Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-03-08
Mcguire and the Deaf Man.


work; I'm for discbarging him as
soon as possible.
The major in charge of the Second
Reserve hospital in Manila looked up
from his morning reports.
Tried shooting gun beside his
bed ?"
"They tried that in the company
quarters before we got him" answer
ed the contract doctor. We've yell
ed fire in his ear at night, and ev.
erytbiug else we could think of, but
it's no use-he's deaf that's all.
The major hastily glanced over the
papers in the case, muttering az he
did go:
"John Earle, private, cavalryman,
tall, light"
Under the heading of Remarks
he read:
while in company quarters Phi
vate Earle, reading letter he had
Just received, suddenly turned to an
other soldier, saying: why did that
bugler stop in the middle of stable
call?' The man answered, but Earle
insisted that he could not hear what
was said. From that moment Private
Earle has been to all appearances
deaf; all tests have failed"
Then the major looked over the
post surgeons recommendation for
transfer to Manila and discharge, and
tossed the papers aside.
"Orderly," be said, "go down to
the First Reserve and send Steward
Mcguire here"
Eyes, SIR" and the orderly was
gone.
Ten minutes later Steward Ma
guire stood at attention before. the
major.
He was a haired, freckled-tac-
ed, short, thick-set young Irishman.
The Major knew Maguires record
he knew if Earle was deaf, Mcguire
would know it before another day
passed.
His eyes were again on the morn
ing reports" and he did not look up
as be handed Mcguire the papera re.
lating to the Earle case.
II want to know by tomorrow
morning whether that's fake, was
his only remark.
"Yes. sir" answered Mcguire, as
he slipped the papers into his hip
pocket. "I'll do my best"
AS Mcguire left the room a smile
fitted across the majors stern face,
and leaning back in his chair he said
to himself:
I'D hate to have anyone give me
those orders I gave Mcguire. Won
der what he'll do"
Now, what's m friend the Major
steerin me up against p mused Ma
guire, as he pulled the package OF pa
pers from his hip pocket and began
reading while he walked along.
"If l thought" he said aloud,
that the ol guy worked on the the
ory that it takes thief to catch a
thief, I'd-but it's dead plain that
he don't be heard about me catchin'
them two deserters in Havana after
they'd fooled everybody from the
general down-that's all. Now if
man wants to desert, l say, let him
desert; it's none of my rations. But
when he deserts and don't stop long
enough to pay the four-ffty what he
owes Maguire-as one o them did
it's no case for a peace commission.
Mcguire stopped he had reached
coast artillery barracks. AS he en-.
tered the first sergeant's Office he re.
moved his hat, saying:
I'm Steward Mcguire from the
First Reserve. Can you let me see
the man Private Earle was talking to
when he suddenly got deaf?"
"Over there on the third bunk
cleaning his gun his name is Kelly.
See him. responded the sergeant.
Mcguire did, and a moment later
was seated on the opposite bunk.
"Say," said Mcguire, "we're going
to discharge your friend Earle. and
as the doctors in the States want a
full history of the cases. I've got to
make full report on Earle's. See2
Now there's a transport sails to-mor-
row, go you see I'm in hurry. They
tell me you were with the poor devil
when he lost his hearin.
"Yes-he was reading a letter, You
say Geel From his mother. proba-