Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-04-01
TRAPPED BY AMIGOS
STORY OF THE BATTLE FOR LIFE
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Lieut.. Brynton's Command Eneoun'
ters Treaeherous Band-Men Are
Exhausted from Exertions
on Tramp.
BY MARY HELEN FEE.

corporal near stirred and sat up. Civ
Ing, as he did SO. quick glance
around that betrayed strained nerves
IAN asleep" murmured Byrnton
Cant you rest?"
NO." replied Milford, also in low
tone. He crossed over to where his
superior officer sat. But it's vel
they can Sleep" nodding at the men
I'm sorry for the first guard tonight.
And the last" added Byrnton. 81
dare say we'll be rushed at dawn. I'm
lead tired myself: clean crazy; don't
know why don't drop In my tracks. "
Milford gazed at the serene heavens,
and the Swallowed earth lying below
he high plateau where the small de.
.achment Of army men rested.
Its Christmas day." he said, slow
~. LET me see-we're 12-14 hours
ahead OF them. It's dawn at home.
Byrnton; and there's probably snow!
-snow!" He dropped his hand, and
IN an ecstacy Of imagination, crum-
bled bit of earth in his fingers.
It's all soft and white and furry"
And Ethel's going to early church,
with her cheeks red as apples above
her sealskin collar" Byrnton went on,
following the lead. And they've got
the library locked so the kids won't
see the tree till after breakfast"
Hot cakes and maple SYRUP" in
.erjected Milford.
And my Christmas letter Is lying
by her plate"
And we're here" said Milford, bit.
terly. in God forsaken land
hungry, exhausted with fighting, look
ing for bolo rush at dawn"
Its what we wanted" was Byrn-
.on's response. WAS there one Of
us that did not pray for active serv.
lce?"
Yes, but we wanted chance 10
fight, and instead we're put up to be
trapped and hacked. We're looking
for an enemy in uniform, armed with
gun; American humane sentiment
Fan endure the thought Of killing
him. But II man Is using his bolo
at the roadside, and says amigo
(friend) We mustn't touch him. ]
don't believe there are 500 uniforms
In the whole island. Everybody is
enemigo, by Jove, and we've got to
walk through 'em with our hands in
our pockets and our humane senti-
ments in our countenances. It isn't
service! It's providing sport for Fill.
Pine devils. I've got Blake's shrieks
In my ears now"
= He was a white man, paid $13 a
month and his rations to demonstrate
to these Filipinos the civilized notion
of war. Wonder II they have any in
tention of taking the lesson. wish
they'd begin on this trip" Byrnton
kicked out his foot with an impatient
exclamation, and his sword fell nois-
lily against Mitford's rifle. Half a
dozen men jumped to their feet.
Lie down, men-all's well! Fine
tension on a mans nerves II he can
wake at a sound like that after what
we've gone through with to-day"
The men settled back into position,
with tender handling of rifles. OFF,
Ger and corporal sat in silence, listen
Ing to the breathing Of the sleepers.
The moon hung clear and bright in
the sky. The mid heavens were one
glistening field of piled Wilderness,
cool and frosty as buried prairie.
"A Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year," said Milford, softly.
They clasped hands for an instant;
then the corporal lapsed into soldier,
saluted, and went to rest.
They had stumbled upon bit Of
trail, and the beaten earth gave no
hint of the bamboo structure beneath.
Fortunately, the natives had not built
strongly enough, and 1t gave way be-
fore the full weight of the men was
upon 1t. Blake and Jerrold, only,
touched 1t before II went down. Jer.
rold, poor wretch, was spared by his
own revolver, which discharged and
sent bullet through his brain; but
Blake was impaled upon bamboo
stakes at the bottom. His shrieks
and prayers to be put out Of his mis-
cry filed the leafy silence. The
monkeys chartered at the noise, and
the GREATNESS air stirred slightly as
n nature sighed at the agony OF her
child. With beads of perspiration
standing on their faces they had
worked to extract him, while half
their number stood at guard. await
ing the rush that did not come. When
merciful death released the sufferer,
they reluctantly left his mangled body,
and pushed on for the bare mountain
top, knowing we'll that Il ten minutes
the bushes would be full OF peeping
faces-women, ten-year-old boys with
bolos, brawny naked 'taos"-all come
an rr.tftflafa and insult the halDleRs