The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-18

and later was attached to the Philippine
scouts. For obvious reasons the uutnot
desires TO remain anonymous and has
concealed the names OF the officers con-
cerned. For the rest he gives true ac-
count OF remarkable character and 4
great fight.
There We were. company Of us.
tucked away in the Jungle at Desmones,
province Of Albay,. island Of Luson. sur.
brown men. so frayed In the nerves that
We ducked every time a stinging fly
hu5zed through the molten sunlight,
Now ] ask you. was that a time for
soldiers TO feel that they were com
manded by a friyoling nonentity, BON:
bsstes Furioso In gold braid and pomadeo
mustaches?
or course. the lieutenanis had known
about IL from the start, and |, as sur
Eeon, had heard and seen enough L
week after being assigned TO the post,
But the worst of II was that the men
had heard the whispers. An officer may
lack all confidence In his superior, be
and still do his duty. He has the tram
ing and the tradition OF the service TO
back him. Il nothing more. But men
OF a captain who knows his business.
And when they can't they 80 TO bat
tie with yellow lips and a chill in the pits
And besides. this wasn't bat,le. No
heat OF action and fury OF strife for slim
ulant while we sulked about our wretched
barracks. Corporal Dan was crossing the
street with a shouted jest TO conlraJe
on has tongue when a dum-du whncJ
in between the huis and his phrase ended
in gurgle. The company beat tl,c
woods about until sunset and came sham
bling back TO stumble upon the bodies
OF two OF their comrades in a thickcl
they had passed, stabbed and ripped
and killed with never cry That taxes
the starch out OF the rank and file. that
sort OF thing, And IL calls for strong
faith in Providence and the Is. o. whicn
latter We lacked.
our *. o. was volunteer. The de
partment in Its infinite wisdom ms!
know now he came 10 be I'm charge ON
the borders OF the Camarlnes. where Lux
don, the wiliest and most dangerous OF
robber chieftalns. harried the country. 10
us who served under HIM II was one o,
the freak casts OF evil fortune past en-
plenation.
Captain BIS military experience M
TO tie time hc received his commission
had heen gained as mcmoer OF ligh.
artillery company I'm Florida Sounds
well. doesn't IT? Speaking Of light ardl
lcry. you get a mental picture OF galop-
ing steeds. jingling harness. pounding
guns and carriages. all the dash and pan
oply OF the most picturesque arm Of the
service. But tho captains light artillery |
Ind been very different klnd-sort ol |
an exclusive little club. where poppins
corks supplied the circumstances of wal !
and officers were promoted on the basis |
OF the number of quarts they could as
simulate.
Far from regarding this schooling as
matter too trivial Tor mention IN The |
midst OF q deadly. grim campaign, the |
captain was iDordinately proud OF II. l. |
gave him material for endless anecdotes
when was lcft'nant in the light ahti |
lery, suh,' his tavorite clutch on the |
II came to be sickcn!nC |
To see the man stand there teeternG on J
his toes and throwing ou; his little pig |
con breast and endlessly twisting at his |
perfumed n1ustache while he told US |
tales OF drinking bouts. and Lukdons 5 |
was enough to make one wan, 10 start |
an insurrcction of ones own.
His Toast to the Foe
Well. the long and short OF it was
the men believed the captain to be in
and cursed him sueniy, and |
the officers thought they knew the cap
tain was fool or worse and prayed that |
he might get in the way of one OF those |
whining jungle missivcs. Looking back |
ordered and maintained throughout.
though no one could have made me ac-
II at the time. We had our
opinion of Captain B. founded on our
observation OF him and nothing he did
vas right His brisk insstcuce upon dis
,ipline we regarded as q sham and his
high rcspec, for himself and his abilities
is offensive affectation.
The first incident that Nigh, have
served 10 enlighien us happened on a
'reathless hot night when four or FIVE
u us had gatheied at the captains quar-
ers on the second floor OF decayne
shack above the mess room We had
,oine through no friendship for the cap
ain. but az concession TO monotony
and case OF beer which he had man
aged TO get through somehow. The |