Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-29
DAILY SHORT STORY
How Private Bancroft
Became an Officer.
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lOIlS4IdI-J
Sandy Bancroft, Il private in the
United States forces in the province
of Santiago i'm 1898. was hungry. Ra-
tons had net been forthcoming for
several days, and the boys stomachs
instead of being healthy convex be-
gan to be a Sickly concave. Sandy was
OH picket, and exposure made food all
the mere necessary.
I'm going fora Sing," he said.
Better not" said his comrades.
you'll fall into the hands of the da-
goes. and If YOU don't you'll get into
trouble for leaving your post"
Sandy preferred to take both risks
TO enduring the pangs of hunger. The
officer of the picket was worn out and
sound asleep, so he need not know of
Sandy's absence, and if he did he
would not dare report him since he
was himself liable to be shot for sleep
Ing on post. Singing his NraG-Jorgen-
sen over his shoulder. Sandy buckled
his revolver to his hip and started
forth. Seeing house in the distance,
he made for 1t and on reaching it
knocked' at the door. y black eyed
Spanish girl opened it and stood look
ing ut him suspiciously.
Gould You give me n biteg" asked
the soldier lifting his hat politely.
The girl shook her head, Indicating
that she did not understand English,
whereupon Sandy made pantomiEe
motions descriptive of shoveling in
food. The girl led the way into the
dining room and placed on the table
the remains of last nights supper.
Sandy exercised great ingenuity in
Ipantomiming his gratitude. then sat
down and fell to. Meanwhile the girl
left the room. After the soldier had
eaten his fill he stuffed his pockets for
his comrades, then arose from the ia
ble and, taking his gun, was about TO
depart when the girl came in, appar-
emily in great excitement. and, pan
tomiming in her turn. gave him 10 I'M
derstand that the Spaniards were COM
ing. Opening n trapdoor, she pointed
TO staircase leading to the cellar.
Sandy descended, and the door was
closed. Then he heard the sound of
heavy furniture being moved on TO
the trap, and it began TO dawn upon
him that he was a prisoner.
Having got in. the first thing he did
was to look about him TO discover
how he could get out. There was but
one little square window, near the
ceiling, which was covered with an
iron grating. Consequently Sandy was
as safe as II rat in IL trap. He had not
been there long before the girl, ac-
companied by n Spanish officer, APP
peared at the window. Sandy seized
his rifle, but the two speedily betook
themselves out of range. He could
hear them chattering and made out
from one or two words he understood
that one of them-the officer, he sup
posed-would go for guard to remove
bin. Then he heard footsteps in the
room above, after which all was quiet.
Sandy gave himself up as captured
for time, then resumed his interrupt
ed accommodating for a means of es-
cape. a chimney was built from the
cellar where it was of stone, with no
opening, but the house was very old
and the stones had been loosely put
together. Sandy tugged at one of
them and succeeded in removing it.
This loosened two or three more, and
he put his head and shoulders through.
The chimney was large enough for
him to pass through ii, and he deter
mined to climb up. Leaving his rifle.
relying solely on his revolver. he gct
through the aperture and, using back