The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-02-10

trench and ran around TO the entrance
of the fort which was at the side.
wanted to get the flag. | wanted
it for my country, and wanted it
for my newspaper.
Although could not tell what
danger lurked in the fort it was too
late to think Of turning back, because
a volley could have ended me at that
moment. AS | entered the fort the
scene ! beheld was too horrible for
words to express. Our FIRE had killed
most of its defenders. found near
the door the officer in command. sur
rounded by all of the garrison that
was left alive. A wall OF terror went
up from the wounded men, writhing
in their blood on the floor. as they
saw me. Just inside the door stood
a voting Spanish officer, surrounded +
by his men. His face was bloodless .
and his lips were drawn away from
his teeth in ghastly way. Beside
him was a soldier holding ramrod,
TO which was fastened a white hand
kerchief-a mute appeal for life.
The officer threw his hands up.
He could speak French Would he
surrender Yes. yes, Yesl Do with
him what we pleased Did he UNDER
stand that if his men fired another
shot his safety could not be assured?
Yes, yes, yes; and every Spaniard
dropped his weapon
| looked above the roofless walls
for the flag. 1t was gone. A lump
came in my throat The prize had
disappeared. "A shell carried the flag
away" said the Spanish officer. at
is lying outside" Dashing through
the door and running around to the
side facing FL Cancy, saw the red
and yellow flag lying in the dust,
fragment Of the staff still attached to
it, | picked il up and wagged it at
the intrenched village A wiser man
would have refrained from that chal-
lcnge, but was not wise that day.
Instantly the Spanish intrenchments
on the village slopes replied with
volleys, and | ran, in cloud of dust,
to the other side of the fort. where
out soldiers seized the captured flag,
waved it and cieered like madmen.
From every hillside came the sound
.of shouting troops as the torn symbol
of victory was tossed from hand to
hand
Although bullets we're beating
|around the door of the fort, Captain
Haskell. who with Captain Clark had
kept the rifles OF Company F busily
employed. agreed to enter and assure
the prisoners Of their safety.
We went in, and while we stood
talking to the Spanish officer, felt
a singing pain in the upper part OF
the left arm, as though blow had
been struck with a shut fist The
sensation was no more and no less
than that which might have come
from rough punch by some too hi
arious friend II whirled me half
around but did not knock me down.
The next moment there was numb
ness in the arm. darting pain in the
hand and a sharp sensation in the
back The arm hung loose as though
III did not belong to me. A Mauser
bullet. entering one OF the loopholes.
had smashed the arm and torn hole
in my back
1t is not necessary to describe how
J staggered to hammock in COM
partment Of the fort and lay there,
hearing my own blood drip; Tow
Major John A Logan and FIVE his
gallant men passed me out of the
fort through a hole made by our
artillery, and how was carried down
the Hill and laid on the roadside
among the wounded, with the captured
Spanish colors thrown over me. After
all, il was a mere personal incident
in a well-fought battle, and hundreds
Of other men had suffered more.
Our troops were still fighting their
way into the village, and we could
hear the savage rip-rip Of the rifles
in the distance and hear the calling
Of bugles
Then an American flag was carried
lpast us on its way to the fort, and
brave Captain Haskell, with bullet
holes in bis neck and leg, lifted him
self painfully on one elbow to greet
| IT, A wounded negro soldier raised
his bloody hand to his head in salute.
Bullets rang above the heads Of the
surgeons as they bent over the VIC
Tins
The heat was terrific Things swan
in the air There was a strange yellow
glare over everything. Voices of
thunder seemed to come from the
blurred figures moving to and fro.
A horse twenty feet high stamped the
earth with his feet and made the dis
tant mountains rock Little fiery lobs
kept dropping down from somewhere
and the world was whirling upside
down Some one was being killed.
Who was being killed? Why was the
general standing on one leg and hav-
ling all his buttons shot Off Copyi
Copyl In one hour the paper goes to
lpressl
A hand touched my fevered head.
opened my eyes Mr. Hearst was
on his knees at my side, Luger in
his belt and pencil and note book in
Ihis hands, AS the bullets Kissed
Iaround us dictated to him the story
Of the fight for his paper. for although
| thought it was my last assignment
my duty to my paper called for a
beat Between my swooning fits |
Ijerked out the sentences till the copy
was complete A few directions, a
shake Of the hand, and as my senses
again commenced to swim saw
Hearst galop off to the coast in a
race to win beat
In a sort Of haze | saw an arbu-
lance attendant stoop over me. DOC
tor" he said. Il guess this war cor
respondents all in; he's about bled to
death, judging from looks" Garry
him out Of danger and I'll attend to
him as soon as | get through with
this poor devil" answered the doctor.
Thanks to good constitution am
Ell cnnahlA az cnrnr,rn. -. ........