Rock Island Argus., 1902-06-06
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
TWO SOLDIERS
OF SANTIAGO
IOfiglnaLI

vor of free Cuba, was so grateful to the
American liberatOrs that she was ready
TO fall in love with the first United
States soldier who presented himself
Unfortunately two aspirants for her af-
fectiOns appeared about the same time,
Major Archibald Thelford and Hos
pltal Steward julian Arnold. The ma
Jor was n fine, handsome fellow OF
about thirty-five. the hospital steward n
youngster of twenty-three. COncha
seemed TO favor the major. In the first
place, he wore the shoulder straps of n
field officer; in the second. his bearing
was modest; in the third, lie was a very
handsome man. The hospital steward
was not in the fighting part of the ar
my. was not especially troubled with
modesty and had a disagreeable way OF
referring to men mutilated by shot and
shell. as though he took Il grim salts
faction in their sufferinGs.
''Why don't you accept the major?"
said her bosom friend. HE seems to
be everything that is desirable"
| Because" replied Concha.
What DO you especially require in
the man you marry?"
Bravery"
! well, then, test them."
Concha was struck with this advice
She invited her lovers 10 call upon her
the next day at the same hour and
served coffee for them on the veranda.
The ma jor did not fraternize with the
hospital steward, of course. but had the
good sense not to ignore him entirely.
The hospital steward had the assur-
ance TO treat the officer as. if he were
quite an inferior person. COncha sat
with them serving coffee and chatting
glibly.
'Ah, how hot it was" she said, ''the
day before the surrender! The cannon
and the guns made such n noise, and
then those funny machines that go
trrrrrr-rr. turning from right to left
and left 10 right, as one would turn
the nozzle of hose! l thought l
| should go mad. And do you know that
one great bombshell fell right here in
] the garden and the-what do you call
| it?-the fuse sputtered. and we all ran
| for our lives. But after awhile we
came back, for it didn't explode
"Whnt did you do with it?" asked
the mai jor.
1T is in corner of the back veran-
da. Would you like to see it?'
The major was Indifferent. The hos
pital steward thought he would not
object. They rose from the table,
Concha giving a singular laugh Mt the
same time. which surprised both her
suitors. for they saw nothing to laugh
at. Then they went to the back veran-
IA. Through the rear hall door they
could see Joaquin, Concha's little
brother. boy of twelve. running wild
" away TO the back of the garden,
with a lighted stick in his hand, and
yelling at the top of his voice. An
other moment explained the cause.
The fuse of the unexploded bomb was
splitting fire like rocket on the
Fourth of July. 1t was plain that the
boy had been playing near it with fire
and ignited it.
ConchI as soon as she saw what had
occurred gave Shrek and stood stock
still. as if she had lost the power to
save herself. The major darted back
into the ball. crying: Come away!
You will be blown to atomsI' The
hospital steward gave the bomb n
quick glance. estimated that the fire
OF the fuse would not reach the bomb
for some seconds and. rushing up to
it. seized it. giving it n jerk to separate
it from the bomb. To his astonish-
ment, the bomb went sailing up in the
air like n balloon. 1t was made Of
pasteboard.
Turning. he cast look at Concha
and, seeing as many sparks in her eyes
as I'm the fuse. inferred that there was
mischief in the wind. Then the two
burst into n merry laugh.
"What did you do it for?" asked
Arnold.
"Well, you see," stammered Concha.
"I wanted to find out whether you or
Major Thelford is the Drawer man."
'If you wanted to test my bravery,
you should have cut off another inch of
that fuse. l saw at glance that there
was plenty of time"
Then Concha explained that she had
concocted the story of the real bomb.
had made one of pasteboard and bribed
her brother to ignite firecracker fuse
she put into it, giving him loud laugh |
as a signal.
But the major" said Concha rue |
fully. after all. he is so handsome |
and so nice. What pity he is not |
bravew
'He is no major-that is, except in |
embryo. though he may make one in |
time. You can't develop n soldier in
ninety days. Three months ago he
was a floorwalker in a dry goods
store"
"And what were you three months
agog
"a new fledged graduate OF the med
ical department of the University of
- l was graduated Mt the time this
expedition started and. wishing TO gain
some surgical experience. came along
as hospital steward. Our regiment is
to sail soon for the north. and when
we arrive | think l have influence
sufficient to procure discharge"
Concha Alvarez a year after the San