Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-11-10
THE PRINCIPAL
WINNER
B. F. "A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation. 1911.

" men me American troops were
lighting their way across Cuba, Cap.
tain Undertake. commanding party
bf dankers. noticed q coffin lying not
far from the road.
That evening in camp Captain Tim.
berlake was chatting upon the events
of the day with the adjutant and the
major Of his regiment, talking about
who had been killed, who wounded.
how the Spaniards fought and how
they had the advantage Of the Amer.
leans in the matter OF arms and smoke
less powder. when Ti1nberlake spoke
Of the strange sight of coffin lying
beside the road
If men have not the curiosity of wo-
men. and the statement has been de-
MED by the latter. they have trait
equally peculiar. Men, especially those
who lead eventful lives, are prone to
bet about everything which is mat
ter of opinion or hazard. The ques-
ton came up between these officers
whether there was a corpse in the cot
fin or whether there was not One Of
the party had noticed q cemetery on
the way not far from, the line Of
march and suggested that funeral
had been Interrupted by the fight, the
mourners had fed and the coffin spilled
out of the hearse There was doubt
less an unburled corpse in it.
Now, the outcome of this suggestion
did not result, as might have been ex-
pected, in the burial of corpse, but
g bet. The major made the suggestion.
and Captain Timberlake offered to bet
him $40 even, that the coffin was
empty.
The stakes having been put up, Cap
tain Timberlake called Pat Mulcahey. a
recruit picked up just before leaving
the States. and told him to go back
half mile and look out not far from
bridge over creek for coffin. He
was to discover whether 1t contained a
corpse or whether it was empty.
A full moon stood about an hour
high and made all nearly as light as
day. A desultory firing was still going
on, but had nearly died out. Pat
crossed the bridge and about hun
dred yards beyond saw the moonlight
reflected from number Of points OF
the brass ornaments on the coffin. Pat
went on till he got near enough to sex
what the object was, then stopped. A
coffin probably with dead body in Il
at night in lonely spot did not appea
to him. He was wondering how hi
could determine what he had been or
J dered to discover without getting an!
closer to the casket when the lid seem
ed to lift of itself, and the moon light
ed up white face.
"Howly mothery' cried Pat, crossin
himself, and. turning, beat hasty re
treat. Reaching the other side of tn
creek, he paused for another look be
hind him. What he saw froZe tn
marrow in his bones. The corpse wa
: coming with its coffin on its shou
!, der.
Pat tried to run, but for time hi
; legs refused to carry him. 1t was onl
when the specter reached the hithe
. side Of the bridge and seemed to b
} coming right down on him that his tel
TOR had different effect. and with
howl he set off like the wind for camp
Captain Timberlake, the major an
the others were sitting in circle wait
: ing for the decision of the bet whe
. Pat approached. AS he drew nea
] them the soldier reasserted itself, an
he slowed his steps till he came dow
. to walk. Approaching the group, b
q saluted.
"Well, Pat" said his commands
.'who has wonT'
IF ye PLACE, sir, what's the bet?"
! 1.-THE major bets the coffin has
: corpse in it. bet that it is empty"
1.-THE corpse was in it when I wir
there, and now it's out of IT.
"What do you mean?"
"The corpse got out when wa
lookin' at the coffin. and now he's con
in with it on his shoulder"
] There was burst of laughter.
! "Oi got me pay in me pocket" pull
: ing ont roll Of bills. "Ofll bet it a
that he is."
: . Several men standing about, ready
: take advantage of the greenhorn, co,
cred his money 10 to /. The bets ha
barely been made when man with
; coffin on his shoulder approached an
5 asked half in Spanish and half in Emf
!. lish where he could get pass.
There was another burst of laugh
: ter.
The captain looked around for Pa
He was nowhere to be seen.
" "I've won and Pat has won," sal
l. Timberlake. snow we'll hear this man
story. But first let me tell you some
. thing I happen to know. The poo
: class of Cubans hire collins for the1
!, dead. The body is placed in the coffi
: before the funeral and taken to th
: cemetery in it. There it is remove
and buried without any covering
y Since the lid is not screwed down the
= use hinges. This man was not goin
to funeral: he was carrying the cas-
ket away from a cemetery after tn
corpse had been taken out of It,"
"You are right" said the Cuban. It
was carrying the coffin from the GENE
: terry when the battle began. To escap
the bullets lifted the lid and got In
side. stayed there till the firing ha
nearly died away, when proceede
on my journey. But now there ar
soldiers everywhere. and I would Xix
q pass to get home"
He was sent Oeaving his load till hi
RETURN TO headnuarters where he sc