The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-07
DRIVATE SlXSMlTH
ON THIRST.
Philosophy of a Soldier on the
March on a Hot Day in
the Philippines.

| Private Sixsluith OF Company Y oil the
| Msteenth Infantry was practical man
with a philosophy generous enough TO
meet the emergencies that ordinarily arse
in the life OF soldier, even when he *
campaigning in the Philippines. He was
serving his fourth enlistment and would
! have been a non com, as he had been in his
| first, but for an unfortunate tendency to
suit his own convenience sometimes al the
expense of the exact requirements OF what
ever duty he happened to he doing he
found his philosophy, however, fair sub
stitute for his sergeant's chevrons, meaning
always to win back the stripes in his final
! enlistment. 40 that he could enjoy the ad-
vantage of the increased pay after retiring.
met him first on brutal hike south OF
Manila, when most Of the mems brainpans
were sizzling and half the command lay
strung along the line OF march, overcome
; by heat and waiting TO be picked up by
the stretchers that never came or to be
boloed by sneakng insurgents.
4 hope we've no beer in the saddle pock-
cts, sir he said.
your hope comes out" replied Il
left that in Manila this time"
"'Tis wise play" he said 'Timpera-
lures like this presint an antagonism to
malt liquors that it nd be betther If tn
averidge man the likes Of us was more
familiar wild"
He waved his hand suggestively back
along the trail where the remnants OF a
regiment that had started out full twelve
hundred strong were halting for rest and
to take stock Of themselves.
Thin granehorns. he said, contempt
uollsly. they pulled out Of San Paydhro
this mornn' wild hah their haversacks
loaded wild glass an that in it that nd par
lie the interior mechanism OF stuffed
elephant. Now look at Thin"
We had been sitting in the sun-speckled
shade OF cinaguela bush. trying to get the
most out OF the five minutes halt. Now
bugle sounded somewhere ahead and it's
| memorable Get up! Go on" hoated down
the column to an accompaniment Of jeers
and curses.
The men got up slowly and deliberately
resumed something that appropriated
| formation. The life vas fried out Of them,
and there was no snap Ieft. 1t would take
water or cool weather or fight to shake
them up again.
As swung into the saddle Sixsmith said.
I
| OF matter much talked about:
| An thrust We have no wather in the
canteen'' He turned his own upside down.
and there Was not enough moisture left in
I it to drip.
The appeal was irresistible. l unlocked
the big aluminium water bottle from the
saddle and held it out to him. He took it
with grin and held it in both hands. Then
he shook II softly, holding it close to his
ear He was calculating the cubical COLI
| tents.
A look Of disappointment spread over his
face and he slowly extended his arm toward
me. without tasting the water. i com
pletely misunderstood the action, and
thought he would not drink because he
thought there vas not enough for us both
But was not so very thirsty, and. besides
it was against my rule to drink from the
canteen before noon. So said:
Go on. man! Take it, l don't wan
any Of it. had a good swig just bacl
here a ways.
Thank you, SIR he said. 'Tis no
that II there was enough for us boil
thered sure be enough for me; but there
not enough for me alone, saving you, an
We II find, sir whin we've been long enough
at the business, that it's fair mistake Il
take less than enough amy time.
-Whin We get yer chanst take yer skill
full Thin maybe we can make out to &c
on till the next chanst. But this dhra
here and dhrap there only dhrvcs a mai
crazy. It's cotton yez have in the mout
if ye do that and no wather.
-One swallow at time is good watne
wasted Ye can hang out if ye get n
, wather at all. but for thirsty man to TAX
less than a dhrink is clane nonsense e, TO
it's gone In minute an laves him worse Of
. than he was
-Tis that an the beer As makes thir
granehorn Johnnies back there in the roa
, fall down whin they shud be hikin plnt
betther than old men the likes o. me-
, Half an hour later saw Sixsmith agar
He had his face down In a pool from tn
, surface Of which he bad brushed away tn
green scum and was taking his drink.
? stopped to see what he would say.
, It's not what I'd be choosin', sir h
explained. "a he looked up and saw me
. But there's times. as undoubtedly ye'v
been afther finding out, when a m an n
, call to be overparicular.
T 1--WE heard plinty about thin ghurm
an bugs an things that's in all this ba
, wather waitin' the chanst give man tn
bellyache an tn gripes an all what not
but can tell We something, sir to tell tn
, doctors and TO write in a book--it'l II do y
, good. maybe. to reminder fer yersilf some
. times Itsn iver whin man $ clane thirst
that he reminders this bug nonsinse, ar
, it's niver whin a mali that is clane thirst
an takes his skin full amy place that he ca
get anything 70 dhrink that wet enoug
. to have fair call to be Chased as wathe
that thin ghurms an bugs gets in the
| work.
But it I'D niver make no difference II
: man shud reminder it all the time. Whn
, a thirsty man wants most Of all IL watner
= an wather he'll have If it's there to dhrinl
bugs or no bugs. an ghurms or not.
Fer the thirst is right there wild hin
an he can't get rid of il no way but
: dhrinkin' wather; but the bugs an the fave
an what all they do to him is a long way OF
, an he can't see thim an if he cud he'd NOR
S like think maybe il wud be- his luck to bea
: thin off No, sir: il s all right to talk abol
! boiled wather whin we've got the big stov
t in quarters to boil it on, but whin yer
E hiking veil dhrink what We can whin v
, can. an praise Mary that We can"
We were going down over the Guade
I | lupe ridge, where here is no water except a
occasional pool, for thirty miles, and wher