The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-12-01
! TIE GALL Of TIE FLAG.
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BY LIEUT.. 9. F. MARTIN. U. 8. A.

WV We lx w.
BY LIEUT.. g. f. MARTIN. U. q. A. :
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
NIF 1t please the court, shall now
j read the charges against the &C
cused."
The prisoner, a young soldier with
a haggard face and tired eyes, rose
mechanically, and stood gazing at the
judge-advocate. who read in clear,
emotionless tones the charges setting
forth that Private John Walters,
Company NJ, -th United States In
fantry. had been guilty Of conduct
prejudicial to good order and military
discipline. in that he had been drunk
and disorderly in his company quar-
ters. and had disobeyed lawful Or
der giyel, him by his superior officer.
"Ycu have heard the charges and
specifications preferred against you"
continued the officer representing the
government as prosecuting attorney.
Flow Go you plead?"
The prisoner looked helplessly at
his counsel, a tall bronzed man in the
uniform of frst-lieutenant, who re-
sponded: Guilty, to the specifications
and to the charge"
''The prosecution here rests" an
nounced the judge-advocate.
'Eas the accused any evidence to
offer in his own behalf?" questioned
kho prncidout Of tho onNrf
The accused had none. His counsel.
in few words, begged the court to
consider that the prisoner had been
at the time of his offense, under the
influence of the poisonous Filipino
bino, which had deprived him of his
responsibility I; he called attention to
the excellent service the accused had,
at various times, rendered under fire,
as set forth in his record, and request
ed that such clemency as was possible
be shown him.
AS Walters, followed by his counsel.
left the room, he let his eyes pass for
the first time over the group of grave,
lhaAi-clad officers forming the court
martial.
"Will the lieutenant tell me what he
thinks will get?" he asked, when the
door had closed behind them for the
verdict.
"Nell, this is your sixth conviction
within the year, Walters; I'm afraid
you can't hope for less than a dis
charge anu IL months"
That night az Walters lay on his
hard bunk by the barred window of
the rude stone building used as a
Cuard-house, he tried to analyze his po.
lition. ''Dishonorable discharge and
IL. months" the thought kept ring
Ing in his head. A year in Bilibid-
! no bino and no fighting. Then he
would be sent back to the States-he
never wanted to see the States again;
the battle of life there had been too
7 strong for him; defeat had seemed
to pursue him in every renewed ef-
fort, aud his repeated failures, to con-
ql,er his insatiate thirst for liquor had
only brought disgrace upon his family.
In his army service his reckless cour-
age under fire mad atoned for much
of his reclllessness in drink. For
long, drink and battle had been the
only sedatives to quiet the fire in his
brain; Only when drugged with one
or wild with the passion of the other,
had he been allie tn forget the pangs
OF acknowledged failure. But five
years in the tropics had begun to take
away the sting. There was forgetful-
ness in this land; II emanated from the
indolent rustling of the palm trees
from the golden, dreamy glow of
the twilights-trom the dangerous
perfume Of the Yiang Ylang. He was
slowly and surely imbibing the lotus
flowers potion If content The east
was dropping It's flel) over his soul,
and he was grateful for It's mercy.
A faint rustling without the win
icw attracted LIS attention; he peered
THOUGH the lars. ani saw in the
din light FORM crouch:ng close to
the prison wall 4,sr-s.st.
isabella lle whispered.
9 A SHALL brown hand came through
the iron uprigl.s arl pressed his fin
gers us they rested en- the sill. II
as.s Filipino girl whom Walters had
one: protected from the insults Of q
d"..nken h:ut,'. onr who had thereaf-
tsr secretly la>ished upoa this reck-
i.s., gloomy young American all the
affection Ct which she was capable
Unconscious OF tl,s deeper feelings
which animated her, WATERS had moi
been uI.sensi',l.. to t4e unfailing friend.
ship she had shown him. and between
the two q sort Of comradeship had
Il arisen She came to him for advice
and sympathy in the small affairs o.
her life. and Wai,ers had found he1
lospitabia. home an agreeable asylum
When be wanted to escape from tn.
rnlshc: colnpanionship Of his associ
ss'sates. Her appears rce below his win