The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-23
Our Daily Sbort Story

, two wings swept forward, and in a moment the hill was Q screaming mass of murder-mad men.
 The firing now became heavier, and little spurts of dirt told that the enemy were finding the range. Pale. with dry lips and distended eyes, Amano lay, | fascinated by the horror of it He shuddered as a man on the right dropped his gun and settled back in the mud. As man after man dropped out of the fight. the strain of inaction told on the men. Theirs was not to be car- | ried away by the mad exhiiaration of the charge. but to suffer the long im- passive wait. with the bullets song, sapping their nerve, and making them dig their nails in the wet grass and savagely grit their teeth. l A man next to Amanto turned to him to make remark: with an oath he sprang into the air, and fell back, | while the warm blood from the wound spurted over the arm and shoulder of the boy by his side For a moment he lay rigid, and then. blanched to the lips, fainted dead away.
 It ran along tho line that the auiet modest little fellow in the DanEo com pany had fainted at the first sight of blood; some laughed nervousiy others cursed. As the sergeant poured a drop of brandy between the blue lips, there was fear tugging at his heart that after all the boy was a coward. In spite of his timid ways the old man had vouched for his manhood. Realizing the shame Of 1t as he re- vived, Amano's face frightened and his 1 eyes grew hot As he patted him on the shoulder. his comrade caught sight of face filled with unalterable deter l imitation.
 Deployed in line of skirmishers, the attacking columns had twice swept up the hill to fall back, crumpled and broken. Like ants they swarmed over the fences and gullies, only to be hurled back, decimated by the wither- ing fire.
 orderlies dashed up and down the line, the bugles sounded. the or1cers squatting behind the line, scabbards on knees, threw away their cigarettes and closed up. At last came the com mand, "Forward," and with A shout of relief the reserve sprang into ac- ton.
 On they swept. gathering in the broken Hanks as they vent up the ascent they dashed, cutting the fences and leaping the pits as they ran.
 For a moment the defenders held their fire, and then from every rine- pit and trench poured holocaust of lead and shrapnel The line wavered. and then in mad frenzy dashed on. Again and again they were swept by the rain of death. pausing but a moment from the shock, they stumbled blindIy for ward.
 Untouched by the first whitening fire. all his gentleness gone. Amano ran on, no feeling his heart, save a mad desire to slay and tear out the throats of wwrAA Id A u.u.Na through hls cap, and he went down, only to be up again, his face covered with blood. Brushing 1t from his eyes, he kept recklessly on.
 The thin line reeling from the sys- tematic volleying, was slowly giving laway. The merciiess slaughter was beyond human endurance. and at points the men were turning headIong down the hill. One man was following an- other, and the glorious charge was be- coming a rout.
 First one, and then another. and an- other took it up; rippling along the line 1t grew in volume, until drowning the roar of battle, a hoarse cheer burst from the dusty throats of the men.
 There, yards in advance. almost be- meath the terrible guns of the enemy, was Amano.
 1 He stood beckoning them on with l hip t"iStcu OdyOACS uO ldu WT0uCneu from his discarded rifle. Wounded and faint. he had stumbled on and on, until the terrible realization burst upon him that the men were falling back. Turn ing. he held out his arms, and with tears running down his blackened J cheeks, sobbed out an appeal to them. | They saw him standing there heed less of the flying bullets, and with cheer after cheer. swept forward in a charge that was irresistible. Still way ing the bayonette, he led them over the crest
 | They found him in the first trench, a huddled bunch of timidity. He was shot through the lung and was going fast. The old sergeant, sobbing like a child, knelt and took him in his arms. l He opened his eyes and they were tenoer. quiet, the eyes his tiny sister would know, far off in the Sunrise Isle.
 | As he saw the men standing around he understood. For a moment the glow of battle was reflected in his face. and the look that they had seen as he stood alone on the hilltop shone in his eyes. He tried hard to raise himself but the effort was too much for him.
 "Banzai." murmured the little chap as he sank back in the sergeants arms | Arnold Co.,. All week at BIJOu Thea tre. begiHniDg tonight.