The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-08-27
THE MORNING GUN
torIginal.l

company; that I should be in Santiago de Cuba. have no remembrance of having been graduated. Yesterday we were marching to and from the mess hall. Yesterday got befogged in that problem of analytical geometry. Be sides, how did get heref l don't re member coming-no railway ride, no troopship. no debarkation.
 q say, you, there, Bob Truman, how did we of the second class get into this warP
 Graduated year ahead"
 "But what did we come onf
 "Lightnlng express to Tampa. then over the water in balloon"
 Singular"
 There was rattling ahead with drawing my attention from what had happened to what was happening. One captain faced about and gave an order to march from column Into line. We struggled through tangled bushes, . Mauser bullet splitting here and there like raindrops peltlng the leaves. But twilight was coming. and then it was dark. The firing ahead ceased.
 It seemed was worn out; that had been with the army from the first and had been over every inch of the road from the coast to our present position before Santiago.
 "Will they yield tomorrow, do you thinkf" asked a pale faced boy. stag. gerlng up to me, "and let US get out of this dreadful countryT
 Don't know. I'm suffocating with the heat"
 Then 1t was dawn. The full moon was in the sky far to the west, large and round and pale. When first looked at 1t, I thought 1t great white bird. wondered if 1t were not bird. No. that's the moon, sure enough. No it isn't, it's a big bombshell IL Is sailing right for me. As 1t comes 1t is turning black. That shows it's a shell surely. It comes on and on, passing directly over our heads and goes down slowly to the rear without bursting.
 There is that Gatling gun again. Th-r-r-r-r-r-r-r from left to right, then th.r.r-r-r-r-rr from right to left. Now stiffness, now a distant grown, an oath, an order, anything, eyerything-eyery- thing that is horrible.
 Hear that frightful shriek! Some wo- man leaving the starving city. she must be Spanish. and some brutal Cuban
 That's fainter, more plaintive. O heavens, it's a baby's cry. What an awful thing is war that even a babe must go down under 1t! A moan-the mothers dOubtless-then stillness-a stiffness more awful than the sounds.
 We are marching through these in' fernal tangles again. but suddenly emerge on an eminence. There is San tiago below and there are the Spanish flag and the outlying works. There Is death in tllose redoubts on those long lines of low earth. There are driving storms of bullets and bursting rockets of shells. and the muzzles of the Cat ling guns pour a destroying Hood from the nozzle of hose. We've got to 20 down there and take them. Yes, take them if we are torn into slivers. Why don't they shootf I'd rather hear an occasional shot. see pun of smoke than see that silence. Yes, see it l can almost hear 1t.
 All Is lively enough now. There are volleys near. yolleys far; cannon boom ing, men shouting. horses neighing, Calling guns th-r-r-r-r-ing, all mingled In one gigantic roar.
 "Wire fence nippers here"
 Bring up those gunsg'
 'Turn about, there, my man, or I'll run you through The enemy is in the other directionw
 "waterl Waterr'
 "Oh, Godl I'm hlt!'
 I put my canteen to the lips of the man who called for water and cast e glance at the man who was hit. when the captain ordered me to stop those who were trying to go back.
 Next was lying on my back, clutch ing a wound in my left side. The blood was pouring out like water. Al Cuban girl was bending over me hold-j ing my canteen to my lips. What peaceful face! What contrast with the frlghtful thing called war! Oh. that those eyes could look into mine forever! Oh, that that tress of hair that has come down and Is blown by q breath of air across my check might thus lightly touch 1t during lifetime!
 Again am pushing on toward those earthworks. They are pouring forth Are enough now. Singular that In such storm of missiles l am not hit
 Look outF'
 What is itT'
 "A mlnel A minei Run for your lvesr'
 "Boomr
 There is a terrible explosion. am ln my bed in barracks at West Point The morning gun has just been fired. am lying on my left side, and my heart Is throbblng like a drum. Bob Truman. my roommate, Is rubbing his yes with hls fists trying to wake him. elf up.
 "I say. Bob, what queer dream I've md"
 "H'mr
 "Dreamed we were graduated year ,head and in the Santiago campaign"
 That campalgn's an old story now. { should want something fresher."
 ''The Spanlards exploded a mine and