The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-17

HE SAT THERE ALL NIGHT.
It's privilege never denied a freeborn
American. However, they became
friends in Manila because it was so far
from home.
"TempletOn was a sergeant of volun-
teers and homesick soldier if ever
there was one. He excited Jones' sym
pathy, which became acute when
Jones learned that there was girl at
home who had stopped writing to Tenn
pleton for an unknown reason. This
is serious matter when fellow real
ly cares for the girl and she is 10000
miles away and there's no method Of
learning why she no longer writes.
Fancy waiting for letter to go half
way around the world and for the re-
ply to come lettering back or not to
come at all! Templcton was not nat
urally sensitive. but the experience
had made him so. He told his secret
grudgingly because it was forced out
of him. but he never revealed the name
of the girl.
'In the latter part of January Tenn
| pletOn'S company was sent up into the
| interior to Il little forsakcn village
| where there WAS Il peck of trouble. A
mail steamer came in the day before
the detachment marched. but it
brought no letter to Templeton. The
poor fellow revealed this misfortune to
Jones with tears in his eyes. He seemed
to think that this was his last chance.
"A few days later Jones learned en-
tirely by accident that n letter for
Templeton had really come on the
steamer and had been delivered by
mistake to Il surgeon of the same sur
name The addressed side of the letter
had been wet. and the ink was Il mere
blot. so that the word Templeton was
about all that could be deciphered
The surgeon, however, detected the
given name of George and did not
open the letter.
Zones had had it in his mind to try
to get through to this place where the
trouble was. He thought he saw good
story in it. He told the surgeon of his
intention and was permitted to take
the letter. BY pulling all kinds OF
|
ty that was going up with dispatches
AMI the result was that he had adven
lures enough to fill book. The party
got through alive, but every man OF
them was wounded, including Jones
who made the last forty miles of tn,
journey practically on one leg Bu
Templetons lctter-which he wa.
mora llV \in.,I hn
posed in his breast pocket when h,
staggered into camp.
HE found Templeton fiat on his bacl
and raving with fever in Il quaint cen
fury old church that had been turne,
into Il hospital. The surgeon in charge
told Jones that it was practically al
over: the man was as good as dead
viii he be conscious again. aske,
Jones. And the surgeon said that i
was possible.
"When is it likely to happen?'
D Heaven knows answered the SUI
geon.
v "l'll wait. said Jones. And he sa
0 down on the foot of the bed. Hi
wound was dressed and he was fe
4 while he sat there. OF course the
r tried to take him away. but he wouldn
e go, and as everybody was pretty bus
d he was presently forgotten.
He sat there all night. sometimes
that conscious sleep which is the pro,
a uct of physical WEAKNESS and ment:
II concentration fighting for supremac,
y lie was half crazy from doze
lie causes. and he held that letter in h
5. hand every minute
,e 1T seemed to him that by continu,
al feeling Of it while in that peculiar me-
es tai state he gained an idea of VIII,
at was in Z. and at times he felt ashame
a. OF knowing. The envelope was squar
m and there was a hard Enclosure tn,
e. seemed like a small photograph. B.