on
three sides. The first man on the right
of our line was the first one called be-
fore the court" Inside of thirty Sec
onds he had been charged, tried, con-
victed, sentenced and led away to be
shot. He was hardly out of our sight
before he was a dead man. The gen.
eral was no man to daily. He went
through with it as he would a drill,
and it was not long before our line had
shortened up to ten men. The five
Americans Of us were on the left, ell
bows touching, and not a man Of us
had the slightest hope in his breast
when Chips uttered his first word.
Boys" said he in low voice, but |
plainly audible to every one OF US, "the
general is sending souls to kingdom
come by express. but am going to In
terrupt his little game. Now, pay
strict attention to what say and make
no comments or suggestions. rs the
last Cuban is called in l am going to
make dash for the captain directly
In front of me. II reach him In three |
jumps, and before he can straighten
up I'll have his sword and drive it |
through him. Then III put my back
against that tree and die a. / have |