Arizona republican., 1902-06-01
Willie Jones, Trooper
By WALTER T. GREGORY.


for q letter for some time. You will be
surprised to note that this letter is
correctly written. but a chum of nine.
called Blinkie. is helping me write
Biinkie is n good fellow. 9c was q
printer until he became soldier. Now
he is my running mate, and l know
that you will forgive ire for taking
him into my confidence. but you know
that I cannot write q letter that WI
can read and he is helping me.
I will confess that I have been in
trouble a couple OF times since | have
been d soldier. but I am determined
from now on to do my duty. I can see
from the tone OF your letter that You
have not much confidence in me 7 10
rot blame you much. as I know that [
am pretty wild and l have not done
anything to gain your respect. I viii
try to conduct myself in the future in
q manner that you viii be proud Of As
fer that sneak Morris, [ will net inter-
fere with him, but he had better laa1e
me alcne. for l may forget myself I
trust that If ! return from the var v0u
win consider ne favorably as a suitor
for your hand. l will close with lo:e.
Elinkie wants to send his, too, but I
object, as ycu DO not know him.
Yours in peace and war.
PRIVATE WILLIAM JONES. -
Blinllie read the letter over after
Willie had written it, and the latter
considered It Il masterpiece from a lit
erary standpoint. He respected Blink
les knowledge more than ever. 1t is
true that he wanted to say a good deal
more and in his own way OF expressing
himself but Blinkie's counsel prevailed
and he submitted to his chum's super
Tor wisdom
Two days after writing the letter the
regiment was ordered to Tampa. There
was joy in the camp, for the soldiers
had been having anything but an easy
time. 1t was drill from morning To
night. The horses We're as green IS
the men and it was no easy task to get
them into shape. Very few OF the men
understood military discipline, and
grumbied at the red tape and the mill
tary regulations which made them
bow down to shoulder straps. dow
ever, the most rabid ones We're finally
made to see that discipline was neces-
sary. They had been told by the Colo
mel that the sooner they learned 10 be
soldiers the sooner would they face the
enemy. That was welcome news and
one and all had buckIed down to hard
work. The reward came when the ad-
iutant announced on parade that or
ders had come from the war depart
ment to the effect that the regiment
proceed to Tampa at once. and he as
sured the overjOyed soldiers that the
prospects were very bright that they
would soon be face to face with the
.Spaniards.
The day preceding The one on whioh
the regiment was to leave, a trooper
notified Willie that he was wanted by
the first sergeant of the troop. He
went to the orderly tent and not lind
ing the sergeant there, left at once to
see if he could find him elsewhere As
ne left the tent he encountered Norris
and another trooper who were loiter-
ing in the vicinity. He said nothing
to them, but his blood boiled whenever
he came in contact with Morris Willie
finally found the sergeant and was de-
tailed on a trifing duty. A short tim
afterward the first sergeant came &c
him with = serious look on his face
and asked Willie + he had been in the
orderly tent Willie replied that ne
mad been there for a minute when ha
=
: he had LETT Immediately when lie saw
that he was not there.
Did you see anything Of purse
, lying on my field desk while you were
! in there" asked TIE sergeant abruptly
! looking Willie in the face searching3y
NO I didn't see nothin' Of tn purse =
replied Willie wondering what the ser
Seant meant by the question.
J OIL
my desk, and it has been stolen. anC
Private Norris and Private Villa rs
said that they saw Tcu come out o.
the tent and that You acted as if yoy
/ did not want TO be seen. Now. I wan
to ask you, did You take that PURSE"
NO. I did not see auythin' of n purse
! II thet miserable skunk Of CT Morris i
er liar if ne sez was sneakin' frum tn
tent. n tn ether Teller is er liar too
| "Ail right" answered the sergeant
the captain wishes to see you, and yol
can Tell him the story. but you wer,
the only one that was seen COMING
from the tent and the purse was missed
just after you left
Willie expressed his readiness to ac
comnany the sergeant to the captain
and he followed the ether with his heat
IL q W mr. IOi ne readily saw lilttI -IDl
lis was at the bottom OF the theft. i
there was one for no other purpos
than to get him into trouble. Willie en-
tered the presence of the troop com
mander and found Morris and the maj
Williams already there. The captain
asked him several questions. all o
which Willie answered truthfu!ly
Morris and Williams stuck to thei
statement that Willie was seen %.
them coming from The tent and that n
had a guilty appearance, as though p
did not want to be seen.
CHAPTER VII.
Willie denied the statement Of IN
two men, and said emphaticauy tina
they we're lying. and it Was his opinion
that they stole the purse themselves y
order to get him into serious trouble.
wei" said the captain, Il wouI
like TO believe that you are innocaul
fer You DO not lool. Ike man ,vh
would stoop to such a crime, s,iU tn
circumstances are against you, ana
will have 10 consider that you hao>
more than yen wish tn icll."
sir" irtprposed Morris, may I 'uE