Rock Island Argus., 1902-03-05
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
The Sergeant's Story

IOriGinaLl
The -th United States infantry was
IN garrison. 1t was midnight. The relief
had just come in 10 the guardhouse
tired aud irritable, especially one man.
recruit who had not yet got used to
guard duty.
III ever get chance" he said, "I'll
pay off that little poppinjay. To think
OF me, Il grown man. bein' under or
ders from a snip like that
"WhO are you talkin' about?' asked
the sergeant of the guard, with four
service stripes on his sleeve.
Lieutenant Bumble."
"See here. man, if you want to shoot
words III Lieutenant Bumble you'd
better fire in hearin' OF some one else
besides Sergeant Conover. P'r'aps l
haven't been face tc face with death
in company with Lieutenant Bumble.
ard p'r'aps it wasn't his pluck that
KEEP me up when | was ready to drop
with fear of cold murder " .''
"Give us that. Conover," said voice
from farther corner of the guard
room.
ITS this said the sergeant. 1--WE
Santiago and spreadin' ourselves out
TO git round 'em. Our regiment was
movin' to the right, and our company
was ordered TO the front. The captain
sent Lieutenant. .Bumble-just reported
from West Point and more of Il baby
faced chap than he is nOw-aheGd TO
report on the topography of the coun-
try and keep sharp lookout for the
til, which was comm from the oppo-
site direction to join us. l was with
him and eight men. besides Telegraph
operator with his machine.
We'll. we'd got five or six miles from
the regiment and was steppin' into Il
pocket between two hills covered with
timber when of a sudden we heard
voices behind, beside and before us
callin' in the dirty Spanish lingo to sur
render Since there was hundreds of
'em and only ten Of us we satisfied
'em. An officer stepped up to the lieu
tenant and iabbered Spanish at him
for awhile. Then another officer come
up and said in broken English:
What's your nameY
"'Bumble.'
"RankT
Lieutenant
"'The citizen?
"By this time the lieutenant had seen
the Spaniards eyin' the Telegraph ma
chine under the arm of the cit and
suspected some sneakin' business.
An engineer he said, lyin' like
man.
" No, he isn't. He's a Telegraph op-
orator. Now. Lieutenant Bundle. send
70
way is clear and to come right on
al can't do that said the lieuten-
ant
Very well. You and your men can
stand up there in line while we put a
volley into YOU
The lieutenant didn't weaken bit,
but some of the men did. and the tely-
graph operator said, III send the mes
sage
'That'll do said the Spaniard
The operator connected with the
wires, the lieutenant abused him for
coward, and jest as all was ready the
cit began to cry like woman, and,
turnin round, he wrung his hands,
bawlin':
- can't do it, and l won'tr
THAT'S the stuff for you" said
Bumble, smilin'. L knowed you could
not do it,
Get into line, you pigsr said the
Spaniard, ragin', and, givin' one after
the other shove, he made us stand
touchin' elbows. Then, callin' with his
jabberin' tongue, platoon cone out of
the woods, we standin' with our backs
to 'em.
"'Will you do itY said the Spaniard
to the cit
"'Yes, If the lieutenant will order
me-
:" No. You won't even if 1 order you.
You're only foolin' to gain time. Fire
away. dago!