The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-10
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

I'll show 'em all that you and are pet ter guessers than they are.
 And somehow the handclasp fingered In his memory and the recollection sent thrill to his heart In the days that fol- lowed:
 There was a call for volunteers to storm the fort on the hill and Sergeant Thomas McGregor was the first man to spring forward although a hundred brave fel- lows were close behind him. and the en- tire regiment was only so far benind as could be accounted for by the difference in the mental operations of the men. Tom had gotten along famously from the start. He never mentioned his west Point eA- perience or presumed upon 1t. put the officers saw at once that he was an eN, pert at drill, and he was made a corporal at the start. His application, ffdefty ana knowledge. together with his coolness uii- der fire and his easy mastery or men hau won him the third stripe.
 Here, however was his first real op- portunity The Moros had constructed fort in a strong position on the hill ana had ceased the policy of deceit Tor a moment to hurl defiance at the Ameri- cans It was necessary to carry the fort and teach them d lesson.
 The boys in kaikai started up the hlll with the confident tread Of the Anglo, bang up the hill and down went some of the bravest and best. The Moros were using captured American eannon-and were using them enectiVely.
 There was not a moments pause. The brave voice of the major in command rang out reassuringly and the line of brown swept on. Toms forehead wrin- kled bit in perplexity. The line was moving up the steep hillside withodt shelter and in the face of the cannon His quick eye had caught the lay of the ground and t seemed to him that by moving to the right few hundred yards the column coulu adv ance behind the Sh nf pre1t rock and grove or trees and come at the enemy from point at which the guns could not be pointed without entire readjustment. But his not to question why, and ne moved on, encouraging the men about him by his perfect fearlessness and words Of courage. Again and again the guns at { ie fcrt spoke and the hillside was strewn nearly all down and the line all but way cred. when there was silence for a mo- ment, then terrible crash and all the guns at the fort spoke at once When the smoke cleared the major was down under his horse and not an officer to be seen. the line falling back and catas- trophe in sight.
 Then a clear. commanding voice:
 Steady. File right, double time, march,"
 And the thinned rank involuntarily moved to the right on a run: In mos ment it was behind the boulder and the trees. With ut hesita:ing an instant Ser geant Nc iregor assumed command as though he had been named by the com manding general, and led the soldiers around the shelter. where, as he had sus- pected, there was clear way to the 1ort from the flank.
 Then with aurrah and a rush the rem- nant of the battalion rushed forward. led by tall sergeant, and in moment all was over and the Filipinos were Scurrytng helter-skelter down the opposite side of the hill. seeking shelter in the ravines and underbrush. Sergeant McGregor with his own hands pulled down the Filipino flag and ran up the stars and stripes.
 Then he sank forward on his face, and those about him noticed for the first time that his blouse was wet with blood:
 The entire affair had been witnessed by the general in command through his field glasses. and his dispatch to Manila rang with praises for Sergeant McGregor. praises which were echoed on to Wash ington.
 Which accounts for the fact that when Sergeant McGregor had recovered from his wounds enough to be able to under stand what was going on about him, he was met with the intelligence that in the reorganization of the army he had been named by the President as First Lieu tenant and ordered home to join his new regiment.
 And how proud of him they all were! Mabel fairly auivered with joy at his heroic position. But when he came he passed her by with mere civility.
 T cannot expect YOU to become the wife of A common soldier, he remarked sternly I've agreed on that"
 Then he went into the garden and found Nina, her blue eyes shining with pride and sympathy-and something else. He fed her into the summer house. and what transpired there really is no business of yours or mine.
 The family sighed, and his sister re- marked:
 low. Nobody ever could tell what he would do next"