The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1902-05-30
. HE Kansas man had served
, with Funston in the Philip
mines had returned safely,

pines, had returned safely,
had been a town hero for
month or so, and then went on the
stump in the campaign. Several or
the campaign orators met for Sun
day in a Western hotel where their
roads crossed in their journeys to as
signments, and were comparing notes.
The man who had served with F'uns-
ton gradually assumed command OF
the conversation, and the talk drifted
from a discussion of the question why
men rushed to serve in the Philippine
campaign to one of the problems why
men, in many cases, unexpectedly,
show not only rare bravery but down
right reckleSsness in battle. The Kan
sas man, for whom the name Max
well will do so far as this article is
concerned, said:
LAS was saying, we found men out
there who had been wild, and whose
parents were glad to see them enter
the army; we found men who had
been crossed in love; we found men
who lad been failure in life, even If
they were mere youths; we found
many daredevils, and, curiously
enough, most of them were cautious
on the firing line; we found some who
had pasts that they wanted forgotten;
we found some under assumed names,
for one reason OF another; we found
the usual number of DULLES, braggarts
and buffers, and being once under
fire was the cure for them. But all
these made up a very small number in
comparison with those who had enlist
ed for love of country, with perhaps
desire for adventure thrown in.
But of all the curious characters 1
came across the Strangest was a man
named Bond. He was silent as to his
past; he made few friends; there was
glitter in his eye if we were in dan
ger which was positively magnetic,
and we came gradually to respect his
reserve and to be proud of him. There
was one man in our company, how
ever, whose propensity for nosing into
others affairs was especially marked,
| and who, it was plain to be seen, was
offensive to Bond. The name of Pc
| tiers will do for this inquisitive man.
He was good fellow, and meant moth
| ing more than friendly interest when
| he was poking around to find out all
about his companions and we learned
| at last to overlook his weakness-all
was DESTROYS of curing Peters or of
| Furnishing him for his offensive beha-
vior Bond gradually became reckless
on the firing line. Any one could see
it was not assumed, but was genuine,
and this conduct deepened the mys-
terry as to his past and made Peters
the more Jealous to find out all about
him. 1872
H. o. ID Fall md
Peters carried him to the rear, cared
for him, stayed By him as long as he
Y could. did everything that could be
t done under the circumstances, like of
fering to write home, and all that sor
: of thing. He was apparently sizing
, ND his chances of living. He was alsC
thinking whether it was worth while
TO forgive Peters for the past or t.
5 give him thrust he would never for
/ get. 1t was about midnight that Pc
tiers returned to his place with US, ant
the next morning he had story t.
tell to three of us in whom he con
fided.'
Maxwell paused and, just as hi
hearers were becoming uneasy, he SAT-
; this was the story Peters had related
Boys, we've got a murderer anon
us, not only n murderer, but the ayors
kind of a one. a man who killed hi
father, and who, if it were prove
against him, would, up to this time
have pretended that it was an acc
dent. He's Bond. 1t explains why b
has been so reckless lately; he wante
to be killed. Matter of conscience, 20
, see. He whispered it all to me, aske
me to write home, saying that he wa
dead and h.. / passed away forgivin
every one and revealing the secre
His name isn't Bond, but I'm undt
: pledge not to tell what it is. He aSke
, me to write without waiting for hi
to die actually, and he wanted me
{ get him reported dead so that it wou
be cabled home; said his friends wou
recognize him under the assume
I name. It's a mighty sad story.
e Bond told me that he came fro
4 Ohio. His father was a bank pre-:
5 dent and was found murdered in t
i bank vault two years ago. Robbie
s had killed hin and made their oscar
He had evidently surpriseAAe!
. Young Bond was the real
i He was just under twenA
: had been stealing from
i private h siness for more
{, so as to keep on gamblinL -
!, set of young fellows whr
(; got together regu!p
dering right alOp
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