Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-19
How a Joke Was Played OH the
Military Hero of the SAINT
iago Campaign
EXAMPLE OF PERSEVERANCE
Tried Five Times to Kick Foot Ball,
Which Finally Conquered Him =
Prediction Made by His Father
Comes True-How He Gained the
Nickname of "Pecos Bill"

The late Major General William Ru-
fus Shafter, the Santiago chieftain,
thoroughly enjoyed a good story and
did not object to telling one even II
the joke was ON himself. He had
faithful servant whose name was
George.
One day the general, contemplating
trip to Santa Barbara, Cal, sent
George to the ticket Office to buy
sleeping BERTH To make sure that
the old man would make no mistake
the general called after him in an en-
phatic manner:
George. tell them l want a section
and a lower"
An hour later George returned, and
the general asked:
did you get it?"
Yes, SIR" answered George.
what did you get| asked Shafter.
"a section and little over"
Great Lord, George" exclaimed the
general. "You don't mean to tell me
that you went down to that ticket
office and asked for section and a
little over, do you?"
Eyes, SIR" said George.
"a section and little over?" re-
peated the general. Hang it, George,
you don't think I'm that big, do you?
know I am big man, but hereto
fore I've always found one section in a
sleeping car roomy enough to stow
away in"
General Shafter, who was tall and
slender in youth, gained much flesh
while living in the far west, and before
the Spanish-American war he weighed
over 300 pounds The story is told of
him that one day when he was on the
Pacific coast he was sitting in his par
lor, overlooking the parade ground.
Some soldiers were playing football on
the campus. One Of them, muscular
man, sent the football flying through
the parlor window. The soldiers were
frightened, and visions of the guard
house doomed before them. The gen
eral presently appeared at his door
with the football under his arm. Toss
ing 1t into the air, he made desperate
kick at the sphere. The ball dropped
harmless at his feet and the generals
body spun around twice. He tried it
again, and again missed. Five times
he kicked and missed, and in the fifth
experiment he lost his balance and
tumbled head over heels down the
steps to the ground. The soldiers
quickly went to his assistance. The
general was not hurt, but the football
conquered him and he surrendered.
Captain George III. Henderson Of La
peer, who served In the civil war with
General Shafter, at that time a lieu
tenant of company Of the Seventh
Michigan volunteer infantry, when ask
ed If he knew General Shafter replied:
"Know him! OF course l did He
was lieutenant in the Seventh the
same time was, and we were chums
together. He was mighty good OFF,
Ger and 8. mighty good fellow. He
once told me funny story about his
father. ELL worked with his father
on the farm in Kalamazoo county, and
l guess the old man did not exactly
like to have him go to the war. The
citizens turned out to see the boys
take the train at Galesburg, and Mr..
Shafter was among them. 'Goodby,
Bill said he as the train was start
ing. I expect to hear soon that you
got shot in the seat of your trousers
well, pretty soon Bill got to be ad-
jutant, and in one of the first fights
he was wheeling his horse around and
rifle ball just grazed his saddle and
went into his flesh. Oh, he swore like
a pirate. You could have heard him
half mile off. Then, after he got
cooled down little, he said to some
of those rear him, What will my ia
ther say nowY"
'I'll tell you how came to receive
that designation" said General Shafter
to group of friends one night after
having been addressed as "Pecos Bill"
ut was out in that arid part of the
southwest country where water is q
real luxury. We had been travelling
for several days without water, and
finally captain of one of our compa-
MES, with tears in his eyes, said:
"'Colonel, we are lost and begged
that we turn back. Well go straight
ahead replied. The Pecos river lies
over there somewhere, and intend go
ing on until we meet it If we have to-
circumnavigate the globe to do it.
Eve reached the river that night.
The water was muddy, but it was wa
ter. We simply had to go ahead. 1t
we had turned back, we'd have starved
to DEATH"
Mrs. Mary McKittrick, General Shat
ters only daughter. passionately loved
her father. On his return from Santi-
ago she Travelled over half Of the con-
tinent to meet and welcome him. A
concourse of people had assembled to
witness the affecting meeting between
the conquering hero and his daughter
after those long history making months
of separation. And what were her first
touching words of greeting? She gave
little start at sight Of the generals
form. by no means attenuated, but less
some sixty pounds, lost In Cuba, and
said:
"Oh, you're Just as thin as rail!"
The tension was relaxed, and the