Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-10-01

pany was backed up by his followers
TO race with Private Johnson OF +
company. no one dreamed OF the com.
plications that were to follow. For
long time Johnson had been the fleet
est man In the garrison. and + com
pany had gloried In his powers. They
boosted about him; they smiled indul.
gently when n man of another com.
pany was spoken OF as a runner. They
said that y company was the best
company In the regiment; and as there
was some foundation for their claim,
the boasts rufied the spirits OF the
men Of F company, because they also
laid claims to superiority.
One day a recruit came TO F com
pany. He was a weli.built fellow, and
II soon leaked out that he was feet
OF foot. + company took him out on
the prairie. measured OF a hundred
yards. started him with a blank car.
fridge. and timed him with the best
watch In the company. Then they
danced back 20 the barracks and
laughed Il company In the face. And
+ company jcered back at them. and
sent + company a challenEe-the men
to run for all the money the two com.
panics would draw on their next pay
day. This was more than F com
pany had bargalned for. but they had
confidence In their man, and the chal.
lenge was accepted.
The garrison never forgot that race.
Like unleashed hounds the two run.
ncrs shot from the mark; not breath
was drawn by either r company or +
company as the contestants tore down
the track side by side. Then a mighty
cheer went up from + company as.
at the finish. their man forged ahead
and won by yard. How they
screamed and Rugged each other And
they carried Private Johnson back to
barracks: they thought too much Of
him 10 allow him 10 walk.
The cinder track origin OF the feud
had been all but lost in a larger and
more comprehensive rivalry, when one
fine morning the colOnels pretty niece
arrived at the post for a visit. Twenty.
four hours after her arrival her heart,
hand. and dainty smile were all vio-
lently besieged by the respective
second lieutenants OF companies Z
and +.
And then the company fight found
"A fresh inspiration, and was waged for
all II was worth.
When the company second lieu.
tenant was allowed TO take her sweet.
ness to the first post hop following
her arrival, the hearts of the men who
slept on iron hunks in r company
were full of rejoicing.
When the second lieutenant OF +
company stood highest in favor, +
company at once proceeded in a body
TO the canteen AZ a consequence.
But this is not a story OF the loves
of two second lieutenants. Absorbing
rs was the competition into which
these officers Of E and F companies re.
spectlvely had entered, and ardent as
was the passion that inspired II.
neither have more than an incidental
interest in this tale.
One October morning, the sentinel
in rear Of officers line saw flames
bursting from the roof OF the colonel's
quarters.
Fire, number three" he yelled, at
the same time firing his rifle.
The stiffness OF the autumnal morn.
ing was gone. Bugles blew. the re-
veille gun was fred. soldiers tumbled
out OF barracks, officers dropped their
cards or their babies. The deserted
parade was at once alive with men and
Uttered with fire buckets, with hose
carts and with ladders.
The second lieutenants OF com.
| panies y and + rushed out OF the
colonels house together. Between
them was Miss Wilckens. but which
one carried her, or whether neither
or both OF them enjoyed this priv.
lege, not even the colonel's cook could
tell. They left her reluctantly on the
sidewalk. and each, with a parting
look of undying love, fairly few across
the parade TO conduct his own com.
mand to the scene of danger. The
first sergeants met them half way
with the hastily formed companies,
and back again they madly raced 10
the burning house. easily beating all
competitors In dead heat for first
place.
In every woll-conducted garrison
each company is assigned a fire duty.
Some bring the ladders. others the
hose, and others, still, IRE buckets.
For the latter duty were detailed
Companies 4 and +; but finding NO
water for their buckets, they were
ordered into the quarters TO carry out
the colonefB belongings. With +
company rushed It's second lieutenant
A moment later he hurried forth bear
Ing q diyan pillow under each arm
and his eyes caught the second lieu
tenant OF = company not only calmly
standing on the sidewalk with Miss
Wilckens, but actually wrapping his
cape around her. A moment latel
the girls pretty shoulders were GOV
| cred with another second Ue,ttanant's