Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1902-07-27

S'SSNSS'SVVSSSS ~,
time of reaching the barbed wire i'm
pediment.
Willie held his ground and soon had
the satisfaction of cutting the last
| strand. He started to return when he
/ noticed movement of the body of the
officer who had first fallen. He dropped
the nippers and with his left arm he
caught the officer around the waist and
attempted to lift him. He succeeded in
dragging him a short distance. but the
pain in the injured arm caused him to
! stagger. He was also weak and faint
| for ever since the previous night when
he had escaped from the Spaniards he
! had been on the move with but little
rest, and scant food. His movements
| had been watched by the waiting line
and several men rushed to his relief.
Two of the men fell but the others
managed to get Willie and his burden
safely to the line and behind the shell
| ter of a tree.
| The deed accomplished by Willie was
not without its reward. for the soldiers
raised a mighty shout of praise. The
bugle sounded the charge and with an
other yell the men dashed at the break
in the trocha. They caught the strands
of wire and despite the decorations of
the barbed points tore them from the
fastenings. In a few moments the
ragged line had cleared the trocha and
were dashing toward the trenches of
the enemy.
Willie had tainted from pain and
weakness. He was brought to by wa
ter being dashed in his face. He weari-
ly opened his eyes and found that Ra-
mon and two hospital attendants were
beside him. When he came to his
senses the wounded arm was bandaged
by the hospital men. The officer who
was the first to attempt to cut the
wires was by his side. and Willie saw
that he was still alive. One of the
corps men shook his head negatively at
Willie's enquiring look. and the latter
knew that in few minutes the brave
man would breathe his last.
Willie was handed a canteen Of
water by Ramon and he drank greedily
of the contents. He felt much re-
freshed and expressed his determine
ton to proceed to the front. Ramon
and the Red Cross men tried to dis
suade him but he shook his head and
said that he had as yet had no hand
in the fighting and wanted to be in at
the finish. He staggered ITO his feet,
and as soon as the feeling of faintness
|. passed away he picked up a carbine
and ran rapidly to where the shouts of
the soldiers We're still heard. He passed
the break in the trocha and a momen-
tary feeling of pride that he had per-
formed one good deed took possession
of him.
Ramon would not desert him and fol-
lowed him anxiously, for the faithful
} Cuban feared that Willie was hardly
) in a fit condition, and that with his
wounded arm he could not accomplish
: much.
They had not far to go to reach their
1 regiment again, for another trocha ha6
been encountered and the now almost
exhausted men were taking another
breathing spell for the next charge
Willie and Ramon Joined the line ant
the former was given another cheer
by the men who recognized him as the
e man who had succeeded in severine
1 the wires of the first trocha.
8 Willie was also recognized by severa
: members of his troop for he accident
d ally stumbled on them. He had beef
e given up as dead, for he had been gon
from the command for a week. and hi
haggard appearance told the men tina
he had passed through some terribl
| ordeal.
He was seen by his troop commando
| who nodded at him pleasantly. H
called to Willie and as the latter wa
about to respond the bugle sounded 70
another charge. They were to TAX
the trocha by storm. With a heart
cheer the now ragged line dashed a
the trocha and with their hands an
weapons cleared the incumbrance.
The last obstacle had been cleare
and a couple of hundred yards ava
on the very crest of the last hill tn
Spaniards were pouring deadly hal
of lead from behind the breastworks
They were holding their ground we
and it looked as if it was to be a han
to hand struggle. Steadily the me
advanced. and rapidly continued tn
shower of bullets that moved tn
ranks of the advancing line but did nc
check the determined men.
They We're now within hundre
yards of the trenches and still the en-
= envy held on. At last one gallant car
L tain dashed a short distance ahead c
a. the line and waved his saber defiantl
n in the air. Come on. men, Neve
ID mind their bullets; they cannot hui
II anything. Who would not gamble fo
another star in the flag"
le AS he spoke he ran ahead, and wit
is one great triumphant shout he wa
fe followed by his men. They We're in
be fused with the spirit of the gallar
e. officer.
- The Spaniards poured one more il
to regular volley and then abandone
es their trench and fled precipitately be
he fore the advance of the Americans.
II, The brave officer who had urged til
&c men on to victory was seen to stol
~ stagger and then fall. Thus ended tn