The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-03-21
A Soldiers VindicatiOn
IOriginaI.l

every DOuy lOVGu. Ills HILL WAS udX,
his eye was robins egg blue, and he
wore a perpetual smile on his lips. He
looked SO GOOD that butter wouldn't
melt in his mouth.
When the Spanish-American war
broke out, Bob, who was a member of
the national guard OF his state, went
with his regiment to Cuba and fought
through the battles that resulted in the
capture Of Santiago. He seemed insen-
sible to fear, and his companions said
of him that he was too lazy to worry
about getting shot.
Bob didn't get shot, but with that
luck which comes to reckless people
who rather deserve punishment he re
ceiyed a wound just severe enough to
enable him to show the scars of a war
veteran. A Mauser bullet went
through the biceps Of his right arm,
giving what might pass for two
wounds, one where it went in and one
where it went out.
Hazard, not being able to handle
musket during this time, had album
dant leisure for mischief Removing
two balls from cartridges, he sent one
to his best girl, with letter in which
he said that to her and her alone he
gave the Spanish bullet with which he
had been shot The other he sent to
his other best girl, with a similar mes
sage. He enjoined each to keep the Sc
cret Of his preference, since he didn't
wish to appear to attach any impor-
lance to his wound.
Now, the recipients, Miss Edith
Spencer and Miss Della Marsh, were
extremely feminine young ladies'.
While neither were in love with the
young soldier, both were proud of the
preference Each knew that the other
counted on Private Hazard as one of
her especial friends at the front In
those exciting days when not to have
an especial friend at the war made a
girl feel and appear like wall
flower" at ball. The next time Miss
Spencer met Miss Marsh after the re-
ceipt of her bullet she asked, with a
triumphant sparkle in the eye and toss
of the head:
Heard from Bob Hazard lately?"
, The response was doubtless inf1u-
| enced by the questioner's manner.
"Yes; the poor fellow has been severe
" wounded
II know" replied the other, with an
air of superiority. HE wrote me all
about it."
$50 he did me, and sent me a keep
sake.''
"He sent me the bullet that struck
him."
have that bullet" she said, Gin my
escritoire"
"And have it in my jewel box"
| This was the preliminary par of
| conversation that led to the ext ibition
| of two bullets, each with a polished
| surface, which is never found on one
| that has been fired from gun, to say
nothing of being sent through a mans
arm. Had the girls been disinterested
| they would have smiled. AS it was,
4
| Hazard returned he should explain
| this strange proceeding and pronounce
| upon the genuineness of the ball that
| had wounded him.
When the war ended, it virtually be-
1 gan for Bob Hazard An enemy
awaited him which would have strick-
| en- terror into any man of less bravery.
1 His regiment marched through the
| city from which 1t had departed with
| flying colors and martial music The
| first communication he received after
| being mustered out was a note from
Miss Spencer asking him to come and
| see how she had mounted the keep
| sake he had sent her. He called that
| evening and found Miss Spencer and
| Miss Marsh together. On the table
| was an open jewel box that had held
| pair of solitaire earrings, and in
place Of the earrings were two bullets
The expression on the faces of the
| girls was ominous.
"WiI you please" said Miss Spencer,
"tell us which Of these two bullets
wounded you?"
| Bob looked at the leaden missiles.
| Their polished surfaces should have
| brought the blush Of shame to his
| face, but they did not. Indeed he
| took no note of anything, he was
thinking how to wiggle out of the
scrape he had brought upon himself
| Finally, with an injured air he asked
! permission to take off his coat, which
was granted. Removing the coat and
a pair of gold sleeve links, he rolled
| up his shirt sleeve.
''This wound" he said, pointing to
| the scar where the missile that had
| really struck him on the inner surface
Of the arm, twas made by the bullet
on the right. This" pointing to the
! scar where the original missile had left
+, his arm, twas made by the bullet on
| the left"
The girls looked at each other.
'You two young ladies'" he con-
| tinued, "as especial friends of mine,
| I thought might like to have bullet
| that had struck a simple soldier Of