The Randall County news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1908-1926, 1910-04-01
Saved by
A Parrot
But There Were Links Be-
tween the Bird and
the Outcome.
By ANDREW c. EWING.
By ANDREW c. EWING.
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

commanding the Narrows, is a fort
That on the east shore is called Fort
Hamilton, that on the west Fort
Wadsworth These forts are at all
times garrisoned by United States
troops.
There lived some years ago near
Fort Hamilton a widow named Ham
mond. whose boy, Robert, growing up
In close proximity to an army post,
imbibcd taste for a military life.
When he became eighteen years of age
he went into the fort one day and en-
listed and then went home and told his
mother what he had done.
Robert Hammond was steady
young fellow and, having received a
pretty good education, resolved to try
for promotion through the noncOm-
missioned to the commissioned grades.
He had become q corporal when that
happened which sometimes makes and
sometimes breaks man-he got a
sweetheart Nancy Alvord was about
Hammond's age and lovely girl.
Nevertheless she was the cause of his
getting into trouble.
Famous Coney Island, where there
is multitude of shows, is but few
miles from Fort Hamilton. and one
summer day when the young soldier
had leave to go where he liked be-
tween midday and 9 p. N. he called
for Nancy, and together they stepped
on an electric car for visit to the is
land. Robert had money enough in
his pocket to enable them to take in
most of the shows, and 50 great was
their enjoyment that the time passed
more rapidly than they realized. The
days were at the time at their longest,
and this, too, had something TO do with
their installing the hour. At any rate,
when there was still twilight they
heard a clock strike 8.
Roberts heart sank within him. His
leave had expired, and he would not
be able to reach the fort in less than
half an hour. He would be broken"
that is, reduced to private-and his
dream of becoming n commissioned Of
ficer was at an end At any rate, he
would be obliged to begin all over and
by long period of good behavior get
again in line.
Very well, Nancy" he said; Il may
as well be hanged for sheep as a
lamb. Well stay here as long as we
like"
Nancy endeavOred to induce him to
go back at once, but he would not.
SO they ordered supper and after
that continued to enjoy themselves at
the various places designed for the
double purpose of giving people pleas
ure and getting their money. When
the money was mostly spent they took
a car and went home. Passing a sa-
loon kept by one Murphy, Robert wish
ed to go in and get glass Of beer, but
Nancy dissuaded him. Robert left her
at her house, then went to his moth
er's.
Though 1t was late. Mrs Hammond
was just about going to bed. Robert
told her that he had broken his leave
to his own room that he had occupied
as a boy and remain there overnight
He did so and in the morning over
slept. Then his mother begged him to
take breakfast at home. BY the time
he reached the fort it was long past
reveile roll call.
Robert was put in arrest. And what
was his astoniShment when told that
the saloon keeper, Murphy, had been
murdered the night before. that some
shreds of blue uniform and several
army buttons had been found near
the body aud a soldier answering his
description had been seen near the
saloon.
The young soldier was troubled only
at the prospect of being reduced TO the
ranks. There could be no doubt of his
proving that he had not been in Muir
phys saloon and that he had been
with his sweetheart and later with his
mother He gave the captain the adj
dress Of both women and told him to
go and ask his mother and Nancy if
he had not been with them during the
night of the murder.
The officer, in order that there might
be no collision between Robert ana
the others said nothing about the
charge OF murder to either woman in
order to better conceal his object. He
told them that the soldier was in dan
ger Of being tried for deSertion. Both
women knew enough Of army offenses
to understand that desertion was Sc
rious charge. Neither knew what rea-
son Robert had given his superiors for
his absence, and both feared to say
about him for fear Of dis
proving what he had himself said.
The consequence was that both denied
having seen him the night before.
This was quite enough to convict
him, if not of the murder, certainly Of
falsely accounting for his absence. He
was turned over 10 the civil authori-
ties to be tried for murder
II would be impossible to give an
idea of the anguish of the mother and
sweetheart when they learned of the