The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-03-22
Copyright, 1901, by Leo Crane.


mainel of the once mighty Twelfth
1t had dWindled to tbs handful in the
space of nine months, ana 10 doubt
when the wet season began even the
recruits. providing always the rebels
who lay hidden i'll the Wild grasses
would allow the fever time enough. \
rebel in the Wild grass is as certain as
The fever. and much quicker.
Nine months before the Twelfth had
landed from the rusty red transport
Southern Queen and had marched with
swinging step over the wet sand.
The stTaGgiy line of palms skirting the
beach swallowed them. and from that
moment the defamation began.
For a tine they idled i'll the hot sun
at Qualmas, where they ate fruit,
siCkened, a few died and the rest re
covered to curse the heat and to Won
der why they didn't go up country.
Then they went up country and the
rebels amused them grimly. This for
nine months The Twelfth was thor
Oughly tired out.
Don't you wish YOU were goin'
home, Connelly:' asked a man trudg
ing behind & great tail chap.
Home! Do you ever expect to get
home? Bosh.'
DO YOU mean San Pedro or do You
mean the real home:" asked another.
why, | meant home, across tie
water. where the people are of the
white brand. and where there's hot
biscuits. and Il bed and clean water
and girls. Oh. | meant home"
Harrison looked ut the maa and
SHOOK his head strangely.
Don't git that way often, Parsons;
it affects the head So"
but | had a dream last night and
we were all goin' home"
Funny dream, that" said Martin.
What you want is Il good stiff dose
of quinine- somethin' like twenty fiv,
grains
NO doubt the poor lads nerves arc
gone" said another, "all tangled and
out Of tune"
wish | could dream. though
growled Connolly. There's lots OF
things I'd dream about-there'S"- But
ConneIly broke off with murmur iii
his throat. The things he would dream
about were evidently not for the ears
of the regiment.
You'd dream about what" asked a
man.
But his question went unanswered.
The Straggly line Of men emerged
from the shadow and came to where
they could see the white huts of San
Pedro glaring in the tropical sun.
Seems to me there's somethin' ago
in on down there" said Martin.
There just is that" replied Harri-
son, shading his eyes from the sun and
gazing at the towns gate.
"Derned if l don't believe it's the
reserve that's come up"
Too good to be true. and, besides,
Parsons. you're always believin' and
dreamin' things"
But if it is maybe We'll go to some
place farther down the coast. Maybe
we'll see somethin' new. Maybe
We'll, amt you done with may
bein':"
The tall man looked at the questioneI
and replied slowly:
And maybe we'll go home"
1t seemed to stun the lot of them.
One gasped and turned pale. Home!
Home? While the rebels were yet
hiding in the bush and the war in prog
reSs? Then u fellow who never did
anything of note before began to sing
to wonderful tune of his own:
''We're goin' home We're goin' home!
Our ship is at the shore.
And you pack your hayersack,
Fur won't come back no more.
Oh, we won't come back no more my boys,
We won't come back more'
and the whole rank took UP the burden
of the chorus:
ooh. won't come back no more. my boys,
We won't come back more!'
With a quickened step, born of the
swinging meter of the song. the
Twelfth marched to the towns little
gate. The hot sun. the tropical smell,
the petty ills and the quinine We're all
forgotten in their curiosity to learn
why a strange sentry paced forward
and back before the place. Like 50
many statues they waited for the
lieutenant to reappear from the com
mander's hut. lie came out with a
smile on bis face.
The Twelfth is mustered OUT
A yell went skyward that made the
vines rustic and above all the rest
big Connolly bawled:
"Hurrah. Hurrah. We're gon'
home"
Five men surrounded a pair of the
new guard and begged from them an
old newspaper.
Look here, Connelly'-
What: Newspapers? Gimme one!
What a find, \ newspaper
"S'pose you almost forgot there was
such thing
perhaps. See if there's anything
from home"
"Home? Where d'you live anyway,
Connellyf
"Gloucester.'
"Why, that's in Massachusetts.
"Of course, dummyhouse. Look fer
the news. will you:"
whats the date? Five months old,
this paper! Gloucester Gloucester
here 'tiS-Gloucester:
Ma killed at the town hall last