Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1902-02-06
THE MAN WHO WAS
j MUSTERED OUT -.
BY LEO CRANE
BY LEO CRANE
Copyright, 1901. by Leo Crane.

ASAi '.hol "ouuu III Single HE through
the tangled jungle was all that re-
named of the once mighty Twelfth.
1t had dwindled to this handful in the
space of nine months, and no doubt
When the wet season began even the
skeleton would have room for fresh
recruits, providing always the rebels,
who lay hidden in the wild grasses.
would allow the fever time enough. A
rebel in the wild grass is as certain as
the fever, and much quicker.
Nine months before the Twelfth had
landed from the rusty red transport
Southern Queen and had marched with
swinging step over the wet sand.
The straggly line Of palms skirting the
beach swallowed them, and from that
moment the defamation began.
For a time they idled in the hot sun
at Qualmas, where they ate fruit,
sickened, a few died and the rest re-
covered to curse the heat and to won
der why they didn't go up country.
Then they went up country and the
rebels amused them grimly. This for
nine months. The Twelfth was thor
oughly tired out.
Don't you wish you We're goin'
home, Connelly?" asked a man trudg-
ing behind a great tall chap.
"Home Do you ever expect to get
home? Bosh.''
DO you mean San Pedro or do you
mean the real homer" asked another.
"Why, l meant home, across the
water, where the people are of the
white brand, and where there's hot
biscuits, and a bed, and clean water
and girls. Oh! meant home!
Harrison looked at the man and
shook his head strangely
Don't git that way often, Parsons;
1t affects the head So
"But l had a dream last night and
we were all goin' home'
Funny dream, that" said Martin.
what you want is good stiff dose
of quinine- somethin' like twenty-five
grains"
mo doubt the poor lads nerves are
gone" said another, "all tangled and
out of tune"
'fWish l could dream, though"
growled Connelly. There's lots of
things I'd dream about-there' s. But
Coune]ly broke off with a murmur in
his throat. The things he would dream
about were evidently not for the ears
of the regiment.
fSOn'6 Cipan m abnJ1f 20 a
man.
But his question went unanswered
The straggly line of men emerged
from the shadow and came to where
they could see the white huts Of San
Pedro glazing in the tropical sun.
Seems to me there's somethin' ago
an on down there said Martin.
''There just is that" replied Harri-
son, shading his eyes from the sun and
gazing at the towns gate.
"Derned if l don't believe it's the
reserve that's come up
TOO good to be true, and, besides,
Parsons, you're always believin' and
dreamin' things
'!But if it is maybe We'll go to some
place farther down the coast. Maybe
We'll see somethin' new. Maybe"-
well, amt you done with may
bein'?"
The tall man looked at the questioner
and replied slowly:
"And maybe We'll go homer
1t seemed to stun the lot of them
One gasped and turned pale. Home!
They had never given that a thought.
Home? While the rebels were vet
hiding in the bush and the war in prog
ress? Then a fellow who never did
anything Of note before began to sing
to wonderful tune Of his own:
''We're goin home! We're goin' home!
+ Our ship is at the Shore
And you pack your haversack,
Fur won't come back no more.
Oh, we won't come back more, my boys,
We won't come back no more!"
and the whole rank took up the burden
Of the chorus:
ooh, we won't come back no more, my boys,
We won't come back more!'
With quickened step, born of the
swinging meter of the song, the
Twelfth marched to the towns little
SdLe. Lie uOL sui, Cue tropical smell,
the petty ills and the quinine were all
forgotten in their curiosity to learn
why strange sentry paced forward
and back before the place. Like SO
many statues they waited for the
lieutenant to reappear from the COM
mander's hut. He came out with a
smile on his face.
1.-THE Twelfth is mustered outv'
A yell went skyward that made the
vines rustic. and above all the rest
big Connolly bawled:
'Hurrah! Hurrah! We're goin'
home.'
Five men surrounded a pair Of the
new guard and begged from them an
old newspaper.
i "Look here. Connolly
"What? Newspapers? Gimme one!
What find! A newspaper
i tS'pose yGu almost forgot there was