The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-02-19
What Frightened Kingdom?
Dy JOHN H. RAFTERY.
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"Thjs question CT courage or pray
cry" said Colonel Rumford, is as
complex as it is interesting. Pride is
responsible for many displays OF gal
lantry: stupidity, feel sure, accounts
for many a sullen defence; and I've
always noticed that the men most ner'
vous and excited before going into
battle become seized with sort OF
ecstasy in combat that is pretty sure
in time, to make heroes Of them.
Lieutenant Kingdom was, however,
different kind OF man. He was not
very vain, far from stupid, always cool,
whether before, during or after fght
"a perfect type, think, of the AmeTl-
can officer risen from the ranks.
HE was acting sdjutant of my resl-
ment when we went down below the
Bagbag, having been just transferred
from the Eleventh. l must tell you
that we were all badly fooled en- that
excursion, for the Filipinos made 20
show of defence till after We were
we'll into the jungle and had even
turned back toward our base. We had
to make a three-day halt at Arroyo
going down, and there We got very
friendly with Major Efingham, an Eng
lishman who had the best house IN the
town and lived in it with his wife, his
daughter and a nephew, who was
about IA years old. Lieutenant King
don, who was . great fellow for the
girls, got good deal of chatting from
all sf us about pretty little brown
sweetheart ne picked up at Arroyo,
and mere than once at Effingham's we
drank to the health Of the girl-"Zu
Zu," as we had nicknaned her. King
don took it all good-naturedly, and l
don't think ne ever had a serious
thought about her.
But coming back, as told you, We
had an ugly time. A mob OF pretty
well-armed Tagals had got in between
US and were making one CT their cele-
brated bluffs at real warfare. They
did rouse all the natives, even the
rascals who had sworn themselves
Amigo about two weeks before, and
We got at least an excuse OF a fight
at every village we came to. We
hadn't enough men to leave garri-
son any place, and the best we could
do was to drive off the natives as fast
as We met them. In this way we got
back to Arroyo wondering how the
Efinghams liked their surroundings,
and pretty sure that we'd get the best
fight Of the expedition right there. We
weren't mistaken, either: for the ras-
Gals had rallied in force, dug up some
breastworks and were occupying those
we had made during our temporary
visit. We weren't strong enough to
sweep them off the map, our ammuni-
tion was running low, and, to tell the
truth, began to suspect that at last
l was in for a taste of sure enough
war. We went to work bit cautious
ly, therefore, and fought our way clos
er, for two days before we realized
that our only hope lay in a coup de
main,' as Efingham persisted in say
ing. 1t was on the third day that we
got the only genuine response to our
advance, and then very ugly thing
happened. The hottest firing came
from an old thatched shack, and three
or four of our fellows were dropped
before We knew it. Kingdom got tired
at last, and, thinking that he saw hui
man target through a hole in the
thatch, he borrowed a rife and emp
tied clip at the opening. Whether
his shooting-he certainly was a crack
erjack-scared the garrison l don't
know, but when We cleaned out that
shack there were seven dead Filipinos,
besides a woman-'Zu-Zu!'
81 think that must have hurt poor
Kingdom, for he didn't act like himself
after that; seemed to believe that he
had killed her, and began to NOPE
bit. He looked after her burial, too,
and then seemed to liven up again.
We found Major Effingham all right,
and right glad he was to welcome us,
for he'd made up his mind to clear out
for civilization till the province was
finally pacified. We had been sitting
up quite late the night before We were
to resume the march-major was a
great hand for cold punch-and,
somehow, we got talking about ghosts,
.superstitions and some of the superna-
tural things in which the natives firm
ly believed. 1t was past midnight, and
the tropical moon was just setting,
wnel Miss Efingham, looking out the
window at dismal little church set
in the midst Of a graveyard across the
road, said: Mr.. Kingdom, you may not
believe in ghosts, but I daresay you
wouldn't like now to go across into
that deserted church. and fetch me-
say, candle or bunch of those flow
ers from its altar. I'G like to carry
off a small memento Of Arroyo and
of-of your courage
"Kingdon laughed merrily for the
first time since he buried Zu-Zu, and
started for the church. Except the
Efinghams the whole town was empty,
for our men were strung in belt of
sentries all around the village, and
the guard was at the lower end. So
We laughed as we watched Kingdom
run across the road, leap the low
fence and disappear into the gloomy
doorway Of the church. We expected
him back within 10 minutes, but got
to chatting. In 20 minutes he had not
returned. In half an hour Miss
Efingham went to the door and list
eaed. No sound but the far-cff cry of
the sentries and the occasional howl
of a dog broke the Stiffness Then 1
became worried, summoned my order
ly. who brought lanterns, and, with
Major EhIgham, followed Kingdoms
route into the church.
"We found him face downward, with
his head toward the door, just at the
foot of the little steps that led from
the sanctuary down into the middle
chancel. His feet were On the low
est Step. his head was on the earthen