Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-09-09
THE LUCK OF
SANDY BANCROFT
How a Foraglng Soldier Won
His Promotion.

gan to be sickly concave.
am going forsging," said Sandy.
"Better not" said his comrades
you'll fall into the hands of the da-
goes, and II you don't you'll get into
trouble for leaving your post"
Sandy preferred to take both risks
to enduring the pangs OF hunger. The
officer OF the picket was worn out and
sound asleep. so he need not know or
Sandy's absence. and II he did he
would not dare report him since he
was himself liable to be shot for sleep
ing on post. Singing his Krag-Jorgen-
sen over his shoulder, Sandy buckled
his revolver to his hip and started
forth. Seeing house in the distance,
he made for 1t and on reaching 1t
knocked at the door. A black eyed
Spanish girl opened It.
could you give me a bitter asked
the soldier. lifting his hat politely.
The girl shook her head, indicating
that she did not understand English.
whereupon Sandy made pantomine
motions descriptive of shoveling In
food The girl led the way into the
dining room and placed on the table
the remains of last nights supper.
Sandy exercised great ingenuity in
pantomining his gratitude, then sat
down and fell to. Meanwhile the girl
left the room. After the soldier had
eaten his fill he stuffed his pockets for
his comrades, then arose from the ia
BILE and, taking his gun, was about to
depart when the girl came In. appar-
emily In great excitement, and, pam
tomining In her turn, gave him to un-
derstand that the Spaniards were COM
ing. Opening trapdoor, she pointed
to a staircase leading to the cellar.
Sandy descended. and the door was
closed. Then he heard the sound of
heavy furniture being moved on to the
trap, and 1t began to dawn upon him
that he was a prisoner.
Having got in, the first thing he did
was to look about him to discover
how he could get out. There was but
one little square window. near the
ceiling, which was covered with an
iron grating; consequently Sandy was
as safe as rat in trap. He had not
been there long before the girl. ac-
companied by Spanish officer. APP
peared at the window. Sandy seized
his rifle, but the two speedily betook
themselves out of range. He could
hear them chattering and made out
from one or two words he understood
that one of them-the officer, he sup
posed-would go for guard to remove
him. Then he heard footsteps In the
room above, after which all was quiet.
Sandy gave himself up as captured
for a time, then resumed his inter-
rupted accommodating for means of
escape. A chimney was built from the
cellar where it was of stone, with no
opening, but the house was very old,
and the stones had been loosely put
together. Sandy tugged at one of
them and succeeded in removing it.
This loosened two or three more. and
he put his head and shoulders. through.
The chimney was large enough for
him to pass through 1t, and he deter
mined to climb up Leaving his rifle,
relying solely on his revolver, he got
through the aperture and, using back
and knees, Skinned up to the floor
above, where he encountered n broad,
fat hearthstone. Sandy was pretty
strong and succeeded in lifting 1t a
few inches. Through the crack he
saw the Spanish officer sitting with
his arms and head on a table, asleep.
Sandy's movements from this point
We're conducted with the utmost care.
Rracing himself, he gave the stone an
other lift and, drawing his revolver,
put 1t lengthwise between one end and
the floor This was a critical moment.
If the officer awakened Sandy was
lost
At this moment loose stone became
detached and dropped to the cellar.
making great noise. The officer rails
cd his head, and great was his aston
ishment ut seeing Sandy sitting In the
fireplace For moment he seemed
paralyzed. Then, drawing a pistol, he
was about to fire when his arm fell
limp and his pistol dropped on the
floor. Sandy had winged him.
Glands upl Bout face! March,
cried Sandy, but as the officer did not
understand English his captor was
obliged to resort to pantomime again,
which the officer, with n revolver
!. pointed at him, was not slow in under.
] standing. Sandy marched his captive
r out of the house and toward the Amer
I lean lines. When he got within hail
3 Ing distance of the picket a bullet
( sang by his ear from the rear, and
I turning, he saw dozen Spanlards. led
by the girl who had trapped him
standing at rise in the ground, ges
ticulating. At the same moment the
, picket advanced to Sandy's rescue.
Captain Murphy of the picket posi-
had finished two hours nap and
was rubbing his eyes when he heard
the firing. Starting up. he saw Sandy
Bancroft coming in with his prisoner
"What were you doing outside the
line? demanded the captain sternly.
"Reconnoitering," said Sandy.
The officer thought of his nap or
post and concluded to compromise fol
silence with Sandy and the men who
. were munching the food Sandy haf
brought for them.
You are brave man." he said. 81
shall recommend you for promotion"