The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-10-25
: The Man :
Who Thought
By D0NAl. HAMILTON HAlNES
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long enough. We better finish this
here war an go on home"
I'VE won't have 10 fight no battle
put in the old man "Them chaps
won't wait for us--will they?' and he
turned to Burke
Burke finished another plate and
shook his head slowly.
I'VE amt ready to fight" he said.
Half these soldiers don't know which
end of their guns goes off an the
officers amt much better"
That's all right retorted the tall
soldier, waving a long finger; this
here army can shoot straight, an
that's all there is TO IL. I've got bet
with a feller at home that I'll be back
inside three weeks
Don't you so spendin' that money
advised Burke, What this army needs
is a good lickin' and III be sore if we
don't get IT,"
| The circle looked at him with
marked disapproyal Such views We're
scandalous, and not balanced by the
| fact that he seemed TO know more
! than they did.
You're a nice 'Murican!" exclaimed
the tall soldier.
You wait" replied Burke, unmoyed.
Again the group fell silent. Above
the splashing and clatter of Burkes
dish-washing sounded the steady plod-
ding Of the raw, tardy regiments NOV
ing along the broad turnpikes to their
bivouacs. Three miles to the south q
faint glow in the sky marked hostile
fires Above the top of distant ridge
streaks OF white light showed where
the arc-lights of town cut through
the misty air.
What gets me- confessed the tau
soldier, after looking around the horp
Zon. lis how anybody knows where
Everybody is an what's goin to hap
pen TO EN-. How do they figure IL
out?"
"Why. look here" said Burke. With
| a fork he commenced drawing lines
| and squares on tho damp earth,
| Matches. twigs and bits of bark were
called into use The other men peered
over his shoulder curiously, and at the
end of ten minutes Burke commenced
explaining his map. The five men
looked thoughtful and sucked at their
lplpes.
whats to prevent them two armies
walkin' right past each other in thq
nieht an never KNOWN it?" demanded
the old man Patiently Burke went
lover his explanations. At the end thd
| all man stood up, unconvinced.
| "Maybe you're right" he admitted,
| .bnt | don't see how ye know all this
/ "F'ieured IT. out" said Burke.
,sHow%' demanded the tall soldier
| An hour later Burke was aroused by
a nervous hand paving at MS leg
He awoke with start to find tho
young soldier trying to rouse bim'
! "S matter. SOM he asked sleepilV
whats that battle tomorrow goln
10 be like?" whispered the boy. Il NJ
scairt."
"scairt, g.. ya?' inquired Burke
| ,ropping himself ny on one elbow
| Well. | don't much wonder. what
| Il going to be like? Why, It's goin
be more men than you ever saw q,
| 1ne time shootin at each other ah9
yellin' with shells fiyin' an Dustin
an people rampagin round on horses
and q noise like boier-factry work
In overtime,
! "Gee!" said the boy, shiverng,
| "You and a lot Of other chaps--an
prob'bly me--is goin' TO run Eastern
we ever did before concluded Burke
II amt" insisted the boy, though
his lip quiyered,
"Aint YEP" inquired Burke in tone
of mild surprise; well, | amt maze
up my mind yet"
They're goin to get me tomorrow.
the boy gasped on in a burst OF conn
dence, "and I've got girl home. Wd
was goin' to be married the twenty
"shool Ye don't say" answered
| Bnrke softly Now call that hard
/ IIuck,v He filled his pipe, frowning.
This was a new element to him, ana
he gave up his sleep to ease the iad
I'm take care of ye tomorrow, SON."
le said finally, patting The boys shouf
"Will ye?" asked the lad, brighten
| ng Guess | can sleep them
Burke watched him as he lay down
| IN his blankets, and the deep, f0ugh
| fines In his face grew softer
s'That there kid" he muttered'
eain,t fl for soldierin'. Maybe the
timel come we'll need 'em--buf not
VET I'm goin' to send him home 70
ms llOtu'i. As-...14 4t,o
a noisy racket of bugles stirred the
little circle of still figures around me
campfire in the dull gray OF the next
morning. As they sat rubbing lhell
ewes and yawning, sounds OF moYihs
troopg came to them from the roaa.
"sounds like business, Burke an
nounced to the group as he buckleq on
his blanket-roll.
"Where we goin'?" demanded the
boy anxiously a
Some Rankin move, kid" explained
Burke. "Got to edge round EN- fofe
it's light" ..t
battle!" grumbled the tail soidler d0
he tripped over stump
The group foundered out into the
1arkness of road already choked WIN
mon where two divisions were trying
10 converge on the town whose electric
itohts had glimmered the night before.
Nervous, half trained oincers CaNiSu
nnintelIigible orders in The darkness
men laughed, swo~s and sang ~
turns. ...o,,s4
Fis this here war, or are we solh -
hatch a circus unload%
The long column stumbled into a
-, of motion. Across the heids
,,l,aS uiIl the dark mass Of the parallel
,o,,rnn Rehind them the single lght
.,iu gIowed in the window az head
s',artsra 20, The tall soldier commenced
sinc,ng. an invisible officer az uis
rnadside commanded silence. Tie eSi
a tban commenced COM