Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-10-26

looked at the captain with shining
face This is glorious" he cried. Il
fight for my country"
The fire became hotter. The oppos-
| ing force grew ever larger; the re-
! Spouse of the Americans seemed fee
bic. The captain knew that his
strength would be revealed. He feared
to be outhanlled. But of the courage
of his men he soon had no doubt. They
! fought well. And the Cuban, when
! ever the captain came within sound OF
his voice, called: This is glorious"
In the half hour that followed, the
volunteers learned to know themselves
and to know their captain. They had
been proud of him before; now they
loved him. \ sudden attack, made by
men slipping forward under cover Of
the grass, he taught them to repulse.
That plea ed and elated them. And
yet at the end 1t might have gone hard,
for the Spaniards We're beginning to
creep around the TANKS: but an aide
came hurrying through the woods.
"All right" he cried. We've done
| WIFI we CdIHe IOI. Idil pdeh VII .hS
main body"
The captain drew his men back skill
fully, The Spaniards pressed so close
that the company turned often to drive
off pursuit. The men obeyed every sig
nal of their veteran leader; they relied
on him.
The Cuban followed the surges back
and forth, calling to each acquaint-
ance: This Is glorious" But at last
he came running to his friend. "See, "
he cried. There was red blotch over
his heart. He staggered and fell. 81
die for my country" There was half
admiration, half contempt, in the cap
tains heart for the dramatic southern
nature. lie seized the slender body
and bore it along. Still directing clev-
erly, even brilliantly, he finished the
running fight with every man Of his
company safe within the line Of his
brigade.
But the Cuban was dead That
night the captain stood by his grave.
And from that time he carried about
with him an ever increasing weight.
There was load on his breast, and in
his mind ran ever a formula: give
hundred dollars will pay rent at home
and servants wages. Five per cent
on ten thousand dollars is five hundred
dollars a year. Five hundred dollars
will pay rent" Oh, heavens! TO
get rid of the idea-anything. He at
! I,rtx I1v- m
self no work But always the idea
forced its return. lie even woke him
self in the night with the words: Five
per cent on ten thousand dollars Is five
hundred dollars a year"
Tom" said his colonel, whats up?
You're not right in your mind"
"Oh," said the captain, its nothing.
It's just-business. Home affairs"
The colonel looked sober. Home
affairs. old lad, have no place for us
Just now. Haven't we enough to do
as it is? What's up? Are the girls
sick? Isn't Mary well?"
"They're all right" said the captain.
Their letters are very cheerful. But
| can't help thinking, you know, what
if /"
Yes" said his classmate, looking
him in the eye. Il know-the old sun
rest. Look here, Tom Strong, may
say a straight word to you?"
"Of course"
"Well, if you mean to stand the eli
mate, quit worrying. Get Mary and
the girls off your mind. look cheerful
and keep yourself in good spirits. The
climate won't break you down as fast
as you are breaking yourself. Since
that little Skirmish the other day. wher
you did so well, you've gone abOu,
moping. See here, that Cuban that was
killed was fond of you. 1t isn't the
loss of him that weighs on your
He? Oh. no! Ha, ha. . Oh, no.
"Well. go easy now, old fellow. Give
yourself a rest"
The colonel went away. Within
three minutes the captain. left alone
was saying to himself: Five per cen
on ten thousand dollars" He Wen
out to the trenches. and for the vicou.
pleasu in it tried his hand at sharp
shooting.
Those weary days before Santiago
were terrible to him. The news o.
the naval victory scarcely made hin
smile give per cent on ten Thousand
dollars" And in what should III
invest the money? For heavens sake
Tom" cried his colonel, 1.-THE who'll
Spanish fleet wiped out, and yet yol
say never word.'
IF only" thought the captain
there could be another skirmish, ant
could get killed. The money woult
, be found on me; no one would know
whence it came. 1t would go to Mar.
and the girls"
But he was in no more skirmishes
The city surrendered. The captain
was among the troops that took pos
session. In a day he saw enough o
Santiago's poor to realize what Nigh
: be done with the money in his pocket
Really" said his colonel to himself
o TON is growing terribly haggarC
Come, old man." he said, were OF
q duty. Let's stroll about the place"
q They stood before the City Hall, an